Anosmia: The devastating effects of losing your sense of smell

With a wine tasting career and fragrance studies leading her passions, when Helena lost lost her sense of smell for three weeks with Covid, she panicked. Very luckily for her, it came back. This is not always the case with anosmia, sadly. Here’s why you need to know about this debilitating ‘hidden disabilty’.

Our sense of smell is so much more important than we think. Sadly, it’s not until we lose it that most of us realise this fact. It is a hidden disability.

Covid-19 certainly raised the awareness of viral anosmia; losing your sense of smell after exposure to a virus, but the devastating effects this can have on a person from extreme weight loss to severe depression, are still not discussed or recognised in medicine as much as they could and should be. Smell is, after all, our most primitive sense, governing our most basic instincts as well as memory and all sorts of emotions. Losing it, whether total (anosmia) or partially (hyposmia) can have a devastating effect on our mental health and quality of life. 

This Anosmia Awareness Day, I want to highlight some of the negative ways anosmia can affect people, to raise awareness and help find new avenues of research into finding a cure.

Eating problems

Even hyposmia can have a significant effect on the enjoyment of food, which often leads to a lost interest in eating, which can then in turn become so severe, it leads to eating disorders and malnutrition. A desperate attempt to taste something can lead to the addition of too much salt or sugar, which brings its own negative effects on health. 

Social disconnection

Anosmiacs report feeling lonely and disconnected from the world, unable to engage in their environment or bond as well with other humans. Relationships appear more strained as your subscious is aware it is ‘missing something’ from the conversation - and it is. Bonding even with loved ones is harder. Losing a major part of one of life’s greatest human pleasures - to eat and drink with a tribe -  can also be devastating. We feel left out of a social connection, even if we are physically present. 

Depression & Anxiety

These combined effects of anosmia can lead to paranoia, anxiety, depression and anhedonia; the inability to feel pleasure. How do we know if we - or our home - smells bad or not? Did we leave the gas on? Will I know if I step in something? How can we tell if what we are serving our guests is well cooked? It’s easy to see how anxiety can be ramped up and depression can find a way in, as so many of life’s pleasures are stripped away. 

Danger

Our sense of smell is crucial for warning us of potential dangers, often numerous times a day. From smoke or a gas leak to food that has gone off and bread caught, burning away in the toaster. Without it, we are stripped of some crucial survival skills. 

Can anything be done to help anosmia?

There’s not currently an official cure for anosmia but in some cases, retraining the nose to smell has had some positive effects, so it’s worth a try. Anosmia awareness charity Fifth Sense suggest smelling the same strong scents for around twenty seconds each day while really paying attention to what you are doing. Essential Oils are the most effective here as they are strong and they last a long time. Pick four very different ones will have a greater effect. They suggest rose, lemon, clove and eucalyptus.

Are you affected by a full or partial loss of smell? If you need help and advice or just want to find a community, check out Fifth Sense.

Words by Helena Nicklin

How to Improve your Mood

It’s no secret that many of us are struggling right now more than we would. Most of the things that put a smile on our face are forbidden, but not ALL of them. That’s where today’s little tidbits of advice come into play. 

Yes, there’s a variety of little things you can do on a day-to-day basis which within the space of just a few seconds can bring a little cheer back into your life and perk up your mentality and mood. Some may sound silly, some may sound obvious, but at the end of the day as long as they work that’s all that matters. Ready?

Smile at yourself in the mirror

It might sound ridiculous but smiling at yourself in a mirror makes you feel slightly uncomfortable and silly to the point that your false smile becomes a real smile. Try it. 

Spend a little time with your pet if you have one

Comfort and knowing that we are responsible for someone else brings a great deal of joy to our lives. It also puts our mood into perspective. When we spend time with our kids or our pets, no matter how needy they can sometimes be, it brings a great deal of joy to our lives. It’s proven to emit certain hormones that give you a wider third-person perspective to realize that life isn’t all doom and gloom and what you are surrounded by is in fact very important and a beautiful reason to be alive. 

Laugh

This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Have that comedian you adore or that TikTok / Instagram profile that makes your dimples grow. Laughter is one of life’s greatest medicines, so if you’re ever feeling blue, a couple of minutes of watching something humorous will set you back on good form. 

