International Mind-Body Wellness Day

International Mind-Body Wellness Day is the perfect time to make a renewed commitment to love your body and your mind by implementing new ideas for growth and health in the coming year!

History of International Mind-Body Wellness Day

The world of natural medicine has been around for thousands of years, with Hippocrates being credited as the father of this movement. His research and teachings were instrumental in launching the continued exploration of the way medicine is used in the world.

Modern day practices of mind-body wellness have been more recent. In the past several decades, many people have been focusing on and researching the connection between the mind and the body as they work together synergistically toward a healthy life. Whether it is a healthy and positive mind that promotes a healthy body, or the other way around, the connection between mind-body wellness has been reinforced by science in recent years.

International Mind-Body Wellness Day celebrates and raises awareness for the integral relationship between the mind and the body, encouraging people to honor and enjoy all of the aspects of wellness. Learn more about the mind-body connection and practice wellness on this day and every day.

How to Celebrate International Mind-Body Wellness Day

Take a look at some of these ways to celebrate International Mind-Body Wellness Day, not only on this one day but all throughout the year! Use the day to get started on some healthy new habits, like some of these:

Take a Yoga Class

Yoga offers all sorts of benefits that integrate the mind with the body. In addition to critical movement and stretching exercises, yoga also incorporates deep breathing exercises that can help with calmness and relaxation of the mind while reducing stress.

Consider some of these benefits of taking up yoga on a regular basis:

• Increased flexibility and muscle tone
• Improved energy, vitality and respiration
• Circulatory and cardio health
• Promoting a balanced metabolism

Practice Breathing Exercises

While everyone breathes all the time, intentional breathing practices can provide the body and mind with many benefits. Deep breathing exercises allow more air to flow into the body which helps to calm the nerves, reduce stress, lower pain levels and even increase the attention span. This type of breathing can even lower the blood pressure and help with management of the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Try some of these ideas for simple and easy breathing practices on International Mind-Body Wellness Day:

• Mindfulness Breathing. Choose a calming sound or positive word and repeat it silently while slowly inhaling and exhaling. If the mind drifts, simply bring it back to the chosen word or sound, returning the attention to the present.
• Belly Breathing. Placing one hand on the upper chest and one on the belly below the rib cage, allow the belly to relax and then breathe in slowly through the nose until the hand on the stomach begins to rise. Exhale slowly with pursed lips, noticing that the hand on the chest moves very little. Repeat for a few minutes several times a day.
• Box Breathing. Exhale for a count of four. Hold the lungs empty for a count of four. Inhale for a count of four. Hold for a count of four and then begin again.

Drink Lots of Water

Hydration is a critical part of keeping the body healthy which, in turn, keeps the mind working properly. Dehydration can cause a variety of physical health problems, including urinary and kidney problems, high heart rate with low blood pressure, muscle soreness and cramps, dry skin, physical exhaustion and fatigue.

In addition, dehydration can affect the brain by causing memory problems, issues with cognitive function, reduced focus and performance, as well as changes in mood and lack of cognitive or emotional energy.

It is recommended that the average adult makes an effort to drink around 64 ounces (8 cups) of water each day. Drinking water is truly one of the simplest things a person can do to give themselves a boost for International Mind-Body Wellness Day–and every day of the year!

Work with Sleep Hygiene

One of the simplest and most important factors that relates to mind-body wellness is also a very difficult thing to practice: good sleep. In fact, a large percentage of Americans report that they don’t get enough sleep at least one night per month, and more than 10% of people say they don’t get enough quality sleep every night. This is a serious problem when it comes to mind-body wellness.

Sleep not only allows the body to be less tired and have more energy for the day, it can also improve cognitive function, balance emotions, promote the immune system, increase concentration, improve the memory and even help with reducing weight gain.

International Mind-Body Wellness Day is a perfect time to evaluate and consider the ways that sleep could be improved which could have an impact on overall quality of life. Whether it’s committing to going to bed 30 minutes earlier each night, exercising regularly to promote better sleep, stopping screen time at least one hour before sleeping, or making sure your bed is comfortable and supportive.

Practice Meditation

Many people have found that taking some time each day to slow down their minds and focus can help with their overall quality of life. Not only that, but meditation may also be directly connected with physical healing of ailments and illness. Plus, meditation can act as a reset that actually changes the brain to make it work more effectively.

Even just five minutes of mindfulness and meditation in the morning can change the trajectory of the day. From a physical standpoint, meditation helps lower blood pressure, increase metabolism, improve the heart rate and slow the breathing. International Mind-Body Wellness Day is a great time to learn more about how to practice meditation and begin a new habit for the coming year!