On average, a person spends one-third of their life sleeping, equating to an average of 26 years. What’s even more impressive is that a person spends an average seven years trying to get to sleep during their lifetime. What is so special about sleep and why is it integral to your overall health? Additionally, are there nighttime habits that negatively impact your sleep, or make it harder to fall asleep? 

Sleep impacts how well you focus during the day and can influence what you eat, how you think, and more. Trying to reduce the amount you sleep in order to get more things done in the day is ill-advised. Short sleepers (those who sleep minimal hours per night) make up about one to three percent of the population. The rest of you who want to sleep less are only putting your health in jeopardy. 

There are many things you can do at night for better sleep, but what about the things you shouldn’t do? If your sleep is suffering, one of the following habits could be to blame. Sleep experts want you to avoid these common habits that interfere with your sleep. 

Drinking Alcohol

It’s true that a glass of wine or cocktail before bed can help you doze off faster. Nervous system specialists agree that alcohol can negatively affect overall sleep quality. Alcohol can make you feel like you are getting deeper sleep, but it causes problems with sleep architecture. Sleep experts explain that alcohol primarily affects the second half of sleep, so you spend less time in REM sleep. Alcohol also has diuretic properties, so it can cause you to wake up and use the restroom in the middle of the night. 

Delaying Bedtime

It’s common to have a night when your bedtime is later than usual. Perhaps you went to see a movie, concert, hung out late with friends, or you wanted to catch one more episode of a new series. The urge to stay up late and put off bedtime is sometimes referred to as “revenge bedtime procrastination.” This can lead to chronic fatigue overtime, according to sleep experts. A 2014 study found that bedtime procrastination is related to general reports of insufficient sleep that extend beyond self-regulation. Basically, you just have to go to bed at a reasonable hour and your morning self will appreciate it. 

Getting Into Bed Before You Are Ready For Sleep

Sleep experts explain that the optimal time to get into bed is when you are ready to fall asleep. There is no sense in lying down before you are tired. If you cannot fall asleep, you should try again when you are really sleepy. That way, you can feel more confident in your ability to fall asleep. Just make sure you don’t do anything to get in the way of feeling tired. 

Eating A Late Dinner

It’s true that eating too close to bedtime can interfere with proper digestion, which can negatively affect sleep. Your circadian rhythm, though, loves routine, which is why it’s best to eat dinner at roughly the same time every night. Ideally, eat dinner more than three hours before your bedtime. Late-night eating can affect metabolic health and make it more difficult to stay asleep once you fall asleep. Research suggests that eating dinner at roughly the same time every night can benefit your body’s internal clock, which benefits your sleep. 

Staring At Your Screen

This should not come as a surprise, but it is a very common bedtime habit. Scrolling through social media, watching YouTube videos, or streaming a movie or show on your laptop before bed can affect circadian rhythm and melatonin production, due to the blue light that screens give off. If you experience difficulty falling asleep and have a screen habit in bed, try to ditch the screen and opt for a book instead. Sleep experts suggest avoiding screens for at least one hour before you go to bed to ready your brain and body for sleep. 

Cranking The Heat

According to sleep studies, the optimal bedroom temperature for high-quality sleep is about 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit. The body temperature naturally dips just a little when you get ready for bed, so a warm bedroom is not ideal for sleep. Heat exposure ultimately decreases REM sleep and slow wave sleep, in addition to increasing nighttime wakings. Depending on the time of year, you will have to adjust your thermostat or open up windows to set the stage for a somewhat chilly sleep environment.

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Do you typically find yourself mindless scrolling through Instagram reels? Are you glued to your television binge-watching different shows and movies on a nightly basis? If you find that chunks of time are slipping away because of your screen addiction, you are not alone. Roughly 61% of people admit that they are addicted to digital screens and the internet. Worse than that, the constant connection to screens can take a toll on your mental health and overall quality of life. 

That’s where a digital detox comes into play. A digital detox can help relieve anxiety, improve self-esteem, and encourage more restful sleep. According to one survey, about one-fifth of people cited technology as a source of stress. About 43% of respondents checked their emails, messages, and social media constantly. Another study found that about 25% of smartphone owners between the ages of 18 and 44 don’t remember the last time their phone wasn’t within arm’s reach. 