Talk to upbeat people

Our brains and bodies release a hormone called oxytocin to strengthen the relationships we have with those around us. Your brain/body releases oxytocin to strengthen relationships. Oxytocin gets released during light caresses, sex, when someone shows they trust you, and sometimes even simply with talking. When released, oxytocin increases feelings of attachment for another person, as well as feelings of trust

Have Sex, Masturbate or get a Sex Toy

I’m not kidding – and while some people may laugh at this (good, I made you happy), sex emits a surge of hormones that really lift our spirit and mood. If you live by yourself or don’t have a partner then put things back into your own hands right now in your bedroom. There’s no shame in talking about topics like this. Mental health is a serious and complex thing and sex has been proven to have a positive impact on our moods through the release of countless hormones. 

De-clutter or Re-arrange things in your room

Changing an environment can help us feel refreshed, enabling us to bust out of a negative mood. Clutter spikes cortisol, getting rid of it decreases it!

Listen to sad songs and cry. 

Might sound a little counter-productive, but allowing yourself to get rid of those pent up emotions is a release. Once you’ve had that release your happiness meter is re-filled and you’ll be less likely to dwell on the negativity. 

Compliment someone else

Tell a friend they look nice in a photo, drop a message to someone out of the blue reminding them of something you loved that they did. Basically, if you can give a compliment to someone, go ahead and do it. Research has shown that we get a spike in happiness knowing we are making others happy. 

https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/lifestyle/scientifically-proven-ways-improve-your-mood/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/hide-and-seek/201701/10-simple-ways-improve-your-mood-when-youre-feeling-down

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/mind-body/5-tips-to-boost-your-mood/

https://greatist.com/happiness/34-ways-bust-bad-mood-ten-minutes#8

How 2 minutes of intentional breathing can boost your health and happiness

Mind, Sense & Soul: Breathe

Navy seals. You’ve heard of them, right? The U.S. Navy's primary special operations force... You may even know some. They are HARD AS NAILS; certainly not new age, woo woo types. Well, they use intentional breathing religiously in their training and in combat to regulate their bodies and we all know, they wouldn’t bother with anything that didn’t work and didn't work well. So hopefully, that’s a good reason to listen on...

Now, breathing is, as we know, something we do everyday without thinking about it so it’s normal to think that we can ignore it. However, if we don’t ignore it and actually take control of it, we can make immense, positive changes to our health almost instantly. A lot is being said about how we breathe right now for obvious reasons because sometimes, it takes a massive health crisis for us to appreciate the profound effects the way we breathe has on our entire being. 

Breathe With Intention

Giving ourselves space to pause and breath with intention, i.e. think about how we’re breathing before we do certain things like start answering emails or eat food or have a meeting can have a profound effect on how we react, how we think and even, how we digest. All the research is pointing to how simply breathing in a more mindful way can make a huge difference, even just two minutes at a time. Give it a try. Maybe add in a two minute breathing space as it were before you do a new task and see how differently you feel. It’s effective, it’s free and there are no side effects!

By controlling our breath, we can instantly drop our cortisol levels and blood pressure, calming panic and anxiety within a couple of minutes. Controlled breathing through the nose specifically however, is something we should all be doing as much as possible, apparently. Here’s more on that.

Mouth Vs Nose Breathing

Many of us may not realise that we’re breathing through our mouths, especially while we sleep. The truth is, habitual mouth breathing has serious implications on an individual’s lifelong health, from snoring issues, dry mouth and bad breath to sleep apnoea, chronic fatigue and  brain fog.  See link at the end for A LOT more in this by the experts. 

In children particularly, the negative effects are quite clear: it can cause crooked teeth, facial deformities and slower growth. Mouth breathing children also often have problems concentrating at school to the point where they are often misdiagnosed with ADD or hyperactivity. They’re also more irritable and show daytime sleepiness. Eeek. 

Why Nose Breathing?

Why is nose breathing better? Here are some reasons:

• The nose acts as an air filter , delivering clean air to the lungs and reducing the amount of allergens that get in. Very important for asthmatics!

• Nose-breathing produces nitric oxide, helping with oxygen absorption and sterilises the air.

• Nose-breathing strengthens the immune system by activating immunoglobulin production.

• It adds moisture to the air to prevent dryness in the lungs and bronchial tubes.

• Nose breathing adds resistance to the air stream and this increases oxygen uptake, maintaining the lungs’ elasticity.

