TAKE 15: Unwind Your Mind

 


This month, make a goal to TAKE 15: take 15-minute breaks from work and school to improve your mental wellbeing.

Keep reading to find out how:

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating focuses on your sensory awareness of your food and environment. This allows you to connect food to your internal body cues. Try to engage all your senses when you are eating:

·       How does the food smell?

·       How does the food texture feel?

·       How does the food look (colours, shapes, etc)?

Find your pocket of peace by building a positive relationship with food.

Physical Activity

Physical activity has been found to have positive impacts on mood, memory, and sleep. This may be because physical activity releases endorphins that relax muscles and allow you to feel calm. This does not have to be planned physical activity or sports; instead, try:

·       Take a bike instead of your car or park your car further away to get in a quick walk to your destination

·       Take a break to stretch and release the tension in your body

·       Try nighttime yoga or meditation to wind down before sleeping (use apps such as Calm, Headspace, or YouTube videos)

These are just some ideas to get you started on this journey. How will you take your 15?

 

Resources

Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat. ADA Diabetes Spectrum. (2017, August 30). Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556586/#:~:text=Mindful%20eating%20(i.e.%2C%20paying%20attention,carbohydrates%2C%20fat%2C%20or%20protein.

TAKE 15 in Celebration of World Mental Health Day. Live it Good. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.liveitgood.ca/discover-item.html?title=300


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