How to Build a Healthy Foundation for Spring
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What are the foundational things you do to care for yourself? These are things that offer support, consistency and a solid foundation for the rest of your life.
Sleep and Rest
Sleep is so necessary and so many people don’t get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is one of the first things I’m curious about for anyone who’s having pain, fatigue or feeling especially overwhelmed. If you’re a night owl, you may consider going to bed a bit earlier as we get our more restorative sleep earlier in the evening. Spending less time on screens in the evening or following a relaxing evening routine can also be helpful with sleep quality. Try a warm bath or stretching as part of your evening routine. Short rest breaks during the day can also be really helpful, especially if you have chronic health challenges or feel like your nervous system needs a midday reset. We aren’t designed to constantly be on the go. Taking time to rest can help your energy and your capacity to do all the things you want and need to do. I think it’s really nice to let our bodies find a horizontal position for midday rest, but getting outside also can be a nice way to rest, especially if you’re on screens a lot.
Movement
Movement is another foundation that is so important to have in place for good health. As the seasons change, you might find that what you want to do for your exercise changes. It’s a beautiful time to walk outside, and it makes sense to shift these habits with the seasons. You might also notice you have a burst of extra energy and want to push yourself a bit more. This is a great time of year to focus on goals and use that energy to build some new habits around your exercise routine.
Nutrition
Of course, good nutrition plays a large role in helping us feel our best. General eating tips that I think are useful for almost everyone:
Eat a rainbow of vegetables.
Eat plenty of healthy fats and proteins.
Limit processed sugar.
Pay close attention to how your body feels eating gluten and dairy, as many people feel best limiting or avoiding these foods.
Eat when you’re hungry.
What we eat can be influenced by the time of year. If you were craving warm and heavier foods in the winter, you might notice the shift now to wanting more vegetables and lighter foods as we move into spring. Spring is also a nice time to add in bitter greens, such as arugula, radicchio and endive. Bitter greens support liver health, which is especially helpful in the springtime. Noticing how your nutrition cravings change with the seasons can be a way to focus more on what your body needs right now.
On the liquids side of nutrition, be sure to drink enough water! Many people aren’t drinking enough. If you are feeling tired and sluggish during the day, see if drinking more water helps you have more energy.
Mind Your Internal State
Our nervous system states shift all the time. Tuning in to notice this allows us to be in tune with what’s happening and what sort of support we might need in the moment. This simple check in can be as simple as noticing areas in the body that feel soft and expansive. Or noticing tightness or tension. Notice your feet on the ground, or notice your breath in and breath out. You can notice things from a felt sense and also from an emotional perspective: I’m feeling happy today or I’m feeling sad. Sometimes just noticing and naming this can help our bodies feel supported.
All of these areas give a strong foundation for health. They are the things you can circle back to again and again when you need a little more support and self care.