7 Healthy Ways to Do with Your Spare Time
What do you do when you have spare time? If you’re like most people, you probably spend this moment texting, surfing the web or browsing your newsfeed. Whilst they provide a temporary boost in mood, these activities can bounce back. Too much use of the technology has been widely linked to a host of physical and mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
Would it be better if you can spare your free time doing activities that clear your mental clutter, free you from stress, and recharge your batteries? To start your week right, try practising these simple activities and see how they can greatly improve your health and well-being. Note: They only take an hour or less of your precious time so they really are worth trying!
Bond with your animal friends.
Turn off your computer monitor and make quality time with your pets. Hug your cat, teach your dog a few tricks, feed your parrot, or watch your goldfish dance in the water. Animals have a very special way of connecting with us. Even if they don’t speak our language, our pets’ gestures tell us that for them, we are the most special thing for them.
Pump up your muscles.
A 30-minute aerobic exercise can do so much wonder in your physical and mental health. Exercising doesn’t have to be in a way that gym goers do. You can dance, garden, clean your room or office station, bike, swim, and do other stuff – as long as they involve all your major muscle groups. Whenever you break a sweat through exercise, your brain releases chemicals that improve your mood, reduce your stress levels, replenish your energy, and strengthen your immune system.
Read a good book.
Find yourself in a different place, in a different dimension, or in a different universe without leaving your desk by reading a good book. It can be a novel or a fiction story, a documentary, a history book, or a magazine. Let your mind take you to places you’ve never been.
Sip coffee or tea.
Feeling sluggish? Treat yourself a cup of coffee or tea. These beverages contain caffeine that has stimulating and invigorating effects. Plus, they have antioxidants too (especially tea) that are good for your physical and mental health.
Go somewhere peaceful and quiet.
Find a place where you can fully enjoy the moment alone. It can be in your garden, at the park, or in your room. Spare at least 30 minutes being mindful. Conduct a body check, focusing on areas where you feel pain or tension. And through deep breathing exercises, slowly let go of the tension.
Bond with a close friend or family member.
Invite a friend for a coffee, have lunch with your spouse, or fetch your kids from school. Positive social interactions can greatly improve your mood and give you lasting joy. No matter how busy you are, make sure to find time to reconnect with your loved ones.
Bask in the sun.
Don’t spend too much time indoors. There’s more fun out there – under the sun! If you have more time, go to the beach. Enough amount of sunshine is good for your health and your brain too. Researchers are now discovering that vitamin D may play a role in depression and mental health, although it isn’t yet shown clearly whether low vitamin D levels cause depression, or whether low vitamin D levels develop because someone is depressed. Whilst this research field is very much premature to provide substantial conclusions, one thing is true – basking in the sun does help improve your mood.
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