5 Things You Can Do Today To Start Feeling Better

by Maureen Corrieri

You wake up in the morning and still feel tired or maybe you hit the wall by 3pm.  The stresses of your day seem to get the best of you, so you reward yourself with a treat.  Your energy gets so low you feel like you can’t sit up straight.  When you get up from your desk it takes several steps for the stiffness to wear off.  Your patience is so thin you snap (or feel like snapping) at your co-workers and family. And you think that clearly there is something wrong with you, but you don’t know how to fix it, nor do you have the energy.

First, there’s nothing wrong with you; you’re not broken.  Sometimes we get into a rut and need a little extra push to get out of it.  Here are five simple things you can do to start feeling better.  They seem like common sense, but occasionally we just need to hear it one more time.  Once you do these things, you will be more able to continue the momentum and take an active role in improving your quality of life.  They are small things, but powerful at the same time.

1. Breathe more

When experiencing ongoing stress or chronic pain, it is very common for people to hold their breath.  My doctor calls this “splinting”.  It is a contraction of the abdominal wall muscles.  This can also happen after a person has surgery or injury, whereas they are guarding themselves against the pain.  People with anxiety and stress may also “guard” themselves in this way.  Unfortunately, it leads to hypoventilation and not enough oxygen to the cells.  All of our body processes require oxygen to the cells in order to function.

Breathing properly takes a little practice and you will immediately notice that it feels strange if you haven’t been.  That’s ok.  It will get easier as you practice.  Start by placing your palm on your abdomen.  Breathe in through your nose for the count of four while your abdomen and then your chest rise (abdomen first).  This is called belly breathing.  Hold for a beat and then breathe out through your nose for the count of seven, making sure that all the air is out and your abdomen presses in.  Breathing this way even five breaths at a time three times a day will help your body to learn to breathe properly again.  It will also activate the parasympathetic nervous system and relieve some stress by putting you back in responsive mode rather than reactive mode.  Be careful not to hyperventilate.

2. Drink enough clean, filtered water.

Just like oxygen, all our body processes require that our cells have enough water.  Many people are dehydrated from either not drinking enough water or drinking too much coffee or caffeinated beverages.

So how much water should you be drinking?  Every person is different, and every diet is different.  If you eat lots of fruits and vegetables that naturally contain water, you won’t need to drink quite as much.  If you eat mainly drier foods such as breads, grains, and processed foods, you would require more.  A good rule of thumb is a half an ounce per pound of weight.  If you weigh 140 lbs. you would need 70 oz. of water.  But again, take your diet into account.  Water should be spread out throughout the day so that you don’t wash out all your electrolytes.

3. Reduce added sugars and caffeine

Before you stop reading, I’m a coffee drinker too, and I get it.  I’m not saying you can’t have sugar and coffee but cutting down on both goes a long way to feeling better.  It’s easy to start by cutting down your coffee by 2 oz. at a time.  Switching to products with no added sugar also helps tremendously.  We really don’t need sugar in our spaghetti sauce and peanut butter.  You will find that generalized anxiety symptoms and sleep will improve as you cut down sugar and caffeine.

I will be so bold to say this: If you are drinking soda – even if it is sugar free and caffeine free – stop. You will find it very hard to be healthy if you are drinking soda.

4. Add in some fruits and vegetables     

First, they’re good for you.  Buy organic if you can and wash them very thoroughly.  The nutrients our cells need are in these foods.  They’re delicious!  If you are someone who does not like vegetables try hiding them in your foods, like smoothies, chili, soups, even chicken salad.  Get creative if you must but get them into your body.  Your body will thank you.

5. Move your body   

I do not love exercise.  I totally agree that it is necessary for good health, but I really struggle with this one.  There are so many reasons to put it off: no time, something hurts, etc.  If you are like me, then start with simple things: park farther away and walk, take your dog on an extra walk, look up some stretches and do them for 5-10 minutes in the morning and again at night, and take the stairs.

If you have a desk job, it is imperative that you get up and move around a little every hour, rolling your shoulders, and stretch a little mid-day. They say that sitting is the new smoking!  I don’t know about that, but there is no doubt moving more helps circulation and energy levels.

I hope you find these suggestions doable and easy to maintain.  They are a good start on the road to wellness! I would love to hear your ideas and suggestions!