Breath and the Gut

Stressful events may cause immediate physical reactions, such as a faster heartbeat, shallower breath and knots in the stomach. These “fight or flight” responses move blood away from the gut to larger muscles so we can run away from danger but this interferes with digestion, weakens the immune system and increases inflammation. When they happen again and again over time, they can damage your gut health. 

Slower, deeper, abdominal breathing, gently massages the internal organs like the intestines and stomach, so long, deep, belly breathing before and after we eat creates a relaxed abdominal. This can reduce abdominal pain, urgency, bloating, and constipation.

If you’re an IBS sufferer, have you ever been able, weirdly, to eat anything on holiday and yet suffer badly when back at home? Could this have anything to do with being more relaxed? Something to think about. 

Breath for Grief and Trauma

I wanted to put what I learned about breath and grief in this as it seems so simple, yet the advice was nowhere to be seen when I lost my father a few years ago. Grief and trauma generally, if not dealt with properly, comes out in other ways such as anxiety and panic attacks and yet often, we have no idea that this is what has caused it. 

How many people have thrown themselves straight back into work or other projects after losing a loved one, choosing distraction over sitting with the sadness over a period of time and gently coming to terms with it? Apparently it is seen in the workplace all the time, especially with CEOs who suddenly start having panic attacks in meetings, for example. 

The research shows clearly that just helping people learn to sit with their breath for two minutes at a time, doing slow but gentle abdominal breathing soon starts to stop the attacks altogether, because what happens is that almost without fail,  within a minute or so, the person usually burst into tears - a much needed release that can begin a process of acceptance and healing.

Breathing Toolkit: 3 techniques to tackle anxiety, promote sleep or boost energy

Breath for Calm

Try alternate nostril breathing. This technique can quickly help reduce agitation and anxiety. With your thumb, close off one nostril and take air in slowly through the other. Then switch, closing off the second nostril with the ring finger of the same hand while breathing through the first. Repeat the process until you begin to feel calmer.

Breath for Sleep

Try the 4,7,8 Method. This now well-known  breathing method is a cracker for promoting good sleep. Simply inhale to the count of four, hold your breath to the count of seven and then exhale to the count of eight. Repeat as needed, but at least five rounds will do you good. 

Breath for Energy 

To renew your energy in the middle of the day, try this stimulating breathing technique to help you to feel more alert: Keep your mouth closed, then inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your breaths as short as possible - three times a second if you can manage it. This is a great practice for the diaphragm. NOTE: pause to breathe normally every 3 seconds or so and only do this exercise for only 15 seconds when you first start. You can go longer as you get used to it. 

Further reading & listening

Videos

Breath - 5 minutes can change your life

Multiple breath techniques

How breathing and metabolism are linked

Breath to heal

Breath - 5 minutes can change your life

Books

Breath - James Nestor.

Restoring Prana - Robin Rothernburg

Articles

Techniques - Home Care Assistance 

Breathing for better digestion - Louise Lavergne

Take a breath: How breathing can affect gut health - gutcare.com

Multiple breath techniques

How breathing and metabolism are linked
Breath to heal

See our other MInd, Sense & Soul videos here.

Why is Looking After Your Gut Important?

It’s no secret that our gut is our second brain. A heck of a lot goes on inside this part of the body and that impacts how we feel both physically and mentally. That’s why it’s so important to make sure we look after ourselves properly and maintain it!

Meditation for a Healthy Gut

We’ve seen a rise of meditation therapies to help people have a calmer gut, especially those who suffer from digestive issues like IBS. Nerva is a good example. Similarly, there are apps that allow you to track what you’re eating, how much you go to the loo, and what if any discomfort you’re experiencing. The best way to figure out what your body is sensitive to is by keeping track and while it may sound tedious, the longer-term benefits are worth it.

 Get those probiotics! 

It’s a phrase we keep hearing, but for good reason. Probiotics help keep our gut healthy, creating bacteria that aid the digestion of food and fend off bad bacteria. If you find you keep getting sick or feeling run down, it could very well be that you don’t have enough healthy bacteria in your gut!

There’s a number of things you can eat to help this:

-       Probiotic supplements
-       Fermented foods
-       Raw milk
-       Varieties of cheese
-       Varieties of yogurt
-       Sourdough

Get a better night’s sleep!