Health experts note that heavy smartphone use can cause alterations in the brain. Every scroll, email check, or text message ping sends a dopamine rush to the same area of the brain that responds to addictive substances. If you feel like that describes you, a digital detox may be the right choice. Continue reading to learn how to do one.

Turn Off Your Push Notifications

Seeing constant updates about what is happening in the world can inform you of what is happening at all times. It can also be distracting, especially if you allow yourself to get interrupted throughout the day. You’re never truly focused if you are constantly distracted by notifications. One easy fix is to turn off as many notifications as you can live without. Consider muting group messages between friends that do not contain vital information, or turn off social media notifications. 

Put Away Your Phone During Mealtime

How often do you go out to eat and see people with gleaming smartphone lights directed back at their faces? According to research, having your phone on the table can reduce the quality of interactions, even if you don’t check it. What happens is that your brain is essentially waiting for the phone to light up, meaning you are not fully present in the conversation. The more energy you direct toward your device, the less energy you have to give to whoever is with you. 

Make Your Bedroom A Tech-Free Zone

Do you feel naked without your device in hand or next to you at all times? If you do, you need a digital detox. Now, most people use their phone as an alarm clock, so keeping it out of the bedroom may be an impossible feat. That said, if you take your phone to bed, it’s easy to start scrolling as soon as your head hits the pillow. Leave your phone on your nightstand, or in the drawer of your nightstand and invest in a simple alarm clock to avoid temptation. Screens also emit blue light, which can trick your brain into staying awake because it thinks that it’s daytime. 

Limit Yourself To One Screen At A Time

How often do you watch something and end up on your phone about 10 minutes or so into whatever you’re watching? Multitasking is not a bad thing, but multi-screening is. Make a habit of only looking at one screen at a time in order to help improve concentration. Plus, focusing on a movie with the family can lead to more enjoyment, which you may not otherwise experience if you checked Facebook 12 times while watching the movie. 

Convert To Black And White

We are not saying that you should revert back to the era before color television. What we are saying, though, is that smartphones are very alluring because of the vibrant colors and clarity. Many smartphones allow you to change the settings, allowing the phone to appear in grayscale. Removing vibrant colors may make your phone less pleasurable, which causes you to reduce overall screen time. 

Spring Clean Your Social Media Accounts

Research shows that the more time you spend on social media, the likelier you are to feel worse about yourself. In fact, one study found that the more time participants spent on Facebook, the poorer their mental health outcomes were. That isn’t surprising when you consider the fact that people only see a highly curated version of peoples’ and celebrities’ lives. Don’t allow social media to suck you into its vortex! You can spring clean your social media accounts by blocking, muting, unfollowing, or deleting people or things that do not bring joy or happiness into your life. You can use social media to inspire positivity!

It’s impossible to escape technology these days, but you can do things to limit your screen time. If you find yourself checking emails, texts, and social media too frequently, consider doing a digital detox. It may just help you improve sleep, posture, and self-esteem.

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If you are like any other American adult, then you are no stranger to a little sleep trouble. In fact, one in three American adults does not get a sufficient amount of sleep every night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A lot of people turn to a number of vices in order to get quality shut-eye. 

Magnesium spray, which is a trendy relaxing spray that was popularized on social media platforms, is said to promote sounder sleep. Can a few spritzes on your skin be the all-natural sleep aid you’ve been looking for? Is misting yourself with magnesium spray just another overhyped social media trend? We’re going to cover all that and more in this article. 

What Is Magnesium? 

Magnesium is a vital mineral in the body that is involved with numerous functions, including those relating to nerves and muscles. Magnesium also aids with mood regulation and energy production. Although the body produces magnesium, health experts recommend obtaining it via magnesium-rich foods or supplements. Alternatively, you can apply magnesium oil topically on the skin, which absorbs the mineral. In order to make magnesium oil, you add magnesium chloride flakes to water to create an oily liquid. 

What Is The Connection Between Magnesium And Sleep?

