Our world can be full of stress with the fast pace most of us live our lives. Sometimes this can be just a little overwhelming. With more people suffering from stress related issues, anxiety and depression, we’ve come to realise, having some time out for our mind and soul is the key to creating an easier, happier flow in life. We’ve listed our top 5 ways in which you can take some time out and refresh.
1: @HeadSpace
The headspace app is exceptionally popular. With guided meditations for many different issues, there is something for everyone helping to centre ourselves and stop us from getting so caught up in our own thoughts. So many people around the world have joined the app and had their mental health improve vastly! The app is £9.99 if you pay the subscription on a monthly basis, however the better value option is to pay yearly which is £49.99. @headspace is driven by a huge amount of scientific methods; when asked ‘are there any studies that have looked at the impact of Headspace on health?” on their website www.headspace.com they responded “Yes! The Headspace science team is committed to studying the impact and efficacy of the app on various mental and physical health outcomes. Thus far, Headspace has been shown to reduce stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety among employed adults, and improve the quality of life for asthma and cancer patients, as well as caregivers. Currently underway are studies investigating the impact of Headspace on smoking cessation and outcomes in chronic disease populations. Here is some more information about the published pilot studies using Headspace:
- In a study with university students, 3 weeks of Headspace resulted in 23% more compassionate behavior.*
- In another study with students, 3 weeks of Headspace resulted in 57% less aggressive behavior.*
- In a study examining Headspace impact on mind-wandering and distraction, 4 weeks of Headspace resulted in 14% increase in focus.*
An app we must say, is extremely worth the investment, for a calmer, more focused and less stressed lifestyle.
2: @Rootd
For some, anxiety and stress has led to more severe problems such as experiencing panic attacks; and that can truly be a terrifying experience. Our researchers have found an app that has been developed to help guide those who are suffering an attack, out of their state and into a calmer place. This app is called @Rootd,https://www.instagram.com/rootd_app/?hl=en With guided breathing techniques and visualisation practises this app can be a very useful tool to keep in your pocket when everything just becomes a little too much! Rootd offers a free service with the options of unlocking other sections of the app for full and unlimited access. An Annual subscription to the full access version is £49.99 per year, £5.49 per month or a lifetime option of £139.99.
3: @GlassHouseRetreat
A more pricey ‘fix’ … but well worth it, is a stay at the @GlassHouseRetreat in Upminster. This one is our favourite! website states: “We’ve developed a specialist programme, tailored to give you the fullest, most self-beneficial Glass House experience possible, but it’s not enforced. Simply recommended. Your journey can be as intense or relaxed as you want it to be. There’s cutting edge fitness, detox, spa and weight loss technology- giving you results, but it’s not a bootcamp. Here you will find: Fitness classes of all levels, choices of different plant-based and raw food diets, personal training options and a mix of spa and wellness treatments.” This special little place is sometimes viewed as luxury, but we view it as something almost necessary to help ensure your mental and physical health.
4: @nationaltrust
Studies have shown that those who have the least access to nature also have the worst levels of physical health and mental wellbeing. Therefore we can see a correlation between walking in nature and our mental and physical health. Not rocket science really; free exercise, and also a bit of time out for the mind. The @nationaltrust website has a section where you can search walks close to your area and plan your day. They can be found here at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/walking
5: @catmeffan and her free yoga classes on youtube.
There are so many free yoga classes online and we have definitely found one of our favourites. We all know how yoga has been proven to greatly enhance both our mental and physical well being; studies show that yoga is better than exercise at improving a variety of mental health issues, stress, mood states, heart rate variability, pulmonary function and more. If you didn’t know this, you need to get with the times, my friend. Check out Cat Meffin’s yoga channel on Youtube, she has classes for all different levels, from beginners to advanced. So everyone can get involved. We love her energy, her tone, and most of all, her ability to understand the needs of her audience.
Hopefully this little list will provide help in giving your beautiful minds the bit of space it needs to be even more beautiful. Happy ‘brain break’.
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