Lynds in Real Life

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Health

Simple Tips For Improving Your Posture

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A surprisingly large amount of people have bad posture. The correct and healthy posture change comes from many people working at desks all day, looking down at mobile phones a lot, and slouching in general. 

Having the correct posture will mean that some of the muscles and joints in your body won’t function as they are designed to. The weakened areas are more susceptible to injury, and it can limit your range of movement too. 

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Slouching, in particular, can mean that you aren’t taking big enough breaths, meaning there isn’t oxygen flowing around your body. This lack of oxygen leads to fatigue, poor circulation, and decreased energy levels. 

There are several ways to be more mindful of your posture, and some of them only take a moment. 

If you notice regular backache, tight shoulders, and a stiff neck due to your posture, then a trip to a chiropractic care center should be top of the list. 

The rest of the tips are things that you can do yourself. 

Fastest fix

Notice how you are sitting right now. Are you slumped a little bit, with your shoulders hunched over? Do you have proper lumbar support? 

The key to a fast posture fix is looking at how you are holding your shoulder blades. Your shoulder blades should be drawn back and pulled down slightly. This stops you from having rounded hunch shoulders and allows for better alignment. 

The correct sitting position would be to have your ears in line with your shoulders. This position prevents strain in your neck. 

Long term 

If you spend a significant amount of time sitting, invest in a chair with lumbar support, or purchase a small lumbar support pillow. 

Keeping your legs uncrossed and both on the floor or on a footrest to keep your knees at hips at the same height. Your knee can also be slightly below hip height for optimal comfort. 

Moving often is essential too. Even if you have a desk-based job, it is essential that you set timers to make sure you are moving at least once an hour for a few minutes. 

Read more about how damaging a desk job can be: Your Desk Job Is Killing You.

Moving around makes sure that the blood flow is good and that all of your joints and muscles are lubricated. 

During your time away from your desk, make sure that you stretch your arms, legs, neck, and back. This will prevent them from feeling too stiff and becoming painful. 

If you have tensions in the body, this will also restrict movements, which can see you returning to a slouching posture. 

Walking

If you often walk with your head tipped down looking at your feet, it’s time to break that habit. Walking tall, with your shoulders and the top of your head pointing skywards is the key to keeping your break straight as you walk around. 

Next time you head out for a walk, or you are standing then look at how you hold your body. 

Simply noticing when you are slouching or hunched over can help you correct your posture with ease. 

Thank you for reading!

Health

The Surprising Health Benefits of Fishing

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When you think of being fit and healthy you might visualize an intense workout at the gym or a long sweaty run. But health benefits come in a variety of different ways, and fishing can also be included in this category. So if you enjoy this activity then it could prove even more beneficial than you thought. 

Gets You Out and About

The good thing about fishing is that despite a cold, dreary morning if you enjoy being outdoors despite it being chilly it will still encourage you to get out and about, which is certainly important. As long as you are dressed suitably for the different weather conditions with performance fishing shirts then you won’t be too concerned if it is a little cold, as you will be dressed appropriately. Also you can look smart and stylish if you want, as well as feeling comfortable. 

Encourages Social Meet Ups

This is particularly important, especially if you live alone to be able to retain social contact with other people. It provides you with the opportunity to maintain friendships or meet new people when you are able to meet on a regular basis. This is most definitely important psychologically to prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness. 

Aids Concentration

As it is an activity whereby you are focused on the task ahead, fishing can improve your concentration as you are spending your time thinking about what you are doing and what you might catch in the water. So essentially it will boost your memory and concentration levels which is most definitely a positive thing. 

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You Will Reap The Rewards of the Sun 

In the winter you are not exposed to much sunlight as the days draws in, so doing an outdoor activity where you can get some much needed vitamin D is a positive. You want to try and absorb as much as you can in the morning before the sun gets too hot. This is not too much of a problem in fall or winter when the sun is not sweltering hot the rest of the day. But in the colder weather you can stay as long as you like. 

