We are all experiencing stress at levels and in ways we have never seen. Even if you have ways to manage stress, it doesn’t mean the stress is gone, it’s just lessened, but perhaps not enough to be resting well. The lack of routine and being at home means our routines are off, and our sleep habits and routines are likely off as well. We’re also having more vivid and more stressful dreams!

1. Wake up at a consistent time, whether it’s a day off or not. Waking up at the same time is the anchor to your circadian rhythm, and if you are always waking up at different times your body’s natural rhythm is always off. The morning time is when we have more dream sleep, so if you’re having more vivid, stressful dreams, waking up earlier will help eliminate some of these stressful dreams!
2. Practice Gratitude before bed. Research shows that practicing gratitude before bed helps people fall asleep faster and have more positive dreams. Here’s one way to do it: think about what/who you are grateful for, why, and how that person or thing or experience brings value to your life.
3. Decrease caffeine consumption. Research shows that if you consume caffeine after 2 pm, the quality of your sleep is severely impacted. You might be able to fall asleep, but the sleep you get will leave you feeling fatigued when you wake up. Decrease slowly, don’t go cold turkey!
4. Limit alcohol consumption. Drinking more than 2 drinks before bed gives you more energy than relaxation, so drinking beyond 2 drinks per night will impair sleep.
5. Move your body! Sleep is recovery, but if your body has nothing to recover from, it’s not going to need to go into recovery. Get creative with how to move your body at home or in the office. It lowers stress and will increase your body’s routine of falling into rest at the end of the day.

Well In Mind is here for you.  Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointment or to ask about your EAP benefits.

What matters for well-being isn’t how early you get up, but what you do once you’re out of bed.  A disorganized morning sets the tone for a disorganized day.  A well-structured morning routine can set you up for a day of productivity, confidence, health, and satisfaction.  Here are the ways morning routines can improve your well-being:    

1. Better Nutrition:  Hunger can result in brain fog and slow production. A nutritious breakfast can provide the physical and mental fuel to kick off the day energetically.  A lack of adequate nutrition early in the day can lead to compensating at lunch with heavier meals, causing even more fatigue and mental sluggishness. People who eat nutritious breakfast’s rich in fiber, protein, healthy fat, and fruits or vegetables tend to eat better and be more active throughout the day.
2. Regular Exercise:  Not everyone is going to be able to jump out of bed and hit the gym. But even a 15-minute yoga session or a quick walk around the neighborhood can increase a person’s alertness and focus, setting the tone for the entire day.  Mornings can be the best time for exercise because there are fewer distractions, it gives you an early-day energy boost, you start the day with a positive accomplishment, and it leads to healthier food choices.
3. Centered Minds and Balanced Emotions:  As the workday progresses, your mind becomes more and more cluttered with thoughts about deadlines, meetings, responding to messages, solving problems, and everything else your work entails. Additionally, we often show up to work with our minds already brimming with family issues, reflections on the prior day’s events, and plans for the evening.  A quick meditation exercise in the morning can focus the mind and emotions, pushing away unhelpful distractions and reprioritizing life’s many demands. A few minutes before breakfast or before sitting down at your desk can make a world of difference. 

Well In Mind is here for you.  Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointment or to ask about your EAP benefits.

• Think about how you would feel most comfortable celebrating, write down all of the options, and then talked to loved ones.
• Stretch the holiday over a few days, keep the gathering shorter, and limit the focus on food and drinks so people can wear their masks the majority of the time.
• Have a family member share their star recipe everyone usually looks forward to, and schedule a Zoom call where everyone can practice making it together, but safely in their own home.
• Schedule zoom calls to play trivia games, showcase table settings or decorations, or share what you are grateful for post meal while everyone is digesting food.
• Skip the traditional meal and cook or purchase what you’ve always dreamed of eating. Be flexible and creative! Ask co-workers, friends, and family for their favorite and easy recipes.
• If you will be alone, plan ahead to have a few things to look forward to that day, whether joining a few virtual calls, ensuring you’ll have a meal you enjoy, or getting out of the house to view Christmas lights and listen to music in the car.
• Honor how you’re feeling- excited, happy, lonely, sad, stressed. It’s all real, it’s all valid. Focus on what is going well and what you enjoy while also acknowledging the less pleasant emotions.

1. On Being, with Krista Tippett: Discussions of spiritual inquiry, social healing, politics, and connection in relationships with different guest speakers
2. Black Girl in Om, Lauren Ash: Discussions with wellness experts from a variety of disciplines to address topics such as self-love, intuitive eating, and mindfulness as they relate specifically to Black women and women of color
3. Unlocking Us, Brene Brown: teachings on vulnerability, courage, empathy, grief, anti-racism
4. Happier, Gretchen Rubin: explore steps you can take to better appreciate happiness in your day-to-day life
5. Good Life Project, Jonathan Fields: intimate conversations with well-known leaders around living a fully-engaged and meaningful life
6. Getting’ Grown, Tykeia Robinson & Jade Verette: witty commentary and insight into the lows that come with real adulating, while reminding us to savor the highsWell In Mind is here for you. 

Well In Mind is here for you.  Just call 815-933-2240, option #2 to schedule an appointment or to ask about your EAP benefits

• Be Good to Yourself: Taking time to do things that will enhance your self-esteem or give you a good dose of fun will not only take your focus off of feeling alone, but it can lift your spirits as well
• Understand that You’re Not Alone: While it may be uncomfortable to feel lonely, it’s okay and normal to feel this way. Talking to others who may share your feelings can help you to feel less alone in your situation.
• Rethink Your Expectations: Realize that few people’s life truly measure up to “movie” or commercial standards of perfect living, and shift your focus to all the great things you do have in your life. Limit social media if you are feeling lonelier and stressed after viewing other people’s holiday life.
• Get Connected: This may be a time to message people over social media whose statuses you usually simply like, and catch up on old friendships. It’s harder to feel lonely when you’re reaching out to people, whether it’s co-workers, neighbors, or old friends.
• Cultivate Gratitude: It’s hard to focus on gratitude and what you’re lacking at the same time. Maintaining a gratitude journal can help lower depression and stress and increase a sense of wellness and fullness in life.
• Examine your Feelings: If you feel lonely much of the time, this may be a cue that some changes are in order for the coming year. Examine what’s behind your feelings of loneliness. Call Well In Mind at x. 6187 if you need support in this or any of the above mentioned tips.