What a summer! Not over quite yet but we are approaching reality quite quickly.
1. Get back into a healthy sleep routine!
Summertime is full of busy hot days, long drives, camp, late-night movie watching with friends and hopefully some s’mores making 🙂 The hardest part about the back to school and work routine is making sure everyone gets enough SLEEP, including you!! Don’t underestimate the disadvantage kids face in school from a lack of sleep and don’t fool yourself into thinking it can’t effect you too.
Read up on why sleep matters here: http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters
Start a few days before the school/back to work routine begins and get everyone’s sleep routine back on track. Ideally, adults: Your head hits the pillow no later than 10:00pm! That’s right! Lights out. Limit having screen time an hour before and absolutely NO cell phones/laptops in the bedroom! Get an old fashioned alarm clock ;).
Here’s a handy guide on sleep requirements for varying ages: https://sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times/page/0/1
Check in with our Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Saadia Mahmood to learn about the importance of sleep for healing the body and recharging those adrenals!
2. Plan ahead for meals.
It’s WAY too easy to hit the drive-through on route, and sometimes it’s unavoidable! We get it! But try to plan ahead and have some easy “go to’s” to feed the fam! Stock your fridge and pantry. Make that Costco run and set aside a time to prep for the week ahead.(Have you tried online grocery shopping? What a time saver!) Pre-chopped veggies, hard boiled eggs, pre made tuna salad wraps, whatever your favourites are, have them ready to go. Fall is upon us and that means SOUP! Get out that slow cooker and make life easy. Stay tuned for some awesome Fall recipes from our Thrive Tribe!
When those late, hockey practice and gymnastics filled nights happen or late work meetings roll around you can grab healthy things to go and make your lunches the day before with maximum efficiency because it’s all pre prepped. Let’s face it, you also need to take some time to unwind (hello: Netflix) before your head hits the pillow at 10:00pm 😉 and this could help.
Looking for some nutritional advice? Connect with our Holistic Nutritionist Brittany Lynn McCann to discuss your goals and how to make it easy to eat well even with a busy schedule!
3. Map out your schedule.
Look at your week/month in advance and try to eliminate as many surprise additions to your schedule as possible. It makes things flow smoothly when everyone knows what the calendar looks like and when their appointments for self care are booked for;) Yes, schedule in time for self care for the whole family!
What are the daily responsibilities of the kids? Getting lunches into backpacks? When will they do it? What happens when they get in the door at night? Empty those backpacks! Get your family on the same page before the first day of school. Adults, have a game plan for getting yourself out the door on time. No one needs to spill coffee on their brand new shirt because they can’t find the car keys! Plan your time. Be flexible enough to add/remove from the schedule as necessary, but firm enough to stick with the basics to keep some structure and consistency which helps feel predictable and comfortable and helps to foster independence in small children.
Self care is important and should be scheduled in, not just for adults but for children too! What that looks like can be different for everyone. Massage Therapy? Yoga? Osteopathy? That’s up to you (we can help you fit it in your schedule at thrivemassagewellness.com where you can book online) but when/if you are feeling overwhelmed by it all or aren’t sleeping or adjusting to the hectic pace of life, don’t hesitate to reach out and talk it all through with a professional. Carly Crawford, Registered Psychotherapist has the right tools to help you navigate through the stress, anxiety or even depression.
4. Treat your body right. Choose the right gear!
Kids and adults alike are doing a LOT of moving, to school, to work, to extracurricular activities. The gear on our feet is pretty darn important. Mobility in our feet affects the entire body! How our feet function can determine our posture and can effect all joints from knees and hips to back and up! The many nerve endings in the feet also play a role in our internal body function. If the nerves are not sending the right messages to your brain, your body will start to compensate in unfavourable ways. Checking your gait (how you walk) and ensuring you’re well aligned is the first step, then choosing the right footwear for how you function is the next. That includes getting properly sized for shoes, skates, boots etc!
How we carry around all of our stuff is going to affect our bodies! We need to make sure we using the right tools for the job. Pick the right backpack for the kids, and for the commuting adult! Just think about all of the stuff we pile in our bags everyday, books, laptops, lunches, water bottles. It’s important we are choosing the right gear to help our bodies do their jobs properly, without pain or malalignment.
Check out this quick backpack guide to help choose the right one: https://www.verywellfamily.com/choosing-the-right-school-backpack-4064666.
Got hockey? Get the hockey bag on wheels! Why make things more difficult or straining on the body than they need to be?
Want to check that gait? See how your posture lines up? Perhaps you’re already feeing the postural strain on your body from desk work, or sports, or commuting. See one of our experts who can help you get your body back on the track to wellness! Dr. Clive Clutton (Chiropractor) or Barbara Lukac (Osteopathic Practitioner) can both meet your needs!
We look forward to helping you transition back into the swing of things by providing you with the practitioners and services you need to Thrive!
Thrive On!