Slowing Down for Improved Health
By Donna Stark
It’s never a good feeling to disappoint your family, friends, or coworkers, is it? So to avoid that from happening, many of us will typically take on too much, as if we have to prove that yes, we can do it all. A friend needs a favor? Sure! A child’s team needs homemade snacks? Why not? Pretty soon, we are grabbing one ball after the next, and suddenly, we’re juggling with more than we can handle. On top of that, as each new ball is added the pressure to not drop any of them increases, and as we are taking care of our loved ones, helping our coworkers, meeting friends at the gym, and carpooling the neighborhood kids around, we are also losing sleep, short-changing our families, and ignoring our own health and sanity. We aren’t juggling anymore. We are simply over-functioning.
Leave the Juggling for the Clowns
It’s common knowledge that clowns are expert jugglers, so leave the juggling to them! Hand over the plates, the bowling pins, or the balls and free up some time for yourself so that you can stay healthy and recharge. Let’s take a look at what some extra time in your days can do for your health.
- Reduces your stress - Having too much on your plate can increase your stress and cause significant health consequences. Reduce these risks by giving yourself a break. Reevaluate your priorities, delegate responsibilities, and be OK with saying “no.” Figuring out ways to take some things off your plate is an effective way to cut out some stress.
- Encourages healthy eating - Wow! Now you have time to actually cook and you no longer have to order off a fast food menu that has a picture of a cute little Chihuahua on it. Isn’t that great? Depriving yourself of healthy food never does a body good … just think of all the health benefits you will receive once you have a little more time to cook.
- Promotes physical activity - You declined the opportunity to make 48 cupcakes on short notice, so now you have time to hit the gym! Exercise may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, so get your blood pumping at least a couple times a week. It’s imperative to your health to stay active!
- Offers time to rest - Staying up late because you have too much to do? Lack of sleep can put you at risk for heart disease, diabetes, accidents, and weight gain, so if your day ends early and you can get to bed sooner, or if you have time for a power nap, do it! Because with those health risks hanging over your head, you’ll want to put sleep at the top of your priorities list.
Doing It All
It’s not always bad to be busy and it’s OK to juggle too! Just be sure to keep your health and safety a priority. If you need to, slow down, recharge, and pass the plates to some of the other “clowns” around you.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sunset Hills, Mo.