Your gut and brain are in constant communication via our body clock. Notice how you get hungry and go to the loo at certain times of the day? Yep, hello body clock. Sleeping at the same time each night allows this rhythm to stay in tune – making a healthier gut and a happier mood.

In the same way we need to keep our brain hydrated, the same is true for our gut. There’s a lot of acid churning around and ensuring you have your 2 – 2.5 litres of water each day can help you remain hydrated and working as efficiently as possible.

Let your Gut rest!

If you allow your gut to take a break from food for 12 hours (i.e. after your final meal of the day) it begins to restore and heal itself – promoting the growth of healthy bacteria and wiping out the bad ones. Some bacteria such as Akkermansia Muciniphila really benefit from a good ol’ fast and help restore and strengthen the lining of your gut when they aren’t being utilised by the digestive process. Basically, eat dinner than quit the snacks – you’ll feel a hell of a lot better for it.

Uh oh… Alcohol and the Gut!

You may think I’m going to tell you drinking is bad… but it’s not. As long as it’s less but better. Studies have shown how a glass of red wine actually helps protect inflammation and disease, increasing the helpful bacteria too. The trick is to drink in moderation and not get utterly shizzled. Excess alcohol can lead to bad bacteria being born alongside constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and more, none of which are particularly sexy. As I say, drink less, but better and perhaps introduce a little no-low to your life – there’s a substantial amount of options these days.

Medication: Real Need vs. Psychological

If you’re guilty of turning to meds for any form of pain regardless of how mild, you could be damaging your gut – so just be careful. Sometimes when you’ve got a headache a simple 10-minute meditation can help put it at bay. Long-term use of NSAID’s (like aspirin or ibuprofen) can really damage the gut lining and destroy the positive microbes. This can lead to irritation in the intestinal lining, inflammation and in some cases bleeding. So before you pop another pill, think, do I REALLY need this or is it more a psychological thing?

Here are some fantastic resources to help you with your GUT discovery:

Articles

https://atlasbiomed.com/blog/16-easy-hacks-to-enhance-your-gut-health-every-day-in-2020/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/what_should_you_eat_for_a_healthy_gut

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/how-can-i-improve-my-gut-health

Podcast – The Gut Health Doctor

https://open.spotify.com/episode/47MUwgdP70FANzyKvgusJm?si=NnfVEf79TvWPxLm3DLH_HA

Looking for other ways to help you enter 2021 in a calmer, happier way? Then, check out our other videos including CBD, Write, Light and Green here.

How Human Connection & Compassion Helps Us Thrive

CLICK PICTURE TO WATCH VIDEO

Mind, Sense, Soul: Connection

I learned something this week that blew my mind: Human connection and compassion are more important for curing illnesses and helping us live longer than any health intervention we could stage, like giving up smoking, drinking and improving diet and exercise. Yes, even for the big diseases. Here are some things I learned about how our communities and our connections will save us all.

Connection

When we connect with others, our heart rate slows down, we secrete the bonding hormone oxytocin and regions of the brain linked to empathy and pleasure light up. The very fact that our bodies still do this since we evolved from early man tells us that this is still a vitally important part of what makes us human. This is especially true if we detect another’s need for assistance, we feel compassion; we are usually drawn to want to help. 

We have survived as a species thanks to the importance of personal connections, community and compassion for others.  We are stronger together than when we are on our own so it’s not really just survival of the fittest; It’s survival of the most connected and compassionate.

Small Connections, Big Effect

Amidst a frightening and uncertain future thanks to Covid and general world politics, we are seeing people rallying together. On a smaller scale though too, I’ve noticed how the simple connections in life can have an impact. Lockdown has shone a light on this in a big way.

With us being tucked away at home for 99% of the day, just walking down the street and having a short conversation with the owner of my local coffee shop or a few words with the person on the supermarket checkout, a wave at a friendly neighbour... has a significant effect on my happiness levels for a long time afterwards. These small interactions at a distance with people in my community definitely lift my spirits at the moment.  I feel instantly lifted. I now make a point of noticing these whenever I can, making sure I get eye contact with anyone who passes me too and offering a smile or a hello. It’s infectious - in a good way, given it’s a pandemic.

I’m also feeling huge gratitude for radio at the moment. Feeling connected to the outside world and hearing from humans on a similar journey truly helps keep me going. Chris Evans breakfast show on Virgin Radio has been a lifesaver over the past 12 months.

