Go Go Go! So much of our world today encourages, almost rewards, a constant “on-the-go” lifestyle. Whether it’s going from one activity to the next or having an all-or-nothing attitude about working out, sports performance, etc., it is almost as if we are rewarded for never taking a break.

But! What if you performed better BECAUSE you took a break?

What if you performed at a higher level BECAUSE you took a break?

Research shows that rest and recovery can actually lead to greater physical, mental, and emotional results. What does this look like, and how can we make it happen?!

Good rest and SLEEP are vital for a healthy lifestyle. Check out the following 10 reasons why good sleep is important:

1. Poor sleep is linked to higher body weight. Research shows this to be the case for both adults and children.
2. Good sleepers tend to eat fewer calories. Sleep regulates the hormones associated with appetite. Poor sleep affects these hormones, making it more difficult to read hunger and satisfaction cues.
3. Good sleep can improve concentration and productivity. It can maximize problem-solving skills and even enhance memory, compared to a lack of sleep which can reduce cognition and memory.
4. Good sleep can maximize athletic performance. Greater awareness can also reduce your risk of injury during a workout or recreational activity.
5. Poor sleepers have a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Seven to eight hours of sleep really makes a difference in one’s risk.
6. Sleep affects glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes risk. Healthy adults can develop prediabetes in as few as six days of sleep deprivation.
7. Poor sleep is linked to depression. This link goes both ways – those who experience depression have been found to develop sleep disorders and vice versa.
8. Sleep improves your immune function. One study, in particular, found that those who slept less than seven hours of sleep were almost three times more likely to develop a cold than those who sleep eight hours a night.
9. Poor sleep is linked to increased inflammation. There are even links between poor sleep and inflammatory bowel diseases.
10. Sleep affects emotions and social interactions. Recognizing important social cues can affect healthy relationships.

Resiliency During A Pandemic

A perfect example of a dynamic system is YOU– a constantly changing, internally or externally motivated, physically, mentally, and emotionally needy being!

This pandemic has challenged us all in our relationships with ourselves and with others. Being resilient is an important part of maintaining and nurturing these relationships and avoiding the negative side effects of feeling threatened. When you feel threatened, or like your basic needs aren’t being met, you may also feel…

Depressed, Anxious, or Isolated

That’s why it is so crucial to ACTIVELY put energy into yourself and staying socially connected to others. We want to highlight the benefits of controlling what you CAN control, and encourage you to NOT give up… because taking control and not giving up gives us peace of mind and strength. We want these emotions to fill your life on a daily basis…

Enlivened, Grateful, and Motivated

How can you work towards this?

• Challenge your physical body by moving it each day, even when you don’t think you can.
• Write down 3 things that you are grateful you can do for yourself on a daily basis.
• Reach out to at least one friend you haven’t talked to in a while, each week. Even though we are physically distant, we can stay socially connected!

Have you ever started a diet, workout, or health plan and then abandoned it within a few weeks? If you have, you’re not alone. It’s a common struggle. This is because change is difficult, especially when you are trying to change deep-seated habits. This is largely why health and wellness coaches exist. A wellness coach is a health expert who helps people achieve their physical and health goals. They work with you to set goals, identify roadblocks, develop a plan, and help you follow through with the plan so that you can achieve optimal wellness.

Learn more about our health coaching, corporate wellness programs, and contact Balanced Wellness today with any questions. Read on to learn more about health and wellness coaching.

Employee wellness programs are changing. Where they were once programs implemented because of their benefits with health claims containment, they are now becoming an essential piece of a benefits package.

Employers are always looking for the most engaged and productive employees. But how do they recruit and retain them? Offering competitive benefits is one way of drawing in top recruits. In addition to traditional health insurance and savings benefits, employees are looking for a variety of other items. Many of these sought-after items can be viewed as part of a well-being program.

Now more than ever, organizations and businesses are taking proactive steps to invest in their employees’ health and wellness. At the heart of this corporate wellness, movement is the idea that healthier employees are happier, more productive workers and members of the community. At Balanced Wellness, it is our mission to not only advance this movement but to take it a step further: we want to empower every individual to achieve and maintain their optimal well-being.

With over 30 years in the health and wellness industry, our certified staff is equipped and wholeheartedly committed to engaging individuals and providing comprehensive, cost-effective, and easy to understand health and wellness plans.

Just as an athlete prepares for playing a sport you too should prepare before work to help prevent aches and pains. These slow stretches help prevent injuries.