As previously mentioned, magnesium supports nerve function and muscle relaxation. It also aids with the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps control the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Magnesium is also essential for DNA and protein synthesis, in addition to reproduction and cellular health. 

When magnesium levels dip too much, you may find yourself tossing and turning, or waking up too early. It’s also possible to feel more stressed or restless at night when magnesium levels are low. According to research, people with higher magnesium levels experience better sleep, longer rest, and improved energy during the day. A February 2022 systematic review found a link between magnesium levels and sleep quality. That said, researchers that examined clinical trials noted magnesium supplementation for sleep disorders were mixed. 

As of now, scientists believe that magnesium influences brain chemicals, including GABA, NMDA, cortisol, renin, and melatonin. All of these can affect relaxation and sleep quality. So how much magnesium do you actually need? The general recommendation is 310-420 milligrams per day for adults, depending on age, sex, and pregnancy status. 

Does Magnesium Spray Actually Work?

According to studies, taking magnesium orally may improve sleep quality, reduce daytime drowsiness, and regulate circadian rhythm. That said, clinical evidence for skin absorption is lacking at the moment. That said, many magnesium spray users report that it helps them sleep better, due to the spray’s muscle-relaxing properties. Just keep in mind that more studies are needed to confirm if magnesium spray is a viable sleep aid. 

Absorption Is The Problem With Sprays

Research confirms that topical application of magnesium oil can help relieve nerve pain and muscle cramps. One of the issues, however, with magnesium spray is that it is not as easily absorbed by the body compared to oral intake. For people who have gastrointestinal issues, or issues taking supplements, magnesium oil can be a viable option. The spray, however, may not be as easily absorbed by the skin. No published data indicates a better or worse comparison of transdermal absorption compared to magnesium supplementation. Some data, however, indicates that the skin can absorb the spray when used in close proximity to a high density of hair follicles. Basically, spritz the magnesium spray where you have a lot of hair follicles to increase absorption. Don’t just mist it in the air and think that you will sleep like an angel. 

How To Choose The Right Magnesium Spray

Just like most items under the health and wellness umbrella, not all magnesium sprays are created equal. Health experts encourage you to look for the following in your magnesium spray:

• Magnesium source: Magnesium chloride is the most recommended because it is more easily absorbed by the skin. 
• Third-party testing: Choose a brand that is independently tested for safety and quality. You can tell this by a seal on the spray bottle or information on the company website. Common third-party testers include NSF and USP. 
• Purity: Make sure to select products that are free of artificial additives and unnecessary chemicals. Magnesium sprays should only contain a couple ingredients!

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The holidays are a wonderful time to reconnect with family, but it can be difficult to juggle different personalities, parties, and your own mental health. A report from the National Alliance of Mental Health found that 64% of people living with mental illness experienced worse symptoms during the holidays. On top of that, 38% of adults find that the festive season causes stress levels to rise. Although the holidays can bring as much stress as they do joy, there are mindful tips to help you manage stress this season. 

End of the year projects, gift shopping, the arrival of family members, and traveling to see family members don’t make the holidays any easier. There are added expectations and responsibilities, which can seem unattainable. All of this can cause you to spiral out of control and into a bout of depression or anxiety. Basically, there are so many things to do with a lot less time, which is a naturally overwhelming situation. 

Take Care Of Yourself First

In order to make it through the holidays without falling apart, you have to make your mental health a top priority. It’s so easy to try to support everyone else and neglect yourself during the holidays. Shift your focus to yourself this holiday season and you may find that you have the extra energy to support others when they need it. The following tips should help invite more mindfulness into your life, helping you emerge from the holidays triumphant and less-stressed than you were in previous years. 

Respond With Kindness

It’s impossible to change how others act as a result of holiday stressors. You can, however, change how you respond to certain situations. If you encounter a difficult person, it is important to remind yourself that they may be suffering. That is why they are acting out towards you, and showing them some compassion may calm them or bring them back down to earth. The holidays are also difficult for people who are alone, so extend an act of kindness to those without family or friends this time of year. 