Another thing I’m doing regularly now is checking in with friends all around the globe. I never used to be very good at reaching out but when I do, it’s reciprocated and I get a little warm glow.

Compassion is the key to happiness

As well as compassion, humans also, sadly, have a natural capacity for aggression and an instinct to protect our own territory and resources. We’ve all seen this during the pandemic with people hoarding loo roll and bread flour.  In the past, this has made me really angry as I’m sure it has you, but it is with these types of difficult situations where we need compassion the most.

If we can reframe this sort of thing, we’re going to be a hell of a lot happier and less angry with the world. So try it; when people act like this, can we ask ourselves ‘Given everything that’s going on, doesn't it make sense that they act like this?’ Feel compassion instead of anger. 

This has made me think recently of a nasty old neighbour we have. A really unpleasant man. However, when I thought about what I knew of him, I realised he must have experienced a lot of loss and unhappiness. There will have been countless other reasons I know nothing about which make him the way he is. Instead of cowering, running away and feeling a bit cross about it, I tried to feel compassion and started to say hello and smile instead. I dropped him a Christmas card and a bottle of wine in December too. No idea whether that meant anything to him or not but it made me feel a lot better and I can’t believe it wouldn’t have had an effect on him. What I noticed though was that my cortisol levels used to rise just seeing him in the street. Now, quite simply, they don’t. 

Be compassionate to yourself

Feeling compassionate is not just about others; we need compassion for ourselves. We are all under pressure right now, some more so than others. Parents balancing work, schooling and parenting, Carers trying to keep the vulnerable safe, business owners fearing for their livelihoods and all of us uneasy about a new uncertain future. 

The last thing we need is more pressure. Now is not the time for perfect. It’s the time for survival. Aim for good enough or madness lies ahead, whether this is work load or how much your child gets done at school, whatever. The dishes and the washing can wait. Your sanity ,your down time and your family are more important. I am trying to absorb this message myself. But it’s hard, isn't it? 

A Social Experiment

I just wanted to leave you with news of a social experiment. I was listening to a chat between two doctors with 60 years of medical experience between them discussing all of this and agreeing with each other that drugs are often far too quickly given. They also said that loneliness increased our risk of dying early by 30%. 

One thing that struck me particularly was something one of them said about blood pressure: “The impact of treating high blood pressure on your risk of dying prematurely is dwarfed by the impact of social relationships. With social relationships, oxytocin is pumping around your body and your blood pressure drops, for example. Maybe you don’t even need the drugs. With this in mind, it makes you think why don’t doctors not take social relationships into their routine clinical practice?”

Dr Julian Abel and a team actually did this recently and trailed an experiment in the Somerset town of Frume recently. Doctor surgeries got together to provide compassionate alternatives to medical intervention. ‘Health connectors’ were employed within the medical centre to make use of the incredible wealth of resources within the community. 

Loneliness and isolation is made worse by sickness, so they connected these people to groups and individuals going through similar things. Frume took many metrics along the way but the upshot was, they saw hospital admissions drop by 30% greatly improved quality of life scores, general positive health outcomes and lower costs. 

You can hear all about that in one of the podcast links along with other conversations articles and book suggestions on the subject of connection and compassion as usual below.

Books

The Compassion Project  - Dr Julian Abel (The Frume story amongst other things) (On Audible)

Together: Loneliness, Health and What Happens When We Find Connection - Vivek Murthy

Radical Compassion - Tara Brach (On Audible)

Podcasts

The healing power of compassion with Dr Julian Abel

Bitesize podcast: Why kindness is contagious

Articles

Connection & Compassion during Corona

How to be more resilient

Everyday actions for thriving in Lockdown

YouTube

Holocaust Survivor Dr. Edith Eger on Choosing Hope, Love & Compassion Over Suffering

Being a survivor not a victim

See more of our videos and articles here.

What is CBD and How Can it Help?

What is CBD

CBD has taken the world by storm over the past 2 years and continues to evolve. People have sworn by it for decades, but it’s now at a point where it has become more readily available to purchase than ever before. 

The science backs it up too, with countless studies showcasing that it genuinely does reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress when integrated as a part of one’s lifestyle. 

CBD versus THC

Despite all the hype, CBD is still a relatively new idea to many people, so it’s not surprising there’s quite a bit of confusion around it. The two things people have heard of are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol ) and CBD (cannabidiol). Both are molecules within the Cannabis plant, but do different things. 