Promotes Good Physical Activity 

You might not have considered it to be very active as a sport but it still requires physical ability. You are continually moving your arms about and lifting things which requires your muscles to keep moving. This will in turn get your heart muscles working, which pumps enough blood around your body. So in a sense you are still doing a bit of a workout. 

Allows You to Breathe In Fresh Air

Breathing in fresh air is very important, especially if you live in a city centre, where pollution is rife. You need to be able to breath in good quality fresh air to keep your lungs in good condition. Fishing is the perfect escape to do this in a quiet, rural, scenic location in an outdoor setting. 

Alleviates Stress 

There are going to be moments in your life where you get extremely stressed, so finding a calming, relaxing solution to this is essential. If you are someone that just wants to switch off from your everyday stresses then fishing can be an ideal resolution. You can just sit back in quiet solitude, if you prefer to be alone, and just focus on the task ahead, taking in your calming environment as you cast aside all your stresses and worries. 

Overall there are many more qualities to fishing than you thought which are positive to both your physical and mental wellbeing. The most important thing is to be doing an activity that you thoroughly enjoy as this will deter you from feeling lethargic, lonely and stressed. So grab that fishing rod and go explore!

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

Practical Ways to Save Money

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If you try so hard to save money only to find that you never really get anywhere, it can be pretty frustrating to say the least. 

Somehow, no matter what you do, things always crop up to render your efforts null and void, and saving money seems so hard that you hardly know why you bother at all – sound familiar? It’s a common story, but it is a story you can change by employing these very practical ways to save money into your life…

Use the debt snowball method

If you’re in debt, those repayments are likely o be one of your biggest expenses, which means you need to get rid of that debt asap. A great way to do this is by using the debt snowball method whereby you plow any spare cash into eliminating your smallest debt. Once you’ve done that, you move on to the net smallest and so on. Once you’re on a roll, you’ll find it easier, see great results that spur you on, and ultimately get rid of that debt pretty fast.

Don’t buy anything new

Apart from food, medication and maybe underwear, do you really need to buy anything new? From used cars at edmunds to vintage clothing at the local thrift store, you can find everything you need preloved and save a great deal of money doing so. Just be warned: hunting out those pre-loved bargains can become addictive.

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Make a shopping list

And stick to it. The average family of four spends in excess of $928 each month on groceries. This is something you can easily cut down on by making a list containing only the ingredients of the meals you plan to make. When you do this, you don’t throw in those tasty-looking Oreos or end up buying 10 different meat sauces that you will never eat, and over the course of a year, the savings can be pretty huge.

Save the change

Whenever you buy something for say $3.59, instead of keeping the change in your wallet or bank account, why not put it into a savings or investment account instead? There are numerous apps that will round up the change on your purchases and invest them for you, and although it doesn’t seem like saving the difference between $3.59 and $5 when you buy a coffee would make much difference, think about how many coffees you have each year and you can easily see how this could help you save a lot and that’s just coffee – think about all the other small purchase you make, which you could save the change from, too!

Get rid of subscriptions

From Netflix to Amazon Prime, most of us have a lot of online subscriptions, many of which we barely, if ever, use. Every month, audit your subs and if you haven’t used one in a while, cancel it and start putting the equivalent monthly cost into your savings.

These methods might not help you to get rich quick, but they’ll certainly speed up your savings success!

Thank you for reading!

Health

Why Skiing Is Great For Your Health

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Have you ever wondered about the health benefits of skiing? Many people are nervous about getting out on the snow and learning this new skill. However, winter sports remain increasingly popular across the US, and enjoy getting out and about when the instinct is to stay home and warm and out of the snow.

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If you want to know the benefits of skiing, this post looks at how learning to ski can improve your health.

Strengthens Joints and Bones

With each turn and navigate down the mountainside, your knees and joints work hard to handle the tension. This strengthens your knees and stretches your joints and muscles. The weight-bearing on your legs strengthens your bones, preventing osteoporosis and other knee and joint issues.

Plus, you can benefit significantly from the added flexibility skiing affords your body as you use a wide variety of muscles when skiing. As well as supporting joints and bones, you can maintain flexibility too.

