Health & Wellness #JingleLadies
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If you’ve ever put your own needs on the back burner because you have so many other demands on your time — job, kids, parents or even the dog! — you’re not alone. Women juggle a lot and often place themselves at the bottom of the to-do list. But to get the most out of life (and to help others), you have to care for yourself!
If you are single, utilise this time to pour into your self and take note of your health and wellbeing needs. I always tend to notice changes in my mood and energy levels around this time of year, in the past I have let them be and have neglected maintaining my health and wellness which ultimately, in short, left me feeling very lethargic and unbothered… Not this year.
This year we are doing this together and taking care of ourselves, no pressure.
BUBBLE BATHS
Do not underestimate the power of a good bubble bath!
Instagram will have you thinking that the only way to practice self-care and maintain wellness is to take a photo-shoot worthy bath (and post a picture of it, obvs).
But erm, over here at sammiswinton.com we live in the real world and that’s definitely not the case. Self care is for ones self, not for the gram.
A nice bath will work wonders and is a great starting point for calming any nerves and helping regulate the nervous system which typically has a domino effect on every other operating system in our bodies, so please, do indulge in a nice hot bath, bubbles and bath bombs… I recommend using LUSH products as they provide many vegan options and do not irritate my lady parts or cause any chemical changes.
(Do you keep an eye on these things? sidenote: know your discharge ladies, know your discharge.)
My favourite Bath Bomb during the Christmas period is the Turmeric Latte – The scent is gorgeous, makes my nostrils tingle it’s that good, the only way I can describe the scent is; imagine a Nenuco x Latte collab… Nenuco notes are more dominant than the latte ones if that makes sense? BANGING!
The Turmeric Latte turns water a glistening gold and moisturises the skin – fit for the ABSOLUTE GODDESS that you are!
I also fell in love with Lush’s Rub Rub Rub. Everything about it screams self care and magic. I love the scent, the texture, the colour (it’s a magic genie looking blue) I love the way it feels when exfoliating my skin. The smell is DIVINE and it lingers on your skin, like all day, you don’t need no au de parfum after washing with this.
These are both 100% rebuys for me every Christmas.
EXCERCISE
When it comes to looking and feeling great throughout our different seasons of life, the closest thing to a one-size-fits-all solution may be the most obvious: exercise.
When I think of healthcare, my initial thoughts are around scheduling GP appointments, do I have any underlying health issues? How will I combat depression when it comes knocking at my door again? and it’s easy to remember that time we all spent every Thursday clapping for the NHS…
But taking a step back from these initial thoughts I can see there are other factors that are in my personal control and don’t have to necessarily be scheduled in or around someone else, like improving diet, reducing stress and adding fun to life wherever possible.
Exercise is one of these controllable factors, and it’s highly effective at improving health. Our health as women, is very important, growing up we learnt about our bodies but no one ever taught me about the actual chemical imbalances that fluctuate every day of the 28 day menstrual cycle.
Our fertility patterns, brain chemistry and moods are constantly changing, dropping and rising and bouncing around our bodies.
After 15 years of periods, pains, ignoring any advice to just go to the gym, taking the time to research and understand why I could be depressed when sometimes I feel nothing had happened to bring on an episode, why my body doesn’t produce serotonin on a daily basis and what effective treatments there are aside from CBT and sertraline tablets guess what I found?
That actually the best medicine to cure mental and physical problems is to just move. Just move and exercise as much or as little as you want, either way just move.
I currently use the Better Gyms in my borough and mix it up with gym/swim and some boxing fitness sessions with my cousin @boxingcoachcharlieg who is a brilliant boxing coach and motivator, if you are in central London and want to train, send him a DM here.
If you need a push, here it is >>>>>>>> Go!
SLEEP WELL
I haven’t been a morning person since I can remember, but this past year I have tried to be, I changed my mindset around it and proved to myself how much could be done in one morning, how productive I could be if I had a good night’s sleep and started waking up earlier. I know there are so many articles on the web why good sleeping patterns can help you feel more happy and think clearly, but I really had to prove it to myself.
Sleeping well is essential for good health. A solid sleep lowers your risk of getting sick or developing serious illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.
Many factors can get in the way of falling or staying asleep, like late-night worrying, parenting or even staring at a screen (hello, phone scrolling) right before bedtime, and I know I am not alone in getting into bed and thinking ok just 1 more episode of .>insert current series your watching here< and staying awake, indulging in a whole Netflix binge.
Few of us realise that during sleep, the body is doing more than resting – it’s working to restore our physical and mental wellbeing. Alongside other essential elements such as nutrition, hydration and meditation – sleep is the cornerstone of a balanced rest and recovery program.
Sleep is highly beneficial for almost every part of your body and your mind. When you sleep, your body repairs itself, regulates vital processes and releases toxins so you can wake up feeling refreshed. With these restorative benefits in mind, be sure to get enough sleep. Your body, mind and overall state of wellness will thank you.
Try this simple combination for winding down:
A comfy pair of pyjamas, a guided meditation, pillow spray and rescue nights vegan oral sleeping aids
EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
Another thing I learnt the hard way is that having the ability to understand your own emotions and finding healthy outlets for those feelings can really help one to cope with life’s daily issues. Finding friends to confide in, exercising, writing our feelings down, and talking to therapists are all healthy ways of recognising and coping with our emotions.
I do believe it is better to be aware of and accept your feelings than to deny them. It is better to be optimistic in your approach to life than pessimistic. Ignoring your feelings and unaddressed emotional problems can often lead to serious consequences, from illness to relationship problems to harmful behaviour.
From speaking to many different women over the course of my 30 plus years of living, it has always been shown and voiced that there is this irrational belief that caring for ourselves or putting our own mental and emotional health first is selfish. Because of this, focusing on your emotional health may be an adjustment for you.
When women find it hard to talk about difficult feelings and emotions, we tend to internalise them. This can lead to depression, eating disorders and self-harm.
No one said confronting your emotions would be pretty, or easy, or nice, at all. And if anyone has told you that then they lied. Dealing with yourself and your wounds and your trauma is uncomfortable, unpretty, confusing at times and a lot of hard work. But the outcome will be growth and liberation, there will be understanding, there will be love, there will be happier days.
A great place to start is just having a tea or coffee with a mate, have a chat about how you are both feeling, you might have similar life experiences? A problem shared is a problem halved.
Lots of us have worries with the cost of living crisis at the moment, and this can have a big impact on our mental health. If you’re struggling right now, please get in touch with one of the mental health charities below:
Alternatively, you can contact the NHS on 111 and ask for the number for the crisis team in your local area or borough.
Stay safe and take care,
Sammi xx
I’m having a full smile makeover!
Simple Ways to Invest in Yourself and Enhance Your Life #JingleLadies
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