National Wellness Month: A to Zzz's of Wellness and Self Care

As we learned at the beginning of the month, August is National Wellness Month and what wellness means. Wellness is more than just exercise or simply eating a healthy diet. More importantly, wellness is a lifestyle, not a short-term phase! Being well is about taking care of yourself completely - physically, mentally and emotionally!! 

Physical Wellness: This dimension of wellness is what most people think about first and foremost. Physical wellness is about being and staying active. A combination of cardio and strength training exercises are best. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of movement per day, at least 4 or 5 days a week. Being consistent is key! If you find an exercise you love - don't be afraid to stick to it!! If you find yourself bored of typical exercises, try new workouts like yoga or kickboxing. You might just fall in love with something you've never attempted before!!

Mental Wellness: There are several things you can do to keep yourself mentally well. Start with getting enough quality sleep. Sleep is so important for many reasons! You will feel more alert and ready to tackle the day. Sleeping close to eight hours each night might even help to improve your memory! Learning a new skill or hobby can help keep your brain healthy and active also. Give your brain a workout by playing a game with family or friends - Scrabble is a fun one!

Emotional Wellness: Being emotionally well means that you are able to feel and express the different emotions you have - such as happiness, sadness or anger. Being able to tune in and differentiate these emotions helps you to process them in a healthy way. Feeling sad, but learning to seek comfort; getting upset and working through the anger; these are healthy ways to work through your emotions without letting them control you.