Exercise and sleep affect our well being. Exercise helps our body release feel-good endorphins that affect our moods. Our bodies need sleep to rejuvenate and invigorate our daily lives. No one is happy when they are sleep deprived. Track these practices this week and email us at thescienceofhapiness@gmail.com and share how these practices benefitted you or how they made you feel.
4 EXERCISE:
Research suggests that ~30 minutes a day of exercise can boost your mood in addition to making your body healthier. For the next week, you will spend each day getting your body moving with at least 30 minutes of exercise. Set aside a location and time (write it in your calendar!). Then hit the treadmill at the gym, do an online yoga class, or throw on some headphones and dance around your room to cheesy pop songs. This isn’t supposed to be a marathon-level of activity; it’s just to get your body moving a bit more than usual (Note: if you have physical limitations that prevent you from doing this week's activity, do plan to skip it for obvious reasons). Be sure to take a moment to notice how much better you feel after getting some exercise in.
SLEEP:
One of the reasons we’re so unhappy in our modern lives is that we’re constantly sleep deprived. Research shows that sleep can improve your mood more than we often expect. For the next week, aim to get at least seven hours of sleep for at least four nights of the next week. I know, I know. You’re super busy this week. There are deadlines to meet, friends to see, errands to run, etc. But sleep is going to make you feel better— both physically and mentally. So pick four nights this week, note them in your calendar, and get ready to get some much needed sleep. Also be sure to practice good sleep hygiene too— no devices before bed and try to avoid caffeine and alcohol on the days you’re getting your sleep on. Make sure you get four nights of 7+ hours over the course of the week.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS: Track your progress below. Each line represents a day of the week and you can label the date using the lines provided. Make a mark under the lines on days you completed the rewirement – shade in a circle, write a check mark, draw a smiley face, initial, or whatever you want. Get creative! Ultimately, you will know what types of visual cues are best for you. How well did you do using your positive emotions and signature strengths?
______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______
Click here to access the Google Doc version of this worksheet.
Comentários