Set And Maintain Firm Boundaries

This goes back to caring for yourself first because an effective way to reduce holiday stress is to communicate with people in your life. Whether you’re at home or at work, establishing healthy boundaries can lead to stronger relationships and more energy. You can say yes to things, but it’s also acceptable, encouraged even, to say no to things. Once you identify your boundaries you need to maintain mental and emotional stability, you can communicate them to others. If you explain why you need to decline an offer, for example, your friends or family should respect that decision.

Reach Out

It is very easy to put yourself in the vulnerable position of reaching out to others. Do you know what typically happens if you surround yourself with good people, though? When you reach out to them, they will most likely be happy to talk and connect. Many people share the same stress and fear of the holiday season, and talking about that with another person can benefit you tremendously. Call a friend out of the blue, message old friends on social media, and be kind to those you encounter. Companionship is beautiful and talking with other people may help reduce their stress levels as well.

Set Your Differences Aside

Dealing with different personalities and opinions can be quite exhausting, especially when you’re already burnt out. Don’t add fuel to your fire by combatting family members or friends, even if they eat away at you. There is a time and place to discuss politics or opinions on certain matters, and the holiday season is not the right time. If others get upset when something goes awry, they are likely feeling the same holiday stress, so don’t enter a state of anger or distress. Talk with them and you may find some calming common ground. 

Rethink Your Resolutions

How do New Year’s resolutions relate to holiday stress? Well, this is the time of year when people start thinking about changes they want to make in the coming year. Do yourself a favor: don’t make resolutions that set you up for failure. Start small and break your goal into small steps that you can achieve over the course of the entire year. If weight loss is your goal, you don’t need to lose 20 pounds before January comes to a close. Try to eat more vegetables in January and slowly cut back on sweets or carbs throughout the next month. An impossible resolution will only cause you more stress.

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First of all, we just want to explain that there is nothing wrong with celebrating Thanksgiving by yourself. Although it may be unfamiliar territory, considering that this holiday is traditionally spent with family and friends, you may find yourself alone this year or in the future. There are also those who do not enjoy the Thanksgiving meal and simply want to enjoy a night alone. Whichever way you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving is the right way, but should you be alone on this holiday, we have a few fun activities for you. 

Whether it is by choice or an unlucky circumstance, being alone on Thanksgiving can be a challenge. You may lack the funds to celebrate it, or you may live in a city with no family or friends, and travel may be difficult due to budget restrictions or weather. You can spend Thanksgiving by yourself without feeling lonely or bored. Continue reading to learn how you can do just that. 

Cook Your Favorite Food

You don’t have to cook a turkey and stuffing just because it is Thanksgiving. When you celebrate this holiday alone, you have the freedom to take the reins in the kitchen and cook what your heart desires. Make enough for yourself and yourself alone, or make a little extra if you want to have some leftovers. Throw on a record or pop in your headphones to listen to a podcast while you are doing your thing in the kitchen. When the meal is ready, you will be too, and that’s a beautiful thing. If you don’t feel like cooking, simply order takeout!

Catch Up On Your Favorite Shows

Is the movie you never got to see in theaters finally available on a streaming platform? Have you been meaning to catch up on episodes for a series that you enjoy? Entertain yourself with a good binge-watching session! You have the time on this holiday, so use it how you please. If you finish a couple episodes and want to put something else on, consider a classic or modern holiday-inspired movie that you can easily find on streaming platforms. 

Watch Some Football

If you don’t have a favorite show and are not interested in new movies, throw on the football games that happen every Thanksgiving. There is always a game airing on this holiday, and watching it by yourself means you won’t miss a moment. Nobody will be there to interrupt you and you don’t have to listen to negative comments from friends or family members who are not sports fans. You can even use social media to engage with other football fans watching the same game(s).

Give Back To Your Community

Doing something good for someone else, or a lot of people, is often one of the best things to do when celebrating Thanksgiving alone. Even though you may not be with friends or family, you can make a difference by bringing joy to the lives of others. Some people always have to spend Thanksgiving alone, so spending it with those in a worse situation than you may actually make your Thanksgiving that much more enjoyable and wholesome. 

