August is National Wellness Month


August is National Wellness Month. This is the first of five weekly blogs to promote wellness toward mental health. We are all mind, body, and spirit and when we proactively care for any and all of these areas, the others are positively impacted. So, in the spirit of caring for your whole self, enjoy these helpful tips to promote wellness and health.


SLEEP – Do you get enough?

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommends the following:


Age Group


Recommended Hours of Sleep1,2


4-12 months

12-16 hours per 24 hours (including naps)


1-2 years

11-14 hours per 24 hours (including naps)


3-5 years

10-13 hours per 24 hours (including naps)

School Age

6-12 years

9-12 hours per 24 hours


13-18 years

8-10 hours per 24 hours


18-60 years

7 or more hours per night


“If you can actually…build your sleep routine, that actually will support all kinds of resilience, mental resilience, physical resilience, immune resilience… So you can actually perform at your highest level.”

- Dr. Jeffrey Durmer, Chief Medical Officer of Nox Health, neuroscientist, and sleep performance director for the U.S. Olympic team.

1. Simplify your routine: Create a bedtime for yourself that offers you at least 8 hours to sleep and set an alarm to remind you. Slow down 30-45 minutes before sleep by practicing a simple calming behavior such as meditation, reading, stretching or anything that helps you "settle.”

2. Use your own biology to your advantage: A cool core improves sleep. Lower your body temperature before sleep by taking a warm shower or bath, then rapidly cooling your body in the air. Activate your parasympathetic nervous system to fall asleep faster using meditative "belly" breathing exercises before sleep.

3. Eliminate before you add: Reduce the amount of technology, devices and non-sleep-related objects in your sleep space. View your sleep space as a sleep sanctuary where nothing's allowed in that's not for sleep. The same thing goes for sleep aids or supplements. Don't add anything until you've eliminated light, noise, heat, bed discomfort or objects that stimulate wakefulness.

4. Include sleep as part of your training: Sleep is the basis for your performance the next day, whether you're a weightlifter, student or CEO. Think about your sleep as the beginning of tomorrow, rather than the end of today. [highlight added by CR – I love this!]

5. Be mindful of your own sleep habits and patterns: Sleep is not a monolith. The duration and timing of your sleep are inter-dependent variables that you can control. Sleep quality may not be in your control all the time. If giving yourself enough time to sleep with a regular routine does not help you feel rested, you should seek some professional advice from a sleep physician.

Full article originally published HERE: 

 Other Good Resources to review and explore:

CDC website on Sleep

National Sleep Foundation 

Q: Can what you eat and drink affect your mental health




Did you know excess caffeine can trigger panic attacks for people who experience anxiety?



Did you know that eating a regular intake of high-fat dairy, and fried, refined and sugary foods can significantly increase your risk of depression?

Animated GIF


Tips For The Grocery Store 



Mind Wellness Support from Nutrients

Animated GIF

Folate (Folic Acid, Vitamin B9) 


Vitamin D 

Rates of depression are higher in people with Vitamin D deficiency compared to people who have adequate levels of vitamin DLack of Vitamin D is thought to play a role in Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is depression that commonly starts in the fall, lasts through winter and subsides in the sunnier spring and summer months. 



Omega-3 Fatty Acids 



**Modified from full article at Mental Health America 

Additional resource:
Nutritional Psychiatry: Your Brain on Food - Harvard Health/Harvard Medical School

What Happens to the Body During Exercise?


  • Exercise pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity may help bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. [CR- Endorphins are analgesics that also help reduce pain signals.] Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, any aerobic activity, such as a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike, can contribute to this same feeling. 

Full article: Exercise and Stress: Get Moving to Manage Stress (Mayo Clinic)


 Increase Your Social Wellness!

Humans are known to be social creatures, and one reason for this is because it is beneficial for survival. For example, together we can fight off an intruder (whether man or beast), OR while one member of the group hunts for food, another protects the children. However, pragmatics are not the only reason social wellbeing is important.  

Social isolation. loneliness, and lack of positive social interactions can negatively impact our physical, emotional, and mental health regardless of whether or not a threat or intruder is present. Research shows that loneliness and isolation negatively impact our quality and quantity of life.

Instinctually, the stress (fight or flight) response is activated when we spend too much time alone. The isolated person may tend to be more diligent to keep watch and be safe, which triggers an increase in stress hormones like cortisol. Even people who value spending time alone benefit from positive connections with others (even if they may prefer shorter durations of time or smaller groups).   


Friendship, laughter, good conversation, and other meaningful and positive supportive connections with people (and pets) increases happiness chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins. 



  1. Set aside time every week to spend with an important relationship in your life.
  2. Validate and support another's feelings, hopes and dreams.
  3. Accept others for who they are. Be supportive by focusing on the positives in a relationship or situation.
  4. When necessary, take responsibility for your part in any breakdown in a relationship.
  5. Show appreciation in verbal and nonverbal ways.
  6. Avoid jumping to conclusions. Instead be open and curious about the other’s perspective. Try to get a full understanding of the whole picture.
  7. Treat your relationships with healthy boundaries (mutual give and take).
  8. Have a healthy sense of competition. Be happy with the successes of others.

(Adapted from 

How do I meet people? Practical tips:

  • If you are a dog owner, walk your pet every day in a public place where there are other people out and about.
  • Join a gym or an exercise group. Exercising with others provides a good icebreaker for conversation.
  • Volunteering is a great way to meet others who share your same passions.
  • Find an interest group that meets regularly and works on their hobbies.
  • Go back to school or take a class.
  • Attend a house of worship. Connecting with God through prayer, worship, and other spiritual relationships nourish us too.