My Favourite Wellness Habits
I promised you wellness without the overwhelm so here are my favourite wellness habits, none of which require a 5am wake up or getting into an ice bath - unless of course you like that, then go right head!
1) Lymphatic drainage (at home) - Legs up the wall/Gua Sha/Dry brushing/The Skinny Confidential Pink Balls Facial Massager - all amazing tools for lymphatic drainage at home. I love the Skinny Confidential Pink Balls every morning to sculpt the face after ice rolling, always rolling out/up along the bone. Dry brushing is one of the easiest and quickest habits too - I try to do this before every shower and it literally takes three minutes. Always brush up towards the heart, apart from the stomach which you either brush down or clockwise. Legs on the wall after a long day on your feet or if your legs are at all achey is an absolute game changer. I put a timer on for 20 minutes while I’m watching a programme or reading a book before bed and you can almost feel the toxins flowing out of your system.
2) Ice Rolling - it’s very unlikely that you will ever catch me in an ice bath but an ice roller I can absolutely get behind. I’ve had the cheap and cheerful version from Amazon and The Skinny Confidential Ice Roller which is more expensive but definitely worth it for the time it stays cold. Benefits include reducing puffiness and inflammation, brightening and tightening the skin by encouraging circulation and waking up tired eyes.
3) LED Mask - I have the Dr Dennis Gross DRX Spectralite Eye Care Max Pro. Again, it’s a little pricey but it’s meant to be incredible for fine lines, wrinkles and reducing inflammation. I use the mask for the three minutes it stays on for and then move it around my face to hit all the areas. You can get full-face versions but they’re definitely not cheap.
4) PILATES - this one may be a bit obvious. Pilates is my therapy, my happy place, my go-to for everything. I feel so privileged and lucky to have found a type of movement that truly lights me up, energises my body while calming my nervous system and creates long-lasting results without breaking the body down. I’m even more grateful to be able to share that with you.
5) Walking - amazing for anxiety as walking has been proven to interrupt rumination. I like to walk without music or podcasts for this exact reason - it feels like all my obsessive/intrusive thoughts and worries just slip right through my head. It’s also an easy way to get your movement in, expose your skin to Vitamin D (on the rare occasion it’s sunny in England and always with SPF) and enjoy the fresh air. I prefer walking in the forest to the streets as the air seems fresher but honestly, any walk is a good walk. My best hack here is to walk with ankle weights on - I get mine from AMP Wellbeing.