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This post is just a gentle reminder of the most transformative thing you can do for yourself today. 

Our mental and physical health are very much interlinked- one cannot thrive without the other. To build and maintain good physical health you need to be mentally happy, motivated, and healthy because then only can you eat well and get yourself to exercise. On the other hand, to stay mentally healthy, you need your body to be healthy and support you. It’s a complete circle.

The easiest way to get started is to move your body. It sounds atrocious but get this- a quick 20 to 30 minutes session:

1. Has immediate effects on your brain. There is an increase in levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline, which instantly improves your mood.
2. Increases your reaction times, i.e, you think and act quickly on your feet.
3. Improves your ability to shift and focus attention, which will last for at least two hours. 

I think it’s worth giving a try. To make these transient effects abiding, include cardiorespiratory functions in your workouts which essentially means get your heart rate up and induce sweat. Most importantly, give it time. Don’t workout in lieu of big results, you’ll want to quit after two days. Baby steps, just 20 minutes a day (a 10-minute stretch and a 10-minute sweat session or anything that gets your body moving).

Now, exercise is one half. To talk about diet- first, drink loads of water. Morning, day, night- keep a water bottle with you. And second, eat home-cooked meals- it’s that simple. Avoid packed stuff and if you live away from home, include more and more fruits in your diet. More importantly, listen to your body. Don’t force anything upon yourself. That’s more or less all you have to do for being physically healthy. 

Mental health is a little tricky but honestly, if you stay physically fit, you’re halfway there. You might disagree with this but hear me out. Firstly, when you stay physically fit, it induces a feeling of self-care that you’re doing something good for your body each day. Self-care is a big step toward mental health. 

And secondly, it’s all about energy flow. When you move your body, you expel and gain energy at the same time. Without a physical movement, no energy flow is induced and the energy formed in your body goes into your mind in the form of overthinking, judgments, and clots. That’s when you start feeling a block in your mind. 

So, start caring for yourself. Introduce a 10-minute meditation after your workout- there is no better time honestly. Your body will be tired, so you can very really get to your heart and soul. Watch your breath and relax. It’s not too much- just 30 minutes a day for yourself. 

Let me know in the comments where do you plan to start! And in reality- no one can take care of you the way you can take care of you so make sure you take care of yourself.

Happy Caring!

Pranjali Jain