Strengthens Your Core

Skiing is challenging without good balance and a strong core. The deep core muscles (abdominal and pelvic floor muscles) are essential stabilizers and get a great workout when skiing. Skiing has many health benefits, including deep core stabilization, which supports your complete system, including breathing, posture, and digestion. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles benefits your entire body.

Take this up to another level by including yoga or pilates to your pre and post-ski routine to help you support your core and strengthen your body both on and off the slopes.

Improves Heart

Skiing works your heart hard. Skiing is an aerobic sport that increases heart rate and cardiovascular endurance. Capillaries can deliver more oxygen to muscle cells when your heart is stronger. With this in mind, there is no denying that skiing is an excellent method to keep your heart healthy and your body fit. Try walking up the hill instead of taking the ski lift (you’ll feel it the next day!).

Plus carrying all of your ski equipment such as skis, clothing, gloves, ski boot bag and more will help you boost the workout too.

Helps Maintain Weight

How many calories do you burn skiing? Skiing burns 223 calories in 30 minutes for an 11 stone person, according to Harvard Medical School. It’s surprising how many calories you burn skiing for several hours per day for a week! So keep your energy up by eating excellent chalet meals during your ski break! Make sure to supplement this by eating meals that are delicious and meet the nutritional needs of skiers and snowboarders. 

Improved Mental Health

Being on the slopes has been shown to have positive psychological effects on those who participate. As a result of spending the entire day outside and basking in the Vitamin D from the sun, your body’s production of “feel good” chemicals, such as endorphins and adrenaline, is increased. This is especially true while participating in an activity such as skiing. Skiing outside has been shown to improve mood and provide a stronger sense of well-being and enjoyment.

Do you ski?

Thank you for reading!

Health

Speeding Up Your Recovery After Surgery

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Having surgery of any kind can have a huge impact on both your physical and mental health, so it’s vital that you can find proactive ways to bounce back to your old self in a timely manner to avoid experiencing these negative symptoms for any longer than you need to. Fortunately there are several simple steps that you can follow to ensure your recovery is as fast as possible, and there’s no time like the present to get started! So, simply read on to find out more. 

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Find A Trusted Physician

One of the most important features that can impact dramatically on your recovery is the physician that you choose to aid you in your journey to wellness. Opting for the wrong doctor who has little knowledge of your condition or how to help you to achieve your health goals will mean that you have no chance of a successful recovery, and it could even cause further problems that could have otherwise been avoided. It’s vital that you know what to do if you suspect malpractice during your surgery or subsequent aftercare, as you deserve to receive the best quality treatment. In order to find a reliable physician, check online to uncover reviews that have been left by previous patients to locate the highest rated health center in your local area. 

Give Yourself Time 

Attempting to go back to work within a couple of weeks of your surgery could seriously damage your chances of achieving a swift recovery, as you need to give yourself time to heal in a relaxing environment without an excess of physical and mental stress. Running around after your children or scrubbing the kitchen floor should be out of the question no matter what kind of surgery you have undergone, as strenuous activity is never advised and you must follow the advice of your healthcare professional. Don’t rush back to your previous lifestyle – take your recovery one step at a time and remember to be patient with yourself. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help

Causing yourself distress and discomfort by struggling through a task simply because you’re afraid to ask for help is one of the worst mistakes that you can make when attempting to speed up your recovery after surgery. You must never feel guilty for asking your friends, family or medical staff for assistance when you are in such a predicament, as it’s highly likely that they will be more than happy to help! Whether you need a friend to run down to the grocery store to grab you a few things or even just need someone to talk to, someone out there is probably willing to put an end to your troubles. 

Speeding up your recovery has never been so simple when you can take the time to make the most of some of the brilliant tips and tricks that have been carefully explained above. It’s always a nerve-wracking experience to undergo surgery of any kind, but focusing on the future will help you to battle through your discomfort to get back to your old self in no time at all. 

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

Preparing Your Teen for Life

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There comes a time in every parent’s life when they have to think about their children leaving home. Once the teenage years arrive, it can be a quick transition from child to teen to young adult. Many parents will agree it feels like the blink of an eye.

