Back to School: Adapting to the New Normal

Our routines are different, we’re all adapting to a new normal – at least for now. Since most of us have a bit of extra time on our really clean hands these days, let’s focus on what we can control. Structure and routine make us feel grounded. To help get centred, let’s map out the day and create room for the 4 M’s. Starting each day with a mindful routine can help settle feelings of chaos and anxiety, calm the mind, body and soul. Creating a deliberate and intentional morning routine can provide a sense of emotional balance that carries through your entire day. Meaningful Engagement Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation or emotional distancing. Reach out to family to stay connected. Set up group chats and FaceTime with friends far away – chances are they’re in the same boat and craving interaction. Smile and thank the people working in the stores you visit. Make the most of this time to make someone’s day. Meditation Meditation is a habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. The list of benefits is long, but some of the highlights include: reducing stress and anxiety promoting emotional health reducing blood pressure improving sleep It can be done almost anywhere (find a comfortable seat and get in position) and you can choose the length and theme of your practice. And there are free apps galore that will guide you through the entire process. Try Insight Timer and Calm to get started. Mindfulness Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present and aware. In simpler terms, it changes how we react to everything. Being mindful is about paying attention to where we are and what we’re doing, without being overly reactive or overwhelmed. From your breathing to the flavour of your breakfast, every little detail can shift things. When we’re mindful, we reduce stress, enhance performance, gain insight and awareness through observing our own mind, while increasing our attention to others’ well-being. Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It brings awareness and caring into everything we do. Even a little makes our lives better. Here are some great places to find out more: Aura: Sleep & Mindfulness app The Power of Mindfulness TEDx talk, by Dr. Shauna Shapiro Ten Percent Happier app Movement Get outside for a walk or a run if the weather allows. Follow along with some yoga videos or try this 5-minute arm workout. Exercise has so many physical and emotional benefits: releasing endorphins, improving sleep and mood, strengthening muscles and bones, upping energy levels, curing boredom. If you’re feeling cooped up and need to get the blood flowing, find a way to add movement into your days. And the comfort food tastes that much better when you’ve moved your body!

Getting started on a new journey is not an easy task. Taking the first steps towards a healthier lifestyle can be especially daunting. It can feel like you need to overhaul your entire life overnight. Luckily, healthy living doesn’t have a deadline: making small, gradual changes is a great way to make healthy habits stick! Try these 5 tips if you’re looking to build healthy habits into your routine: 1. Just move! If you are living a sedentary lifestyle, getting active can seem overwhelming. However, there really is no need to rush into anything! The best kind of exercise is whatever you can regularly fit into your routine: whether that means joining a weekly class at the local yoga studio or taking a short walk during your lunch break at work. 2. Drink up It’s a well-known fact that drinking water is a vital aspect of a healthy lifestyle. This is especially important if you’re a regular coffee or tea drinker. But, if drinking enough water is a challenge for you, try switching it up by adding lemon or cucumber slices, or a sugar-free source of flavour, like our Plant-based Collagen Booster! As well, some foods with high water contents, such as watermelons, cucumbers, or lettuce, can also help you increase your fluid intake. 3. Go to bed on time An inconsistent sleep schedule can cause a variety of negative effects, from irritability and drowsiness to impaired cognitive skills. By sticking to the same schedule every night, you allow your body to regulate your circadian rhythm (that’s your body’s internal clock), for a more consistent and restful sleep. Getting used to a new sleep-wake cycle is challenging. Try gradually adjusting your bedtime and wake-up time until you get used to your new schedule. 4. Remember to breathe Practicing meditation regularly is a great way to decrease stress, increase focus, and control anxiety, among other benefits. It can be done anywhere and there are many different styles and approaches, making it easy to adapt to your unique lifestyle and preferences. Luckily, there are many apps available for curious beginners and veterans alike! 5. Practice gratitude Taking the time to reflect about your day and record your thoughts and feelings can be quite therapeutic in and of itself. Likewise, acknowledging and giving thanks for the positive things in life has been shown to have long-term beneficial effects for your mental and physical health. Writing down a few sentences or a short list of highlights at the end of the day only takes a few minutes and has a very real impact! If you need some help getting started, check out these gratitude journal prompts. We want to see you succeed! To share tips, see which healthy habits worked for others, and have great conversations about health, join our Facebook group.

If you are finding yourself feeling a little more anxious than normal lately, know that you are NOT alone. It is completely okay to feel that way. It is human nature to feel a little off when things around us change - and they are changing quickly! Rest assured humans can adapt to change very well. Comfortably getting through these times will help keep your body and mind in shape. How does stress work? When we undergo stress, our bodies' sympathetic nervous system is activated. The sympathetic nervous system activates our ‘fight or flight’ mode, which can take a toll on our bodies when it is activated for long periods of time. When we are in the stressed-out sympathetic mode for too long, it can make us feel not so great. Opposite to the sympathetic nervous system is our parasympathetic nervous system. This system is also known as our ‘rest and digest’ system. Bringing ourselves out of a sympathetic state and into a parasympathetic state allows us to relax and calm down our bodies and our minds. If you are feeling more uneasy than usual lately, here are some neat ways to help bring your body into a more relaxed state. Breathing techniques There are some really cool breathing techniques you can use if you are ever feeling overwhelmed. My favourite deep breathing technique is called box breathing. This technique will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and leave you feeling a little more ‘zen’. Carrying this exercise out for even 1-2 minutes a day has been found to be beneficial and calming to the nervous system. Box Breathing Find a nice quiet space where you can sit or lay down comfortably for a few minutes. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose for a count of four. Focus on breathing deep into your belly. Hold the breath for a count of four. Exhale through your mouth for a count of four. Hold for a count of 4 before starting again. Meditation There is never a better time to start meditating. Meditation is something you get better at with practice, so if you are new to it, start slow and build up. Even 5 minutes a day can reduce overall stress and anxiety. If you need help getting started, check out some of the many apps that can help guide you through meditating: CALM Insight Timer Head Space You can also head over to YouTube and find lots of guided meditations. Mindfulness Mindfulness is the act of being completely present in the moment. Social media and especially the news can really take us to a place of negativity if we let ourselves get absorbed in it, which can be easy to do. Try turning off media and tuning into what really matters. This can help us avoid distractions and tune into things that are more uplifting. To make your days indoors feel more positive and relaxing, try doing some of these tips: Continue to connect with loved ones. Pick up the phone or Skype family and friends. Play some of your favourite tunes and dance in your kitchen. Take a warm, relaxing bath. Curl up with a good book and sip on a calming magnesium drink. Although we may feel disconnected in many ways right now, it is important to take this time to touch base and reconnect with yourself. Staying grounded and in the present can help us get through difficult times. Keeping in tune with what is really important is key, and part of that is staying healthy, both mind and body. Take care out there. With love, Amy Wilson