They are both referred to as phytocannabinoids, but THC gives you psychoactive effects where as CBD does not. Many people assume because they both derive from the same plant they have the same affects, but this isn’t true. As they interact with different parts of the brain, they have vastly differing affects. 

THC gives you a sense of high by binding to cannabinoid receptors within our endocannabinoid system (a crucial part of our nervous system). While CBD doesn’t bind directly bind to cannabinoid receptors, it is said to boost levels of naturally occurring endocannabinoids – which is why it has such a wide range of uses. It’s also proven to interact with our serotonin and opiod receptors, which is why it is so effective. 

AS CBD interacts with our endocannabinoid system, it has an affect on a variety of functions:

•  Digestion

•  Metabolism

• Mood

• Memory

• Sleep

• Motor control

• Pain perception

• Immune function

Reduces Stress

On average, 18% of the population report feeling some form of anxiety. Remember that’s just the people who actually report it. You then take into account the global happenings over the latest year and begin to realize that a huge population of the world will likely be suffering some form of stress. Countless studies continue to showcase the positive effects CBD has on reducing the symptoms of anxiety, which is why in my mind it is more important to discover this now than ever before. 

Reduce Pain

Many of us have been sitting at the same desk, in the same chair for almost 12 months now. Shoddy posture leads to back pain which really isn’t a pleasant thing to have to go through on top of everything else. CBD has a track record of working with our brain to reduce the pain we experience. 

Aiding Sleep

CBD has been proven across a multitude of studies to inhibit calmness, which is perfect for people who are struggling to drift off. There’s so many different products on the market right now from pillow sprays to sleep drops and beyond. 

Skin Care

Many people suffer from skin conditions such as dermatitis and acne and as we find ourselves in stressful situations, these can flare up. CBD has showcased a strong correlation in helping to reduce these symptoms. With acne for example, it greatly reduces the amount of sebum created alongside calming inflammation (two massive triggers of acne). 

Increase Your Sex Life

Next up I’m going to talk about sex. And you know what, I’m not afraid to. Having great sex on a regular basis is proven to reduce stress and keep you happier. For those singletons amongst us, our sex lives haven’t been the most eventful over the past year. Even partners have struggled to find the time between home schooling, entertaining kids, working and finding that ‘special time together’ being stripped away given the stress or being together every waking minute. 

So if you have been finding your mojo has deflated or that you’re not as easily able to hit that big O (yes, I am referring to an orgasm), then CBD may be the answer. 

Using CBD infused lubricants increases the blood flow, making our nerve endings more sensitive, the result of which came be a much more sensual orgasm. 

How can you buy CBD?

There are so many ways you can purchase from capsules, oil and tongue sprays to sleep drops, wrist rolls, seltzers, bitters and more. We really are at the infancy of CBD discovery. Stay tuned as we put together a variety of ‘best product’ lists on this topic soon. 

In the meantime, check out some of these sites for CBD inspiration:

www.OTOcbd.com

www.hollandandbarrett.com

www.canabidol.com

How to motivate yourself to move more!

Mind, Sense & Soul: Move

Here’s something that might make you feel better: for millions of years, our ancestors had to work really hard to get enough food to have energy. It is therefore a normal instinct, hard-wired into us to avoid unnecessary exertion and exercise, so don’t ever feel bad about lacking motivation. It’s completely natural. Having said that, our ancestors got in plenty of natural exercise hunting and gathering, but the major difference was that it was a natural part of the everyday, not something they dedicated extra time to. So there’s the rub; we do need to move every day, but it would be much easier if it were a natural part of our life.

I should say at this point this is clearly not a video for those incredibly motivated people who already crave a daily run or enjoy triathlons in their spare time. It’s for those of you like me who feel they don’t have enough hours in the day and genuinely find it hard to be motivated to move, especially now there’s nowhere to go in lockdown and it’s bloody freezing and dark in the mornings.

Why move?

We all know that we need to move our bodies every day, but let’s just have a quick reminder about why:

• Exercise reduces the level of stress hormones in your body like cortisol and adrenaline. In short, it’s an anxiety buster. It has also been shown to be an effective treatment for depression.

• Studies have shown that those who exercise regularly are at a significantly reduced risk of developing dementia. As over time it keeps your brain growing rather than shrinking with age.