Have A Self-Care Day

If you are alone and don’t have any obligations, spend the day pampering yourself! Self-care and relaxation should take priority on your Thanksgiving Day to-do list. Take this alone time to unwind in a soothing bath, or take an extra long facial skin care routine. You can even go so far as to put on a robe and place cucumbers over your eyelids! By the time the Thanksgiving weekend is over, you will feel recharged, well-rested, and ready to get back to your regular responsibilities. 

Do Some Shopping

If you have the financial means to do so, consider taking part in some retail therapy. Most companies offer Black Friday sales well before Thanksgiving begins, so you will definitely get some deals. Take the time to get a head start on buying holiday gifts for your loved ones, or get something that you’ve been desiring for a while. Splurge on yourself because you deserve it.

Curl Up With A Good Book

Earlier in the article, we suggested that you catch up on your favorite TV shows. If you want to do that, then do just that! If you don’t want to spend your day in front of a screen, consider starting or finishing a book. Books, much like TV or movies, can transport you to fantastical places, or provide excellent and inspiring stories. If the book you choose to read is really captivating, you may finish it in one day! 

Begin A New Tradition

No matter your reasons for spending Thanksgiving alone, you cannot be sure that you won’t spend it alone in the future. What does that mean for you? Well, come up with a new Thanksgiving tradition for yourself. Don’t wait for company in order to celebrate your way! Maybe your new tradition is to play solitaire when you get up, or to do a yoga sequence after breakfast. A great new tradition could be to make one new dish every year!

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It can be frustrating to arrive at the day’s end, only to feel like you did not accomplish anything. You may feel like there are not enough hours in the day or days in the week to complete all the tasks on your to-do list. Even though there is a lot to do, there are many distractions that can absorb your attention for hours. You may not even realize how quickly time passes when you engage with them! To help you regain focus and accomplish daily tasks, we put together a list of five hacks that can help you improve productivity. 

Set Your Goals

The first step is to set goals. Don’t set lofty goals, for example, to clean the entire house in two hours. Instead, set smaller, more attainable goals to tackle them more efficiently. To do that, though, you first have to think through your goals before you set them. Imagine that you want to get detailed directions to a destination. Do that for yourself, but with goals, in order to maximize your likelihood of success. Live by the SMART acronym: Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. If you follow the SMART method, you’ll be knocking down goals left and right!

Reassess Your Schedule

Does your current schedule match up with your goals? It is easy to get caught up in a certain pattern, but specific goals may require you to shake things up. Perhaps that looks like saying no, especially if you are a people pleaser. Problems tend to occur when you spend the majority of your time doing things that you didn’t originally plan on doing. That doesn’t leave time for the goals you want to achieve. Naturally, various obligations, opportunities, or exciting events pop up. Social media can make you feel like you’re missing out. If you say yes too often, you are usually missing out on the things that matter most in life: family, solo time, etc. Just remember that every yes means that you’re saying no to something else. 

Plan Ahead

The best way to set time aside for your most important tasks is to establish time blocks. Plan your day simply and effectively by saying that you will complete certain tasks in a specific window. That way, you can be more purposeful with the time you spend on these actions. Additionally, keep in mind that planning affords you the opportunity to set your priorities with intention. That can help you be more purposeful with your time and the goals you want to accomplish. Planning can also help you avoid distraction, especially when you begin with intent. 

Focus On Priorities

Distractions are commonplace nowadays. If you work on a computer, you can easily visit infinite websites that distract you from the task at hand. You can also get caught up in social media scrolling or games on your phone. These devices just suck you in and you lose track of time instantaneously. Remember the time blocks we mentioned in the previous paragraph? Well, having a specific amount of time to tackle a task can show you how easy it is to get distracted and how hard it is to stay focused. Don’t allow distractions to control your time. You have to fight distractions in order to do that, and that can be very difficult at first. You have the power to come up with ways to get around distractions and do the things you have to do in your time block. 

Stack Habits

Working towards your goals is easier when you have a schedule and when you work on your habits. Change your habits by way of stacking them, which is a simple productivity hack. Habit stacking, essentially, is taking a habit that you have and stacking a new habit you want with it. Starting a new habit is a little easier when you pair it alongside an existing one. If you want to drink more water, for example, drink a glass of water to your pre-existing habit of eating. Do you eat breakfast at 730 a.m. every morning? Add a glass of water to that meal and it will feel like killing two birds with one stone. Attaching a new habit to an existing one is much easier than beginning a new one by itself. In fact, it can be more distracting to set aside time for a brand new habit!

