Vitalism

5 vitalist practices that don't cost a thing

Sleep

We find that most of our clients need more sleep than they are actually getting. The "8 hours" that most of us claim doesn't include the time it takes to fall asleep or the many times we wake up in the night. One easy way to increase your vitality is to go to bed 30 minutes earlier than you are used to, to increase the hours of sleep before
midnight. Alternatively, if you have the morning flexibility, stay in bed 30 minutes longer than you are used to, even if you are awake.

Did you know this extra sleep helps to regulate your hormones, might support weight loss, helps to control your metabolic systems, and generally can help you feel less tired throughout the day? Those are some big wins for very little input! 

Movement

There is an endless opportunity for movement in this world, and it can be easy to let this one get away from us in the everyday hustle and bustle and chaos of life. One easy opportunity is to add 20 minutes of walking to your daily routine. If you do this walk after a meal, it has the added benefit of helping to regulate blood sugar levels. 

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There is no wrong way to get movement in, rake the leaves, lifting weights, mobility routines, yoga, your favorite sport, Tai Chi simple routines that fit into small windows of the day, walk around the block during your lunch break, go for a hike, take a sunset bike ride, whatever movement inspires you is the right movement. It doesn't have to be the same, as long as we move our bodies.

Natural Light 

Artificial light, while very common in our daily lives, is relatively new in the world of human history. Natural light also helps regulate our bodies' hormonal cycles. If you wake up and turn on bright lights, keeping them on way past sunset (which is easy to do when the days are short), it may be creating more stress in your life than you are actually aware of. And if you add the blue screens of our phones, TVs, and computers, it further complicates things.

One easy shift is to make time to see the sunrise or sunset- outside, not through a window. It's fantastic if you can sit for the whole thing, but really, what we are doing is trying to get direct sunlight into the eyes first thing in the morning or last thing at night to help regulate the hormonal cycles that support our wake and sleep cycles. 

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Another shift is to limit screen time before bed. An hour is ideal, and any time off from those devices will support the process. You could also dim the lights in the house after sunset to mimic the state of darkness outside, which will further support your sleep cycles. 

Affirmations 

From a Chinese philosopher: "Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny".

Positive mental affirmations have a positive impact on our mental state. Choose something that resonates with you, that isn't a demand or a hope. Choose something that helps the overall direction of your life and remains true in every setting. Say it often, when you wake, when moments are challenging, when you fall asleep, whenever it comes to mind. One I have been working with this year is: "Your body has the capacity to heal beyond what you have ever been led to believe." Feel free to borrow this one (I borrowed it somewhere along the way and can't remember to credit it appropriately, eek) or create your own. 

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Nature Sit 

Sit with nature. Outside, anywhere, in your yard, by a trail, by a stream, don't overcomplicate it, go outside. Sit quietly for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or, if you feel inspired, 20 minutes. No phones, no talking, simply observe.

• Notice the ground beneath you,

• Notice the sounds around you,

• Notice your breath,

• Notice the state of your mind,

• Notice the nature around you,

• What plants and animals do you see? Can you name them?

• Notice your connection and place in nature. 

​One of my teachers spent a decade doing a Nature Sit in the same place, and was still learning about new plants around them after all that time. Wild, that we have an incomprehensible amount of life out our doors, that we are a part of, and often we walk right by. 

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