• Incidentally exercising your brain helps it grow new neurons too. Daily meditation does this.

• Exercise is one of the best things we can do for our hearts, which includes benefits for blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

• Exercise of course helps moderate weight of course, which has infinite advantages including preventing type 2 diabetes and in short

• It generally helps you age better. 

How much exercise do we need?

Advice for how much we need changes over time, but if you’re looking to start from scratch, received wisdom seems to be that 150 mins a week, which is just over 20 mins a day, is decent going. In fact solid scientific studies have shown that getting that 20 mins a day can lower your risk of dying by a certain age by 50%, so that’s jolly. It really does have to be regular rather than once in a blue moon though, apparently. But if the thought of getting up and at it is still unappealing, here are a few ways to boost motivation to do it. I’m telling you this because I need to keep telling it to myself. When I get up it’s cold, it’s dark,  We’re locked down. There’s nowhere to go so all these things help me.

How to boost motivation

Low, smashable targets 

Give yourself a super low target because when you smash that, you’ll get a dopamine hit, feel better about yourself and you’re more likely to naturally do more. Make it easy. We’re talking 2 or 5 minutes at a time at first, maybe just three times a week if needs be and you can gradually increase that. Success breeds motivation, so set yourself up to smash those small targets. 

Show up

The important thing is that we all learn to show up, because just getting to the place to start something is often the hardest part. Make it easy for yourself to show up by making sure the yoga mat is out and your clothes are there, or your shoes are by the door and the dog hasn’t stolen one of them. I think it was Woody Allen that said “80 percent of success is showing up”. This is probably true. “You make progress in inches, not yards”.

Break it up

Break your movement time up into  three, four or five minute little chunks. These will add up during the day and quickly have positive, knock on effects. Dr Rangan Chatterjee calls these ‘health snacks’, which I love. With five minutes too, you don’t even have to get changed, which is also a bonus. He also suggests checking your health snacks off somewhere as soon as you’ve done your five minutes or even keeping a jar and putting a small token into it every time you do it. Maybe it’s 20p or 50p a go and your reward is to spend all the money in the jar when it's full, or maybe it’s milk bottle tops. Whatever it is, seeing a full jar at the end of the week feels like success and success is the greatest motivator. 

Attach it to something else you’re already doing 

One thing I’ve found helpful is attaching these five minute chunks onto something I’m already doing, like squats waiting for the kettle or rounds of star jumps after you go to the loo. When it comes to my girls who are seven and nine, they will not do PE indoors, so I’m starting to introduce a ten minute kitchen rock out disco as I’m preparing dinner, where we put on some Metallica (their choice believe it or not) and we all jump around the kitchen. It’s good on so many levels and we’re all out of breath and sweaty by the end of it. Job done. 

Here are few interesting things to read and listen to on the subject of movement.

Articles

The surprising truth about exercise - Daniel Lieberman with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee

Videos

The 5 minute kitchen workout - Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Books

Exercised: The Science of Physical Activity, Rest and Health  - Daniel Lieberman

Review of this book by The Guardian - Exercise myths exploded.

Feel Better in 5 - Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Articles

7 Ways to master the art of showing up - Saeed Mirfattah

6 Ways the body benefits from exercise - Forbes.

A short history of wellbeing through exercise - Wellcome Trust

Check out the other videos and articles in our Mind, Sense & Soul series here!

How to Make Yourself Happy!

HAPPINESS…. A term that may seem cliché, but ultimately results in us leading a more fulfilled and positive life, surrounded by wonder, comfort and love. There’s no magic formula that you can inject into yourself on a permanent basis, but there are several life steps you can follow and that’s exactly what we’re going to delve into today. 

Happiness is the result of a variety of hormones and affects us in different ways. We have dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins to thank for those gleaming cheeks we get and warming feeling within that we get, but they have to be activated to work. 

Throughout today’s article and video you’ll notice a couple of recurring themes – surround yourself with positive, put your mindset in a positive place and focus on the light, not the darkness. 

Positive Thinking

It’s completely understandable if you’re feeling quite shitty right now. Allow yourself some time to come to terms with your feelings so you’ve let them out, maybe even talk to someone about them as an outlet, but do remember, and this is important, that every time you showcase negativity or are moping around – you’re not just affecting yourself but those around you too. 