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At this time in their lives, it is the perfect opportunity to give them some practical life skills they can take with them as they begin to make their way in the world. But what are the best skills to teach your child when they fly the nest?

Laundry

Lessons include sorting colors and reading labels. Explain why some clothes require special care. Be sure to teach them how to use the washer and the dryer! Which button performs what and when? Mention the advantages of air drying and the distinctions among detergents and stain removers. This is a wonderful moment to encourage finishing tasks. One load from filthy to folded and put away is better than many loads of washed and dried laundry being left around.

Shaving

Both girls and boys need to know how to shave correctly and care for their skin when they decide to do this. Facial shaving for boys can be complicated, mainly if you discuss growing mustaches or beards and the proper care. 

Teach your teen how to shave and care for the skin on their face and neck, along with other body parts they might want to shave. And include alternatives to shaving and hair removal for face, underarms, legs, and genital regions. It can save them a lot of pain and discomfort in the future.

Shopping

Invite your kids to go grocery shopping with you. Discuss choosing the best fruits and vegetables and why the grocery store’s outer aisles are ideal. Show your teen how to make a shopping list with what you currently own. Discuss meal planning and nutrition factors to deepen the learning. Teens love to talk about food and what’s good for their bodies. Use this innate curiosity to communicate.

Money Management

The more money talks your teen hears, the more financial authority they get. Saving money for a school trip or college is a great way to learn about money management. Money conversation is a learned skill for many of us, so remember it before teaching it to your teen.

Time Management

This skill could significantly improve your teen’s life. It helps them control their destiny. Talk about your teen’s schedule. Consider developing a strategy for what to do if time runs out. This saves you later and gives them practice before they need to rely on time management for employment and make their way in the world.

Job Hunting

Finding work is difficult for those with experience, but it can be impossible for teenagers. Take it one step at a time, starting with job-hunting tools. A preteen or teen may build a solid CV at any age. Remember not to compare your teen to others you know. Show them how to play to their strengths and what skills are transferable from day-to-day life to the world of employment, including punctuality, attention to detail, ability to think on their feet, and act independently and confidently.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness Health

3 Ways To Turn Your Commute Into Daily Exercise

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The biggest reason that people give for not exercising is that they don’t have time. Sometimes, it’s just an excuse and if they really wanted to, they could find the time. However, some people that have a busy work and family life really don’t have any time to exercise. If you find yourself in that situation, you need to double up on your time and find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. One of the best ways to do that is to turn your commute into an opportunity to exercise. 

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Your commute is dead time in the day anyway, but it’s easy to make it more active so you’re getting more out of it. These are some of the best ways to turn your commute into an opportunity for exercise. 

Running and Walking

This is probably the most obvious answer. The best way to turn your commute into an opportunity for exercise is to run or walk while you’re commuting. You can wear your headphones and listen to music or an audiobook or podcast while you do it, but there’s something special about having that time where your mind can just wander. You’ll get some great exercise every single day and you’ll arrive at work feeling refreshed. 

If you live close to work, walking is a great option and it’s better exercise than people realize. Running is an option sometimes, but if you live too far away, you might have to look into other options. If you are going to run, you will need facilities for showering and changing at work, so it all depends on your workplace. 

Cycling

If you live close to work, cycling is another great option for turning your commute into an exercise opportunity. It’s one of the best ways to get in a lot of exercise each day and you can cover a much longer distance. You won’t get as sweaty as you will when you run either, so it’s better if there are no facilities at work. If you are concerned about the distance, you should look for some electric bikes for sale and use one of those instead. You still get good exercise but you have a bit of extra assistance if your commute is longer or there are a few big hills you need to tackle. 

Scooters

You might think that scooters are just a kid’s toy, but they’re actually quite a popular option for commuters, especially in big cities, and they’re great exercise. They’re easy to use and they’re very maneuverable, so you can ride on the pavements in busy areas. They are also much more compact and easy to store than a bicycle, making them a good choice for smaller workplaces. You could use an electric scooter too if you need a bit of help on your commute. However, this won’t give you much exercise because the scooter does most of the work for you. 

