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THE POSITIVITY ISSUE
THE POWER OF POSITIVITY
IT ’ S NOT JUST ABOUT SAYING YES . POSITIVITY IS A STATE OF MIND , AND IT CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR GENERAL HEALTH .
Y ou don ’ t have to start trotting out phrases such as ' unprecedented times ' and ' all in this together ' to get a picture of the general state of mind out there at the moment . And that ’ s why positivity is more important than ever . You don ’ t just have to decide to be positive , though – there are many things we do every day that can make a big difference to how good we feel and how well we perform . Here are six practical ways to lift your own spirits , that will have a knock-on effect on the people who live with you , work with you and depend on you .
1 SLEEP
“ Sleep is your superpower .” This catchcry was coined by UK scientist Matt Walker ( check out his TED Talk for more ) – and it ’ s deadset true . We all know how lack of sleep can wreak havoc on our attention to detail , our memory , our reaction time and our mood . But getting a good night ’ s sleep is not only important for the next day – it also has a massive impact on long-term health .
Lack of sleep affects the immune system , which is what produces natural killer cells that identify and eliminate dangerous things in our bodies . An ongoing lack of sleep is therefore associated with an increased risk of some serious medical conditions , including obesity , heart disease , high blood pressure , diabetes and Alzheimer ’ s . Basically , it shortens your life expectancy .
So perhaps it ’ s not surprising that ‘ How to get a good night ’ s sleep ’ is a Google favourite . Beyond the usual ( good ) advice of avoiding caffeine and alcohol , Matt has two key tips . “ Regularity is king ,” says Matt . “ Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time , no matter whether it ’ s a weekday or the weekend .”
And keep it cool . “ Your body needs to drop its core temperature by about 2 º C to initiate sleep , and to stay asleep ,” explains Matt . “ That ’ s why it ’ s easier to fall asleep in a room that ’ s too cold as opposed to one that ’ s too warm .”
Here ’ s one way to trick your body into feeling sleepy . Keep your bedroom cool , then take a warm bath or shower right before bed . The contrast between the warm bath and the cool bedroom will force your body temperature to drop , and help you drift off to the Land of Nod . Sweet dreams !
2 EXERCISE
“ You ’ ve got this !”
“ Looking strong !” While someone shouting motivating phrases at you at the gym can seem a tad cheesy , exercise of any sort is a huge leap towards positivity , and is proven to help us lead healthier , happier lives . A strong body is not just about looking good and lifting heavy stuff – it ’ s also a massive boost for positive mental wellbeing .
Feeling a bit meh ? Research has also shown that after 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise , your body releases mood-enhancing
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