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It is very common to wake up with a bit of stiffness. That’s why you probably engage in a quick under-the-cover stretch with a morning grunt to greet the day. Although that is a great place to start, it is not a dedicated stretch routine that can help loosen you up. The stretch routine in this article contains a handful of easy stretches that can reduce stiffness and energize the body. 

After you wake up, if you are like most people, you either hit snooze or reach for your phone to scroll through social media and emails. It can still take some time to get out of bed after this habit. Taking just five minutes each morning to stretch can not only loosen up your joints and improve mobility, but also improve the way you feel. Various health experts agree that regular stretching, especially in the morning, can facilitate strength, improve range of motion, and enhance your overall sense of self. 

Make it a point to engage in the following stretches every morning and your body will thank you. Are these stretches the fountain of youth? Not by a long shot, but they can help energize the body and get you ready for the day!

Simple Shoulder Stretch

If you sleep wrong or spend too much time looking down at your phone, this is a great stretch to open up the muscles that can cause neck pain. Begin by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulders forward, as if to have them touch in front of you. Press your chest forward as you draw your shoulder blades together in the back. Alternate between these two positions five times, breathing deeply throughout. 

Shoulder Circles

The trapezius muscles are the largest muscles that run from the neck, across the shoulders, and down to the mid back. When you open up these muscles, you can breathe easier and feel relief from tension. Stand up straight with your arms by your sides. Draw your shoulders up and roll them forward in a large circular motion. Complete 10 forward rotations, followed by 10 backward rotations. 

Standing Wall Push

This is a dynamic stretch that targets the triceps, pectorals, deltoids, and muscles that run across the shoulder blades. It can also help you improve upper body strength and mobility in the shoulders. Stand up straight facing a wall with your feet hip-distance apart. Extend your arms out in front of you and place your hands flat on the wall. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle to lean toward the wall. Hover a few inches away from the wall for a few seconds before engaging your pectorals and shoulders to push away from the wall a few inches. Hold this position before lowering back to the starting position. Continue alternating between these two positions for about 30 seconds. 

Shoulder Across The Arm Stretch

The shoulder joints are the most mobile in the body, so maintaining flexibility is essential for optimal movement. This stretch can help reverse the effects of slouching or hunching at your desk. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Pull your left arm across your chest, hooking your right arm around your left to pull it closer to your chest. Keep your left arm slightly bent and pull with your right arm until you feel a good stretch on the outside of your shoulder. Hold for 15-30 seconds, release, and then repeat with the other arm. 

Standing Side Bend

If you sit a lot or hit the gym to do a core workout, you will love this stretch. It works to improve balance, coordination, and elongate the obliques and hips. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and arms resting by your sides. You can widen your stance if you have trouble balancing. Raise your arms overhead and interlace your fingers. Hinge at the waist to lean left until you reel a deep stretch along your right side. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds before returning to the center. Repeat on the other side.

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Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or illness. If something doesn’t belong in the body, such as toxins or germs, inflammation is the body’s way of healing. A fever, for example, is how you know that the inflammatory system is working correctly if you feel sick. That said, inflammation can harm you if it occurs in healthy tissues and sticks around for too long. 

What’s The Difference Between Acute And Chronic Inflammation?

There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is sudden and short-term, whereas chronic inflammation can go on for months, or even years. 

• Acute inflammation: The immune system’s response to injury or illness usually only lasts a few hours to a few days. Inflammatory cells travel to the site of injury (a cut on your leg) or infection to begin the healing process. A bacterial infection like strep throat will cause throat inflammation. Other bacterial or viral infections can cause inflammation in the small intestine. 
• Chronic inflammation: This happens when the body continues to send inflammatory cells when there is no danger. Rheumatoid arthritis, for example, occurs when inflammatory cells attack joint tissues. That leads to inflammation that comes and goes, damaging your joints over the years. 

