I made a decision that I wished to start out 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. 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. Nevertheless, I hope they spark concepts so that you can experiment with in your personal 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 each day routine. Plus how I’m releasing stress 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 some of the studied vitamins within the final decade, but many people aren’t getting sufficient. It’s technically a hormone and performs a task in immune well being, bone energy, hormone steadiness, and even temper. Research present low vitamin D ranges imply greater an infection danger, fatigue, and sure continual sicknesses.
The most effective 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. Realizing how a lot solar is enough (with out overdoing it and burning) might be difficult. That’s the place I like utilizing the dminder app. You set 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 device for dialing in on secure solar publicity. Current analysis factors in the direction of sunburn as a danger issue for pores and skin most cancers, not wholesome mild publicity. Protected, gradual publicity not solely helps vitamin D synthesis but additionally helps regulate circadian rhythm, serotonin, and melatonin.
These are a few of my non-negotiables in my each 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 totally free crimson mild
The dminder app makes it simple to trace that steadiness with out overthinking it.
2. White Salt Lamp
I’ve talked loads earlier than about how mild is simply as impactful as meals or dietary supplements in relation to well being. Our our bodies are wired to reply to pure mild cues, and trendy synthetic lighting typically disrupts that rhythm. Particularly the brilliant blue mild from screens, flickering LEDs, and overhead bulbs after sundown.
We’ve all the time had Himalayan salt lamps in our home, however currently I picked up a ravishing white salt lamp. It provides off a mushy, 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 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 quite a 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 Power
Espresso will all the time have a particular place in my coronary heart, however I’m all the time on the lookout for wholesome alternate options. An excessive amount of caffeine may cause jitters and anxiousness for a lot of (myself included). My pal David created a brand new practical well being drink and it’s turn into a favourite. It’s like ingesting a wholesome soda that offers me a day vitality increase in a gentler method with out the jitters.
As a substitute of caffeine, Slacka makes use of paraxanthine, a pure caffeine metabolite. If you drink espresso, your physique breaks caffeine down into paraxanthine, which is definitely what supplies most of the focus and vitality advantages. By skipping the center step, Slacka provides you the clear, regular increase with out among the downsides individuals 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 assist the physique’s personal GLP manufacturing. This interprets to lowered cravings and higher blood sugar steadiness
For me, it seems like a smoother, extra centered model of caffeine. Plus it doesn’t appear to have an effect on my sleep after I drink it within the afternoon. Paraxanthine is a more moderen development, however I wouldn’t be shocked if it turns into the subsequent huge factor in practical 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 as if increasingly more individuals are speaking about fascia currently. In case 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, sort of like a foul reminiscence. I’ve lately realized fascia within the face can do the identical factor.
There are totally different methods out there 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 stress I didn’t even notice I used to be holding in my face.
Right here’s what I’ve observed thus far:
- A lot much less stress between my eyebrows (these “11” strains)
- A refined carry in my face total
- Diminished jaw tightness
- Higher sinus drainage
Fascia is sort of a net that surrounds and helps our muscle tissue, nerves, and organs. When it will get tight or “caught,” it restricts motion and blood movement. Releasing it improves circulation, lymphatic movement, and even nerve communication. Within the face, that interprets into each rest and visual adjustments.
Better of all, it feels so good. Doing this at night time with my salt lamp on has turn into certainly 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 could possibly simply hit the rewind button on life? Whereas time journey nonetheless isn’t attainable, Fast Emotional Rewiring will be the subsequent smartest thing.
On a deeper and extra private notice, the previous few months have been among the hardest of my life. One device that’s actually supported me throughout this season is one thing known as Fast Emotional Rewiring.
In contrast to conventional remedy, this course of is extra of a neurological reset. It makes use of guided strategies to assist shift the mind out of outdated, looping patterns that hold 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 quite a lot of psychological vitality. 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 out there (together with a easy five-day at-home program). You possibly can test this system out for your self right here.
Last Ideas on August Favorites
This month’s favorites might seem to be an eclectic combine however I’ve observed a standard thread. These easy, constant shifts can ripple into huge adjustments over time. Every of those additions to my routine has helped me really feel extra supported and introduced extra pleasure into my each day rhythms. I’m discovering increasingly more that it’s not the large, flashy adjustments 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!
