Healthy habits I’m dependent on

Hi guys, welcome or welcome back! Today, we're going to talk about five healthy things that I'm absolutely addicted to.

So, I'm going to rank these in terms of how addicted I am to them, from least addictive to most addictive. Now, before we get into them, although these are things that are good for your mental health and your physical health overall, there are some people with certain conditions that shouldn't do some of these. For instance, I believe people with low blood pressure shouldn't take cold showers. So, just make sure to check in with your physician before you do these if you suspect you might have something that prevents you from being able to reap the benefits.

Number Five: Cold Showers

I have been addicted to cold showers recently, which is kind of surprising because I love hot showers. But I learned that cold showers stimulate the vagus nerve, which is responsible for activating the parasympathetic nervous system, all about rest and digest. It also combats the sympathetic nervous system, which is all about fight or flight. As you can imagine, when you are in fight or flight for extended periods of time, it's not very healthy. If you struggle with anxiety, stress, or any other mental health concerns that put you in a chronic fight or flight state, cold showers can be a great way to get out of that a little bit.

Especially in the warmer seasons, I find this to be so refreshing. It kind of feels like I'm swimming in a little cove in a rainforest somewhere. I'm definitely addicted to it at this point. The last time I took a really hot bath, it just didn't quite do it for me. I kept thinking about the high I feel with a cold shower and how shocked my body feels, but in a really healthy way.

A couple of tips if this seems unappealing to you: remember to breathe through it. I remember the first few times I did it, my body was in a state of shock and I wasn't really breathing. Another tip is if you really struggle with this, try to incrementally move the knob a little colder throughout the shower or just do it for the last 30 seconds. See if you can take a few deep breaths—just three really long, deep breaths. Your body adjusts to it. If you start out with lukewarm water, you'll notice that by the time the shower is over, it will feel a lot warmer to you, just like when you first get into a pool it feels a lot colder than after you've been swimming for a while.

Number Four: Joyfully Moving My Body

The fourth thing that I'm addicted to that's really healthy is moving my body every day. This is a blessing—not everyone has the ability to do this because of various disabilities or health issues. It is a privilege to be able to move your body in certain ways, so keep that in mind. If you can move your body to whatever extent is possible for you, remember that there are people who do not have that ability, so why not make use of it? Do things you enjoy, whether it's stretching for a few minutes every hour at work, going on a really nice walk, or doing workouts that you genuinely enjoy.

I try to do at least five workouts a week and move my body every single day if I can. It's great for your physical cardiovascular health and also really good for your mental health. It tends to improve mood overall and reduce your baseline cortisol levels.

Also, I want to make one thing clear: there is such a thing as an exercise addiction, and that is absolutely not what I'm advocating for here. I use the phrase "I'm addicted to these things" in the colloquial sense, not the clinical sense. In this context, these are things I look forward to every day and feel like my day isn't quite complete without them. Obviously, that's very different from the kind of distress people feel when they have a genuine clinical addiction. All of the things in this video can be taken to an extreme where they become unhealthy. In the case of exercise addiction, that's very different from the kind of body movement I'm talking about here, which is joyful, invigorating, and an act of self-love—not punitive or fear-driven movement like exercise addiction.

Number Three: Massages

The third thing that I'm addicted to is massages. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not in a financial state where I can get daily professional massages—I wish that were the case. I did recently get a free massage, and that was so appreciated. But I'm not talking about regular professional massages here. I'm talking about having somebody—ideally a loved one who you feel safe with—give you some head rubs before going to bed, or even just grazing their fingers across your arms. I find that to be really wonderful and it helps me fall asleep. Getting these sorts of massages is what basically cured my insomnia. When I don't have that person who gives me massages, I do find it much more difficult to fall asleep.

Physical touch from a safe loved one is the simplest way to calm your nervous system. It is the most natural thing to do when you're feeling scared, overwhelmed, or sad. It can boost oxytocin, which is the love hormone that women release when they have a baby, and just helps you feel embodied. It increases your interoceptive sense, which is your sense of what you feel inside your body. You can also purchase stones that you can heat up in water and then put them on your back to give yourself a hot stone massage. You can purchase massage oil and take turns doing this with a friend, family member, or partner—whoever you feel safe with. Just be careful with those hot stones because I did burn my best friend with them last year, and since then she refuses to get those massages. Don't make them too hot.

Number Two: Journaling

The second thing that I am addicted to is journaling. If you have talked to me before, you may know this isn't a surprise. I've been addicted to journaling for quite some time. I'm huge on writing and having a space to decompress, plan for difficult interactions, debrief difficult interactions, interpret dreams, and do gratitude journaling. I do a page of gratitude journaling every single morning. That's my routine: first thing when I wake up in the morning, I get my tea, sit in front of the sun, and write a page of gratitude. I really push myself to finish it, even if I'm running out of ideas early on. It's easy to get bogged down into cynicism and pessimism, and of course, there are negative things about life. But focusing on the positive things, on the blessings you do have, can be such a wonderful way to shift gears and start your day with a great attitude.

Number One: Hiking

The number one thing that I'm addicted to is hiking. Hiking is incredible for you mentally and physically. I love being in the mountains more than anything. It is where I belong. I've felt that way ever since I was a little girl. Studies from Japan have shown that forest bathing or forest therapy is extremely helpful to people. Just being among trees, meditating, or even just walking in them can be beneficial for your immune system and your mental health. Trees release certain chemicals called phytoncides that have medicinal properties. They boost your immune system. Plants release fresh oxygen and take up carbon dioxide, which is very helpful because we need exactly the opposite—we need to release carbon dioxide and intake oxygen.

Something about doing physical exercise surrounded by trees is incredible. I can physically feel how fresh the air is, inhaling it and feeling how pure the oxygen is that's filling my lungs. Being somewhere with green spaces and visible water has also been shown to boost mood levels. Plus, the act of climbing up to a goal in a hike—an overlook, something beautiful, a reward at the end of all your hard work over a few hours—can build self-efficacy. It makes you feel like, "I wanted to achieve this thing, and then I went and did it, and I got something that felt really good." When you get your heart rate up while walking uphill, it can honestly be very addictive because it feels almost like a natural rush, a natural high. Plus, you get a reward at the end of it, but without any of the negative things that an actual high would give you—like withdrawal or physical drawbacks. Hiking is absolutely something I try to do at least once a week. If I don't have plans to go hiking on the weekend, I feel like I need it. One hike per week for two or three hours at least sets me up to be in a great mental space.

So, those are the five things that I find to be extremely addictive. Let's rate them again in terms of importance to summarize: hiking, journaling, massages, moving my body every day, and cold showers. Again, try to speak to your physician before you try some of these out. Let me know if these are something that you benefit from too. See you later!