If you use these simple methods to incorporate exercise into your commute, you can stay healthy even if you are short on time. 

Thank you for reading!

Health

7 Changes to Make If You Want to Be Healthier

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If you’ve finally decided that it’s time to make some changes to your diet in order to make it healthier, congratulations! Committing to healthy changes is always the first hurdle that you have to clear if you want to improve your health moving forward. 

The next challenge is deciding how and where those changes need to be made. It’s not always clear to you which changes would be most beneficial to you and your overall health, both now and in the future. That’s what we’re going to take a look at today, so read on!

Skip Sugar-Filled Drinks

One of the first things you should think about is not what you’re eating but what you’re drinking. If you want to make a healthy change, you definitely need to remove sugar-filled drinks from your diet. As tempting as they might be, they overload you with sugar and/or sweeteners. And that’s not great for your body at all. Try to stick to water when it comes to what you choose to drink most of all during the day.

Eat Fruit Rather Than Drinking It

If you’re concerned that you’re not receiving the full health benefits that you’re looking for from your fruit, it might be because you’re approaching it wrong. If you blend and drink the fruit, you won’t be getting the full benefit that it has to offer. If you eat the fruit rather than drinking it, you’ll get more fiber and it’ll generally be better for you. Juicing machines can be particularly misleading in terms of the benefits they bring.

Eat More Fish and Less Red Meat

If you want to make a healthy swap that’ll serve you well today as well for years still to come, you should think about eating more fish. And the thing that you should ditch when you start to eat more fish is red meat. Red meat can be bad for you if you consume too much of it. You’ll get the right vitamins and omega-3 from the fish, and you won’t have to deal with the drawbacks that come with eating too much red meat. It’s a swap you should at least consider.

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Switch to Lower Fat Milk

If you’re someone who drinks a lot of milk, one of the healthiest changes you can make is buying a lower fat milk option instead. Rather than going for the full fat solution, you simply need to choose the skimmed or semi-skimmed solution. It’s all too easy to drink your calories, as we’ve already discussed. That’s why you should do everything possible to keep your high fat milk consumption low.

Try Going Vegan

If you want to make a drastically healthy change to your diet, you might want to consider taking the vegan route. It might be something you want to do on a permanent basis, or you might want to make it something that you do for a couple of days of the week; possibly more, possibly less. It’s up to you to decide. Whether you’re going vegan or not, you should learn how to make vegan mashed potatoes. They taste great, and the same is true of many vegan dishes!

Snack on Nuts

It’s often very difficult to find healthy snacks that hold up in terms of offering you the flavors you’re probably looking for. Potato chips, chocolate and whatever other snacks you love always tend to win out. These are the snacks that are most unhelpful when it comes to your health. Nuts, on the other hand, offer a great source of protein and they’re also a lot healthier than the other options we’ve already mentioned here.

Add an Extra Side of Veggies to Every Evening Meal

Finally, you should make sure that if you’re going to add something extra to your meal that it’s veggies of some kind. Simply adding more vegetables to your dinner, no matter what that dinner is, is going to help you ensure you keep your health on track. It’s a small way to ensure you do the fundamentals correctly and show your body the respect it deserves by never skipping your greens.

As you can see, there are lots of ways to make healthy eating changes to your diet. Be sure to try out at least some of the ideas discussed above if you want to make sure that your diet and eating habits move in a more positive direction. Each of the options discussed above will offer you something important!

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

4 Ways To Optimize Your Fitness To Get The Most Out Of Each Workout

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Spending a lot of time working out can be a great way to make yourself healthy. Many people dedicate substantial portions of their lives to this sort of work, putting loads of effort into exercising each day. Of course, though, no matter what you do to keep fit, it will always be worth taking steps to optimize your workouts to get the most out of them. To help you out with this, this article will be exploring some of the best ways to improve your workouts without having to put more effort into them.

Your Diet

Maintaining a good diet is notoriously difficult, with many people finding it extremely hard to keep up with eating healthily. Of course, this will be easier when you are also working out, as you will feel more motivated to ensure that you have a good diet. It’s important to make sure that you are eating the right food before and after going to the gym. High-energy meals will be great before your workouts, but you will need something to help you recover afterward.

