I made a decision that I needed to begin a brand new month-to-month sequence with you all. These will share among the highlights, discoveries, and small issues I’ve been experimenting with currently. Generally these are new instruments or merchandise I’m testing, typically they’re small habits which can be making a distinction. Generally it’s simply little issues which can be making my life extra joyful.
These are issues I’m personally utilizing and discovering helpful proper now. Nonetheless, I hope they spark concepts so that you can experiment with in your individual life.
This August, my record features a useful monitoring app, night mild instruments, and a brand new drink that’s turn into part of my every day routine. Plus how I’m releasing stress in my physique and thoughts with some actually useful instruments throughout a troublesome season.
Right here’s what I’m loving proper now!
1. dminder: Daylight, Vitamin D, & Circadian Help
Vitamin D has been some of the studied vitamins within the final decade, but many people aren’t getting sufficient. It’s technically a hormone and performs a job in immune well being, bone power, hormone stability, and even temper. Research present low vitamin D ranges imply greater an infection threat, fatigue, and sure power sicknesses.
One of the best supply of vitamin D for many of us remains to be the solar. Personally I’ve discovered that vitamin D dietary supplements do nothing to enhance my examined vitamin D ranges. Realizing how a lot solar is sufficient (with out overdoing it and burning) will be difficult. That’s the place I like utilizing the dminder app. You place in your location, pores and skin tone, time of 12 months, and the way a lot pores and skin is uncovered. Then it helps estimate how a lot vitamin D you’re making from daylight.
I’ve discovered it to be a useful instrument for dialing in on protected solar publicity. Latest analysis factors in the direction of sunburn as a threat issue for pores and skin most cancers, not wholesome mild publicity. Protected, gradual publicity not solely helps vitamin D synthesis but in addition helps regulate circadian rhythm, serotonin, and melatonin.
These are a few of my non-negotiables in my every day routine:
- Morning daylight to set my circadian rhythms and assist me really feel awake and sleep higher
- Noon daylight to maximise vitamin D and different advantages with out burning
- Night daylight to inform my physique it’s time to wind down and without spending a dime pink mild
The dminder app makes it simple to trace that stability with out overthinking it.
2. White Salt Lamp
I’ve talked lots earlier than about how mild is simply as impactful as meals or dietary supplements on the subject of well being. Our our bodies are wired to answer pure mild cues, and fashionable synthetic lighting typically disrupts that rhythm. Particularly the brilliant blue mild from screens, flickering LEDs, and overhead bulbs after sundown.
We’ve at all times had Himalayan salt lamps in our home, however currently I picked up a stupendous white salt lamp. It offers off a tender, heat glow and is extra impartial with out the orange tone. It helps me wind down at night time whereas I’m studying and stress-free.
When our eyes see blue mild at night time (like most lightbulbs and screens) it suppresses our melatonin manufacturing. This makes it tougher to go to sleep and keep asleep. Heat, low-level mild (like firelight or a salt lamp) doesn’t have this impact. I’ve been pairing this lamp with blue-light-blocking glasses in my bed room within the night.
It’s a easy behavior, however one which’ introduced me a number of pleasure and helps sign to my mind it’s time to wind down. That is the white salt lamp that I’ve.
3. Slacka for Clear Vitality
Espresso will at all times have a particular place in my coronary heart, however I’m at all times in search of wholesome options. An excessive amount of caffeine could cause jitters and anxiousness for a lot of (myself included). My buddy David created a brand new practical well being drink and it’s turn into a favourite. It’s like consuming a wholesome soda that provides me a day power increase in a gentler manner with out the jitters.
As a substitute of caffeine, Slacka makes use of paraxanthine, a pure caffeine metabolite. While you drink espresso, your physique breaks caffeine down into paraxanthine, which is definitely what gives lots of the focus and power advantages. By skipping the center step, Slacka offers you the clear, regular increase with out among the downsides folks expertise from espresso. Like racing coronary heart, sleep disruption, or that “wired however drained” feeling.
I really like that it additionally has electrolytes for mobile hydration and 5-HTP to assist stabilize temper. It additionally has pure compounds that help the physique’s personal GLP manufacturing. This interprets to decreased cravings and higher blood sugar stability
For me, it looks like a smoother, extra targeted model of caffeine. Plus it doesn’t appear to have an effect on my sleep once I drink it within the afternoon. Paraxanthine is a more recent pattern, however I wouldn’t be stunned if it turns into the subsequent huge factor in practical well being.
You possibly can try Slacka and take a look at it for your self right here.
4. Facial Fascia Launch
It looks as if increasingly more individuals are speaking about fascia currently. In the event you’ve ever had tight shoulders or knots in your again, you’ve skilled tight fascia first hand. Our physique’s connective tissue can maintain stress, form of like a nasty reminiscence. I’ve not too long ago discovered fascia within the face can do the identical factor.
There are totally different methods accessible however I’ve discovered a program that focuses on facial fascia launch. It’s been surprisingly transformative and I actually really feel like Savannah is aware of her stuff. Utilizing mild instruments and methods, I’ve been capable of launch stress I didn’t even notice I used to be holding in my face.
Right here’s what I’ve observed to this point:
- A lot much less stress between my eyebrows (these “11” traces)
- A refined elevate in my face general
- Lowered jaw tightness
- Higher sinus drainage
Fascia is sort of a internet that surrounds and helps our muscle tissue, nerves, and organs. When it will get tight or “caught,” it restricts motion and blood circulate. Releasing it improves circulation, lymphatic circulate, and even nerve communication. Within the face, that interprets into each rest and visual modifications.
Better of all, it feels so good. Doing this at night time with my salt lamp on has turn into considered one of my favourite calming rituals. You possibly can try this system I’ve been utilizing and fascia instruments right here.
5. Fast Emotional Rewiring: A Thoughts Reset
Ever want you might simply hit the rewind button on life? Whereas time journey nonetheless isn’t potential, Fast Emotional Rewiring stands out as the subsequent neatest thing.
On a deeper and extra private word, the previous few months have been among the hardest of my life. One instrument that’s actually supported me throughout this season is one thing referred to as Fast Emotional Rewiring.
In contrast to conventional remedy, this course of is extra of a neurological reset. It makes use of guided methods to assist shift the mind out of previous, looping patterns that maintain us caught. Many individuals describe it as feeling like the burden of months of discuss remedy condensed right into a single session. Personally I didn’t discover a lot enchancment with conventional discuss remedy.
What I’ve appreciated most is that it’s easy and doesn’t require a number of psychological power. Throughout my hardest days, I didn’t have bandwidth for journaling or prolonged practices, however I may do that. Even one session left me feeling lighter and fewer reactive.
Proper now, there are a restricted variety of free 30-minute periods accessible (together with a easy five-day at-home program). You possibly can verify this system out for your self right here.
Remaining Ideas on August Favorites
This month’s favorites could seem to be an eclectic combine however I’ve observed a typical thread. These easy, constant shifts can ripple into huge modifications over time. Every of those additions to my routine has helped me really feel extra supported and introduced extra pleasure into my every day rhythms. I’m discovering increasingly more that it’s not the massive, flashy modifications that take advantage of distinction however the easy ones.
What are a few of your favourite issues proper now? What instruments or rituals are making life really feel extra joyful for you? Depart a remark and let me know!
