I made a decision that I needed to begin a brand new month-to-month collection with you all. These will share a few of the highlights, discoveries, and small issues I’ve been experimenting with currently. Typically these are new instruments or merchandise I’m testing, generally they’re small habits which might be making a distinction. Typically it’s simply little issues which might be making my life extra joyful.
These are issues I’m personally utilizing and discovering useful proper now. Nonetheless, I hope they spark concepts so that you can experiment with in your personal life.
This August, my checklist features a useful monitoring app, night mild instruments, and a brand new drink that’s develop into part of my day by day routine. Plus how I’m releasing rigidity in my physique and thoughts with some actually useful instruments throughout a tricky season.
Right here’s what I’m loving proper now!
1. dminder: Daylight, Vitamin D, & Circadian Assist
Vitamin D has been one of the vital 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 steadiness, and even temper. Research present low vitamin D ranges imply larger an infection threat, fatigue, and sure continual sicknesses.
The very best supply of vitamin D for many of us continues to be the solar. Personally I’ve discovered that vitamin D dietary supplements do nothing to enhance my examined vitamin D ranges. Figuring out how a lot solar is sufficient (with out overdoing it and burning) could be difficult. That’s the place I like utilizing the dminder app. You set in your location, pores and skin tone, time of yr, 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 device for dialing in on protected solar publicity. Latest analysis factors in direction of sunburn as a threat issue for pores and skin most cancers, not wholesome mild publicity. Secure, 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 day by 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 free of charge pink mild
The dminder app makes it simple to trace that steadiness with out overthinking it.
2. White Salt Lamp
I’ve talked quite a bit earlier than about how mild is simply as impactful as meals or dietary supplements with regards to 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 wonderful 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 enjoyable.
When our eyes see blue mild at night time (like most lightbulbs and screens) it suppresses our melatonin manufacturing. This makes it more durable 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 whole lot 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 alternate options. An excessive amount of caffeine could cause jitters and nervousness for a lot of (myself included). My good friend David created a brand new purposeful well being drink and it’s develop into a favourite. It’s like ingesting a wholesome soda that offers me a day power increase in a gentler means 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 supplies lots of the focus and power advantages. By skipping the center step, Slacka offers you the clear, regular increase with out a few of 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 lowered cravings and higher blood sugar steadiness
For me, it seems 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 shocked if it turns into the subsequent large factor in purposeful well being.
You possibly can take a look at Slacka and check out it for your self right here.
4. Facial Fascia Launch
It looks like increasingly individuals are speaking about fascia currently. If you happen to’ve ever had tight shoulders or knots in your again, you’ve skilled tight fascia first hand. Our physique’s connective tissue can maintain rigidity, form of like a foul reminiscence. I’ve lately discovered fascia within the face can do the identical factor.
There are completely different methods obtainable 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 strategies, I’ve been capable of launch rigidity I didn’t even understand I used to be holding in my face.
Right here’s what I’ve seen up to now:
- A lot much less rigidity between my eyebrows (these “11” strains)
- A refined raise in my face general
- Decreased jaw tightness
- Higher sinus drainage
Fascia is sort of a internet that surrounds and helps our muscle mass, nerves, and organs. When it will get tight or “caught,” it restricts motion and blood circulation. Releasing it improves circulation, lymphatic circulation, 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 develop into considered one of my favourite calming rituals. You possibly can take a look at this system I’ve been utilizing and fascia instruments right here.
5. Fast Emotional Rewiring: A Thoughts Reset
Ever want you would simply hit the rewind button on life? Whereas time journey nonetheless isn’t potential, Fast Emotional Rewiring could be the subsequent neatest thing.
On a deeper and extra private word, the previous few months have been a few of the hardest of my life. One device that’s actually supported me throughout this season is one thing known as Fast Emotional Rewiring.
Not like conventional remedy, this course of is extra of a neurological reset. It makes use of guided strategies to assist shift the mind out of previous, looping patterns that preserve us caught. Many individuals describe it as feeling like the burden of months of speak remedy condensed right into a single session. Personally I didn’t discover a lot enchancment with conventional speak remedy.
What I’ve appreciated most is that it’s easy and doesn’t require a whole lot 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 classes obtainable (together with a easy five-day at-home program). You possibly can examine this system out for your self right here.
Ultimate Ideas on August Favorites
This month’s favorites might seem to be an eclectic combine however I’ve seen a standard thread. These easy, constant shifts can ripple into large modifications over time. Every of those additions to my routine has helped me really feel extra supported and introduced extra pleasure into my day by day rhythms. I’m discovering increasingly that it’s not the large, 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!