Countless studies have shown how people with a negative mindset can be contagious in bringing other people down too – exactly the same (but the opposite) but those who showcase positivity – it is completely infectious and spreads the light making others gleam with joy. 

So, positive thinking, what’s the trick? Well, this ones quite simple. Just think about a really happy memory you have. Maybe it’s with a loved one, maybe it’s that stupid thing your friend did, maybe it’s a time you felt harmonious joy or pride, maybe it’s a time you did something for someone else which filled you with hope. You may be thinking ‘what’s the point?’ – but take my word for it – do it. Once those hormones start rushing through your body the darkness will turn into light and you are once again, back in control. 

YOU control YOU

Remember, the only person who controls how you feel is YOU – don’t ever let someone else bring you down – they don’t have the power to do that. The sooner we realise that WE ARE IN CONTROL OF HOW WE FEEL, the sooner we can combat and push away the negativity of others. It’s boils down to that simple notion of knowing that you are in the driver’s seat of your life. It sounds incredibly simple and it is. You are strong. Remember that. Once your head is back in that driver’s seat, smile away. 

The Cold Water Trick

Do you ever feel terrible in the morning? Super sleepy? Well, there’s a little trick that can combat that and it sounds AWFUL but it really does work. If you’re anything like me you keep extending the amount of time you’re in the shower in the morning, making the water hotter and hotter as if it’s an embracing hug. The notion of stepping out is not good. Here’s the trick. Just before you get out – turn the water to freezing cold for a split second and let that be the last thing you feel. Not too long, I’m talking about literally a nanosecond. Once you do this a surge of energy bounces through your body, making you incrediblt alert, focused and ready to conquer the day. You might dread feeling really cold and sad, but actually, the opposite happens. 

Find Something to Look Forward to!

There’s nothing worse than doom and gloom and knowing nothing on the horizon seems fun. Change that. Book something or arrange something that you’re going to look forward to. If you’re in a position to plan a holiday far out enough that it (hopefully) won’t be affected by COVID, do it. Not everything has to be money related either. Even organising a group of friends on a joint video call is something that well send surges of positivity thourgh you. 

Partake in Conscious Acts of Kindness

This could very well be one of the most important. We spend so much time thinking about OURSELVES, but what about others? It is human nature that if we do good, we feel good. So the next time you see someone suffering, go out of your way to help then. Whether it be a homeless person in need of food or drink, someone in need of mentorship or just someone on LinkedIn asking a genuine question to help guide them in a better direction with their career. There are countless ways you can help – you just need to be observant and use your emotional intelligence to identify them. The best thing you can do as a human is make someone else smile. It’s contagious – it will soon come right back around. 

Exercise

It sounds pretty simple and it is. Get yourself outside once a day for a walk or even a 5-minute workout from home. You don’t need to be a body builder; you just need to give your body some time to reflect on itself. Any form of exercise creates a surge of hormones allowing you to feel more positive about yourself. 

Meditation

There are countless forms of meditation – do a little research to see what works for you. You can also check out our tips on how ‘Sound’ can impact your health and wellness by clicking here and discover multiple other ways to instil happiness within your life. 

Make your environment a happier place

We’ve given you lots of tips over this series to make positive change to your life in order to reduce anxiety and become calmer in 2021. You can take many of these learnings and adapt them to your routine to become a happier person. SAD lights, different scents, going for walks, socialising more, thinking positively – these are just a few. Delve into all of our video series by clicking here. 

Happiness in Social Circles

This doesn’t mean you have to be an extrovert – it just means don’t isolate yourself away. Right now, this couldn’t be more important. We can’t leave our homes and head down to the bar to have a good old’ natter with your best mates – but we can do that over our computers, our phones, whatever it might be. Don’t hide in the darkness and feel like you are alone – make the effort to set up a call and then see just how much fulfilment it brings to your life. Human beings are not meant to be isolated, we find nourishment in conversation and belonging. So if you’ve not spoken with a friend for a couple of days – now is the time to rectify that – and I don’t mean a text message – I mean voice of video. There’s a MASSIVE difference between the two when it comes to seeing and feeling real emotion. 

Laugh More!

It’s pretty simple – laughter is the best form of medicine didn’t come from nowhere – it’s a known fact that those who laugh more are happier. So find that favourite TV Series, watch those memes and GIF’s and make sure you keep in contact with those who make you feel like sunshine – because it has such a profoundly positive impact on our lives.