4 Tips for Staying Healthy/Happy/Sane When Life is Crazy
Life gets, well, pretty friggin’ crazy sometimes. Throw in the uncertainty and anxiety of a global pandemic, and things are really put to the test. Let's be real—it’s tough to keep that energy going when life is moving so quickly. You want to be that super productive, high-energy, glowing, calm, collected, healthy person, but when you're juggling a zillion things (in a mask?!), it's not easy. In the interest of a little self preservation, I’m sharing four tips for staying healthy/happy/sane when life gets crazy.
True story—I have two kids under age four and a husband who’s been on crutches for the past six weeks and rendered pretty much helpless because of it. I work full time and just took this whole little family of mine on multiple flights across the world for a six-week trip to Poland… without taking a day off work. As a side note, I am also the preferred parent of the hour, meaning I’m the *only* one who can rock these jetlagged babies to sleep at 3 am. It’s safe to say this list is my bible right now, and I’m confident you’ll find it as lifesaving as I do.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Water is your friend. Seriously. If you aren’t already toting around a water bottle so you can sip all the live long day, it is officially time to start. And don’t just fill it up once. You should be downing the ounce equivalent to your weight in kilograms (or divide by 2.2 if you only know your weight in pounds) every single day. So if you’re 150 pounds, that’s 68 kilograms, and you should be drinking 68 ounces of water daily (about 8 to 9 glasses).
Start sipping in the morning and keep it up all day! For me, once my kids are up and at ‘em, I know I’m going to forget water, so I fill up two to three bottles every night before bed, and have our electric kettle ready to make some warm lemon water for me to enjoy before the rest of the house gets up. It’s not a perfect routine because, well, kids are unpredictable, but if it happens 4/7 days of the week, that’s a win. And yes, you may need to hit the bathroom more frequently, but it’s a small inconvenience, I promise.
Vitamin Up
In our go-go-go lifestyles, when we’re running on high, it’s not always easy to be sure you’re getting enough of all our vitamins. Try a gummy or even an Emergency-C packet, or, for a far more enjoyable option, whizz up a Bumpin Blends smoothie. They’re fast and convenient, but more importantly, they’re made exclusively with whole, real vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, protein, and spices. Our ingredients are organic, with zero added sugars, artificial ingredients, preservatives, or other junk. A smoothie a day is a great way to get a big boost of all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to thrive.
Quick note—when it comes to energy metabolism, sometimes vitamins can be the “limiting reagent” to a reaction in your body, meaning that the body cannot complete the reaction it needs to only because it doesn't have enough of that one vitamin. An example of this are your B complex vitamins and energy metabolism. If there aren’t enough B vitamins in your diet, your body cannot burn energy as well.
Move Daily
No, you don’t have to hit the gym or spin class every single day, but you should make a point of being active in some way, daily. All those steps add up—take the stairs, try a standing desk, walk the halls, bike or walk to work if that’s an option, or spend some of your lunch break on the move. If you’re on a phone call or brainstorming, get moving. Take an after-dinner stroll with the family. Just make it happen!
Prioritize Sleep
When we’re busy, sleep is the first thing to go. We’re up late burning the midnight oil to hit a deadline, or up with the sun to tackle the day’s to-dos. It’s a sign of productivity in our success-at-all-costs society, but it’s a problem, and eventually, you’re going to crash and burn. Sleep is key for healthy living. It’s what keeps you running on high energy all the time without feeling worn down. There's really no “making up” missed sleep, so don’t kid yourself into believing you’ll make up all those lost hours on the weekend. Get seven to nine hours nightly, no matter how early you have to get up! With two kids and a full work schedule, I sometimes go to bed right after them in order to make this happen and have enough sleeping hours to be able to wake up before them and enjoy a peaceful home in the morning (with my warm lemon water!).
Bonus Tips!
Take care of your gut microbiome. I reach for Greek or Icelandic yogurt (full fat, low sugar! Siggi’s is my personal favorite.) for a boost of probiotics, which help improve the health of our gut bacteria in your gut, promoting positive, healthy bacterial growth. The bacteria in your gut play a huge role in the way your body functions, including your weight, disease risk, immunity, and food cravings, and current research is working hard to determine how this works. Other foods I love to support gut health: kombucha, kimchi, pickles, artichokes, and vegetables.
Finally, make time every day to play something happy, particularly in the morning. Music stimulates dopamine, which enhances your mood and makes you feel all gooooood and ready to start the day (or helps you through the mid-afternoon slump). I can guarantee that happy music will 100% get your day off on the right foot. My go-tos in the morning are The Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. Classic!