Sometimes, you can exercise and eat the right foods, only to not feel 100%. Perhaps you feel bloated after a well-balanced meal or you cannot reach your exercise goals. Sometimes, chronic inflammation may result from emotional or mental factors. Anxiety, shame, stress, and trauma, can cause as much inflammation as ultra-processed foods! Continue reading to learn about causes of inflammation that people don’t talk about enough. 

Chronic Stress

If the body is in a constant state of fight-or-flight, it is impossible to relax, let alone reach your health goals. Think of the body like a cellular library, with your thoughts, words, or experiences filling up those cells. When you suffer emotionally, the body feels the full effects. For some reason, a lot of people feel shame about chronic stress. Maybe they cannot be fully present when needed because they snap quickly or become irritable too easily. That shame can affect your ability to stay healthy. Managing stress is not just a one-and-done thing; rather, you have to constantly work to keep stress levels in check. 

Your Social Networks

Social media is highly engaging and can trap you for hours. Unfortunately, all of these accounts are not necessarily great for your mental health. What you expose yourself to can impact the nervous system and inflammatory levels, which impact the endocrine and hormonal systems. One study monitored participants who used social media excessively. The results indicated higher levels of C-reactive protein, which indicates chronic inflammation. You can scroll, but consider vetting the people or things you follow. Try to edit accounts and keep the ones that make you feel great about yourself!

Anxiety About Your Health

One of the great things about living in this day and age is that you have a wealth of resources available to you. You can research and learn about almost anything with a few simple searches. That’s also a great way to become overwhelmed and anxious about your health. This happens all the time, so much so that people stress themselves out about conditions they may not even have! Research has a name for this: the “nocebo effect,” which is when you ruminate about a negative outcome that can actually lead to a negative outcome. It’s almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy! You basically worry yourself sick, even when there is nothing seriously wrong with you. Try not to fixate too much on numbers and health scores. 

Unresolved Trauma

It is very difficult to move forward with your health if you have unresolved trauma that you store in the body. Some estimates suggest that nearly 70% of adults in the United States have experienced trauma in one form or another at least once in their lifetime. You may downplay your trauma, not realizing what it does to the cells in your body. Negating the trauma you went through can affect your nervous system and inflammatory levels. Not all trauma comes from catastrophic events. Some trauma is very subtle, but allowing those emotions to accumulate in the body can impact your physical health over time.

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June is Pride Month, and it’s dedicated to celebrating the work of LGBTQIA+ activists who have changed the world. The gatherings that take place over the course of the month allow LGBTQIA+ individuals to celebrate who they are, and who they are proud to be. By going to Pride events, the community gets to celebrate who they are and who they love. The welcoming and accepting nature of these events relieves any person of fear they might otherwise experience in the world. 

What Is Pride Month?

Dedicated to uplifting LGBTQIA+ voices, Pride Month celebrates LGBTQIA+ rights and culture. Throughout the month, there are many celebrations that take place, including parades, protests, live theater, memorials, drag performances, and more. Additionally, there are many celebrations of life that commemorate members of the community who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS. Part of the month is about political activism, while the other part focuses on celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and the victories it has achieved over the years. 

Why Is June Pride Month?

Early in the morning on June 28th, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich village. Officers started hauling patrons outside and tensions escalated quickly. Patrons resisted arrest and a large crowd of bystanders began throwing coins, bottles, and other things at the officers. Fed up by the harassment by authorities, New York’s gay community broke out in neighborhood riots that lasted three days. 

The uprising served as somewhat of a catalyst for an emerging gay rights movement. For example, the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance formed after the historic event. These organizations modeled themselves after the civil rights and women’s rights movements. Members of the organizations held protests, met with political leaders, and interrupted public meetings to hold leaders accountable. One year after the Stonewall riots, the nation’s first Gay Pride marches took place. 

What does LGBTQIA+ Stand For?

LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive term that includes people of all genders and sexualities. The acronym stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and allies. Each letter may stand for a specific group of people, but the term encompasses the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities. Queer is an umbrella term for non-straight people, while intersex refers to those whose sex does not have a clear definition because of hormonal, genetic, or biological differences. 

Where Did Pride Come From?

