The health benefits of positive thinking
Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
- Increased life span
- Lower rates of depression
- Lower levels of distress
- Greater resistance to the common cold
- Better psychological and physical well-being
- Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
- Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
It’s unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.
It’s also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don’t smoke or drink alcohol in excess.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Stress and Anxiety
🤗 Feel Good Hack ~ Keep Learning
Never Stop Learning
Learn from everyone and everything. Be like a kid in the candy store and learn from everybody around you. . . .Learn from every one. . . . Never close your mind. Stay open to new worlds and new possibilities.
🤗Feel Good Hack ~ Forest Bathing
Breathe in Nature
We all know how good being in nature can make us feel. We have known it for centuries. The sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the leaves, the fresh, clean air — these things give us a sense of comfort. They ease our stress and worry, help us to relax and to think more clearly. Being in nature can restore our mood, give us back our energy and vitality, refresh and rejuvenate us.
🤗 Feel Good Hack ~ Get Organize
It might seem like an annoying task, but once you organize aspects of your life, it’s usually followed by serenity and a feeling of relief. “Clearing up old emails, old notes, and straightening up your work area will clear your head and boost productivity,” says Shaheen. “Take 15 minutes at the end of each work week, before you leave for the weekend. This is even more important if you work from home.”
An aside: I live alone and use a rule (I made it up) to stay organized or neat. I call it the twenty second rule. Most things only take a few seconds to complete, e.g., hanging up a bath towel, tossing the laundry in the washer. I think Babe watches me from Heaven and makes sure I’m staying organized. LOL.
🍎 Health Hack ~ 3rd of 3 Daily Habits To Keep Your Brain Healthy
Healthy Habit #3 ~ Eat on Schedule
The timing of our meals (along with the foods we choose to eat, of course) that can keep your brain in tiptop shape. . . . Keeping your body on a routine can greatly benefit your brain. . . . While the foods you eat and workout plans you follow may differ . . . the one thing every person should do to optimize brain health is to maintain a steady ritual.
🤗 Feel Good Hack ~ Here’s a Mood Booster
Go For A Walk
Exercising is a form of a self-care, but sometimes working out isn’t seen as the most enjoyable, stress-free activity. However, walking can calm the brain without taxing the body, and it’s easy to fit in no matter how busy you are. Walking is free, it can feel meditative, and it can boost your mood, both in the moment and long-term, according to multiple sources.
🍎 Health Hack ~ 2nd of 3 Daily Habits To Keep Your Brain Healthy
Healthy Habit #2 – Exercise Regularly
Timing your exercise habits is a great way to get your body (and brain) into a healthy routine. However, there’s no need to time your workouts down to the very minute you hit the treadmill. For Ruhoy, following a steady workout routine is pretty simple. “If you’re a morning person, exercise in the morning. If you’re an evening person, exercise in the evening,” she says. In terms of what kind of exercise is most beneficial for brain health, Ruhoy believes it’s a personal decision and there’s no one exercise plan that’s better for our brains, as long as you work out at the same time every day.
Feel Good Hack ~ Have a Favorite Playlist?
Load up your go-to playlist and press play: Music is super powerful when it comes to your emotions, and a 2013 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found those who boosted their mood via their favorite songs made them feel happier, and that was only for 12 minutes. Just imagine what double that can do for your well-being.
🤗 Feel Good Hack ~ Get Outdoors
Putting on your hiking boots and taking a stroll out in nature does a lot for your happiness levels. A 2014 study published in the journal Ecopsychology found those who took walks outside were significantly less depressed. And even better, that time spent outdoors also helped them handle any stress that popped up in their lives.
🤗 Feel Good Hack – Technology Time Out
Throughout the day, you’re probably on your computer, phone, and Apple Watch—maybe even all at once. A 2012 study published in the journal Developmental Psychologyfound those who spend a lot of time using multiple different types of technology are less happy than those who don’t spend as much time in front of the screen, so don’t be afraid to shut off.