Sleep & Rest

Sleep is crucial to your fitness goals, though many people don’t realize this. Your body needs to spend a certain amount of time sleeping each night to ensure that it can recover properly from your workouts. Your sleep is also tied heavily to your metabolism, and this means that proper sleep can help you to lose weight. There are loads of guides and resources available around the web that can help you to get better sleep.

Additional Equipment

Most gyms come loaded with different types of equipment. This gives you the chance to try a range of different exercises, while also giving you an opportunity to find something you really like. Of course, though, you can supplement your regular exercises with additional equipment that will make it even better for your body. Weights are a good example of this, with wrist and ankle weights providing a heavier workout. Likewise, tools like an electric belly fat burning belt can also provide more from your workouts.

Your Approach

It can be all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that getting fit involves working as hard as humanly possible. In reality, though, you can often work smart rather than working hard, and your fitness goals can be easier to achieve than you expect. Working too hard can be bad for those with defined goals, as you are likely to spend more time recovering than you will if you take it a little bit easier. Light exercise each day is always better than heavy exercise once each week.

As you can see, making sure that you get the most out of each workout is a challenge that can be hard to balance. There are a lot of tools and resources available to help you with this, but you should also work to be creative and try new things. Your body is different to everyone else’s, and this means that you need to find options that work for you.

Thank you for reading!

Health

3 Benefits of Good Relaxation

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Relaxation is one of the most crucial matters in our lives, and is something we can ensure we do more of. The right amount of relaxing is what keeps us fit, both physically and mentally, and ensures that we are better prepared to cope with whatever life throws at us. There are many reasons to schedule time for genuine relaxation, and they all contribute to a more enjoyable, productive life. Continue reading to find out why relaxation is so important in everyone’s life!

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A Clearer Mind

When we have a lot going on in our lives, it can seem overwhelming and stressful. Appropriate relaxation helps prevent our thoughts from being muddled and our views from becoming restricted and distorted. When we relax, our minds become clear of confusion, and any distractions that were troubling us may be put aside. This indicates that your mind has gotten clearer and you can focus more effectively. When this happens, it’s easier to make reasonable, rational decisions that will help us rather than hurt us. It also becomes easier to do day-to-day tasks such as deciding to use a quick and easy pineapple teriyaki chicken recipe for dinner or remembering to take the trash out. 

Using meditation and mindfulness methods will help your brain relax enough to become more focused on the problems at hand. You will be able to put your issues into perspective, and you will be able to prioritize anything you need to consider.

Good For Your Heart

When you are anxious, your heart is put in jeopardy. Stress causes your blood pressure to rise, placing strain on your heart and possibly leading to heart disease and heart attacks. As a consequence, relaxing as much as possible while also reducing your stress levels may help to maintain your heart and keep you healthy for a longer period of time.

Other problems may arise from being too stressed for a long period of time. When you are stressed, your body releases hormones to assist in the ‘fight or flight’ response. This is a positive sign since it indicates you’re ready to protect yourself. When you are under a lot of stress, those hormones flood your system and never go away. This puts pressure on your heart, forcing it to work harder than normal, perhaps causing damage.

Better Mental Health

It may seem that not relaxing and always doing something, doing everything to keep oneself occupied and therefore never really resting is what we are all supposed to do – it has almost become a competition to see who is the busiest and has the most chaotic life – but it is terrible for our health. Although we will always have things to do and responsibilities to meet, attempting to achieve too much merely to keep up with some vision of what life should be like would only hurt us.

It won’t only harm us physically, as previously said, but it will also hurt us psychologically. Being too stressed and failing to take time to relax (even 10 minutes may be enough to reset and re-energize each day) can lead to depression and anxiety. These mental health problems can be catastrophic, leading us to miss work, miss family events, and more. 

Although relaxing alone won’t fully restore us to health if we are very sick (only a doctor’s assistance will do that), it might prevent the issue from worsening.

Thank you for reading!