by Michael Plank
Move
Do 20 squats when you wake up in the morning. Just like push-ups, equipment-free squats are a great way to build strength and endurance and maintain (or even improve) range of motion, especially in the lower body. It’s also a great way to get the blood pumping a little and work out some morning stiffness. If 20 feels like too many, do fewer. Learn how to squat HERE.
Eat
Take a day this week and eat one fruit and/or vegetable at every meal and snack. Forget the nonsense about fruit being bad for you. It doesn’t make intuitive sense because it’s insane. In general, we tend to be deficient on vegetables, so increasing those, especially, is great; but increasing fresh produce intake improves overall health and reduces the risk of chronic disease. Read more HERE.
Sleep
Wake up with natural light. That could mean letting the sunshine be your alarm clock in the morning, but if that’s not practical, it also counts if you spend a few minutes outside in the morning. Research in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine indicates that exposure to natural light in the morning helps regulate circadian rhythms, improving sleep quality. Read more HERE.
Manage
Once this week, practice deep breathing for 2 minutes. If that’s easy, bump it up to 5 minutes. Again and again and again, research shows that deep breathing exercises can reduce stress and improve emotional well-being. Read more HERE.