As we head into 2021, we are continuing to experience restrictions and uncertainty in our everyday lives. During these challenging times it is important to take active steps to prioritise our wellbeing.
Here are our top tips for looking after our mental and physical wellbeing during these tough times. Different techniques will work well for different people, so it is worth trying different approaches to see exactly what works for you.
1. Prioritise your sleep
We tend to undervalue how essential a good night's sleep is. Sleep is a crucial but often neglected component of our overall wellbeing. As we start a new year, it is the perfect time to put in place a consistent daily sleep routine to ensure that you are getting enough sleep each night.
One of our key sleep tips is sleeping on a pure silk pillowcase - it is 100% natural, heat-regulating and smooth against your skin to provide ultimate comfort as you go to sleep. We combine this with our pure silk eye mask to help block out the light and improve overall sleep quality.
You can find more of our sleep tips on our Instagram page. We'd also love to hear your tips so please share and tag us on Instagram!
2. Turn off the tech
Turning off technology at least one hour before sleeping has been shown to help you to get to sleep. Having tech-free periods during the day is also an effective way to help clear your mind and remove unnecessary distractions.
Turning off notifications on apps helps to avoid being bombarded with information throughout the day. In particular, if you find constant news updates exhausting and causing you stress, it is worth limiting the news you read and being conscious of the sources of information you are reading too.
3. Run a warm bath
The ultimate way to relax for us is running a warm bath, throwing in our favourite bath salts and lighting our favourite candle. This can really help to destress and relax and is particularly useful to do in the evening before going to sleep.
4. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness techniques have been shown to be effective at calming the mind and reducing anxiety. Apps such as Headspace and Calm are popular and have free plans so it is worth giving this a go if you haven't tried mindfulness before.
5. Gratitude
Studies have shown that expressing simple acts of gratitude each day can have a significant positive impact on your health, happiness and sleep quality. This can be as simple as noting down a few things you are grateful for each day, however big or small.
As we are spending more time at home, it is a good time to take a few moments each day to think about the things you are grateful for that day. We've found that having a gratitude journal to note these thoughts down each day makes it easier to do this consistently.
6. Exercise daily
Research has shown that even light exercise each day improves sleep quality and overall wellbeing. Having a daily routine including at least half an hour of physical activity each day will help to boost mood. If you can exercise outdoors, this is a great option to get a change of scenery.
Summary
Our mental and physical wellbeing needs to be a priority in 2021. If you need further support, Mind Charity has lots of resources for coping techniques during this pandemic.
Mind is a brilliant charity and we are strong supporters of mental health awareness. This is why we donate a portion of every sale to Mind Charity, so each order you place with us is contributing towards mental health awareness.
Do you have more wellbeing tips? We would love to hear your tips on coping during these tough times so please do share what has been working well for you. Don't forget to tag us on Instagram with #thesilkcollection so that we can re-share your tips!