According to historical accounts, many people credit Brenda Howard as being the “Mother of Pride.” She organized the first Pride parade to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. 

Where Did the Rainbow Flag Originate?

The rainbow flag, created by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978, is a commonly used symbol of LGBTQIA+ ride. Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., commissioned Baker to make a flag for the city’s upcoming Pride celebrations. Baker, a prominent gay rights activist, used the stripes on the American flag as inspiration, but used the rainbow to include the many groups within the gay community. Many people don’t know that each color of the flag has its own meaning. Red symbolizes life, orange is healing, yellow is sunshine, green is nature, blue is harmony, and purple is spirit. The original eight-color flag included hot pink and turquoise. The former represented sex, while the latter represented magic and art. 

Pride events welcome allies from outside the LGBTQIA+ community. There are many opportunities to show support, observe, listen, and learn more about Pride during the month of June. See what your community has to offer via social media, news outlets, and more. Happy Pride Month!

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Many people think of summer as break time. The kids are out of school, but that doesn’t mean your life is automatically on pause. In fact, summer presents numerous opportunities and is the perfect season for leisure, outdoor activities, and self-care. The longer sunny days and warmer weather allow for change, so you can switch up your daily routine. Enjoy what summer has to offer and simultaneously take care of your mental health.

According to a recent survey, roughly 81% of Americans plan to travel at least once this summer. This survey accounted for all forms of travel, both interstate, national, and international plans. Traveling is a great way to reduce stress and take a break from the constant go-go-go pace of life. You don’t necessarily have to vacation and put your life on pause in order to take care of your mental health, though. There are many self-care practices that help you break from everyday routines, and you can incorporate them into your life this summer. Experiment with the following summer-inspired self-care practices and see which one works best for you. 

Buy Summer Clothes That Fit

There are many people who struggle with body image issues, and the summer months can create more distress. A lot of people may not want to wear clothing that reveals more of their bodies, for example, shorts, swimwear, and more. If this describes you, show yourself some compassion and find comfortable clothing to start. Loose clothing that breathes is the best for summer! It’s perfectly okay if your body isn’t “summertime fine;” rather, many experts encourage working towards body neutrality, which you can learn more about by clicking here. Regardless of your appearance, find clothes that fit your body, as opposed to trying to fit into ones from past summers. 

Take Time To Breathe

This seems easier said than done, but breathing is a beneficial technique that may aid stress reduction. Deep breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can help you normalize pulse rate and even reduce blood pressure. According to research, diaphragmatic breathing can help to cleanse your blood of lactic acid, which can cause anxious feelings. It also assists with the release of serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter, into the bloodstream. Finally, deep breathing can increase alpha brain waves, which deliver a sense of calm. 

Get Outside

Make the most of warm weather and go outside during the summer months. Try to avoid the hottest times of the day, instead choosing times of the day that provide sunshine but milder temperatures. Many therapists say that going for daily walks, especially in nature, is one of the best self-care practices. A 2018 review of analyzed data from existing studies confirmed that spending time outdoors immediately lowers stress levels. Outdoor walks in green spaces are very effective at calming the mind. Keep yourself accountable by logging your daily walks on a calendar. Seeing your streak will help you maintain the habit. 

Move…But In Ways That Are Fun

You don’t necessarily have to exercise day in and day out during the summer, but movement is a great way to care for yourself. Summer presents numerous opportunities to move, both indoors and outdoors. That means that you don’t have to force yourself to do something that makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t want to hit the gym, opt for an outdoor workout like swimming, hiking, or jogging. Consider an outdoor yoga class or a pickup game of basketball. Body confidence coaches suggest asking yourself: “What brought me joy as a child during the summer?” Most of the time, these are things that you can do as an adult, so do them!

Socialize In Real Life

Remember when people got together to catch up, converse, share laughs, cry, and more together? A great way to care for your mental health is to practice being in the moment. Instead of spending time on social media, socialize in real life with family members or friends. Plan some pool parties, barbecues, or time together at the beach or lake to encourage a social gathering. According to research, friendships have a positive association with overall satisfaction. Nurture those connections and you’ll see how much better you feel.

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