By Casa de Suna
Published May 16
Here at Casa de Suna, we make it a point to prioritize our mental health.
We love entertaining (a lot), but we also balance it out with tried-and-true tips for staying calm when we’re not “on.” This month is Mental Health Awareness Month, and, while we’re always mindful, we’re especially focused on taking care of ourselves right now.
And while we love all sorts of fancy wellness tools (for more on those, read here), the reality is: there are tons of wellness hacks we use on a daily basis that are free. Read on for our favorites.
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Breathwork
It’s crazy to think about all of the ways in which we take breathing for granted. It’s quite literally what’s keeping us alive–and yet, because it’s so second-nature to us–we often forget about it. But just because our body does it subconsciously doesn’t mean we’re doing it right.
Yes, you read that correctly. There is a proper way to breathe, and if you find yourself feeling regularly anxious, shallow breathing may be the culprit.
To breathe properly:
Inhale deeply and ensure that your stomach expands upon inhalation
Exhale completely and feel your stomach contract
To conserve energy, do your best to keep your mouth shut, and breathe in and out of your nose.
Breathing for sleep and relaxation:
Outside of normal breathing, there are few better ways to wind down than our favorite tactic: the 4-7-8. 4-7-8 breathing is as simple as it sounds.
Here goes:
Breathe in for 4 seconds
Hold for 7 seconds
Breathe out for 8 seconds
Repeat until you fall asleep (trust us; it won’t take long!)
Cold immersion
Cold showers
Despite what Instagram has you thinking, you don’t need a trendy cold plunge in order to reap the energizing and stress-reducing (a power combo if there ever was one) benefits that cold water therapy offers.
All you need to do is…take a cold shower. Yes, they can feel brutal, but they give you the blood circulation boost, rapid muscle recovery, and much more than a cold plunge offer–plus, they leave your hair even shinier than before. Simply turn your dial as cold as you can stand it and immerse yourself for at least 30-60 seconds at the end of a regular shower.
Ice baths
If you’re an athlete or have ever competed in a race, you’ve probably been taking ice baths for years. But did you know that a facial ice bath is a psychology-approved tactic for stress reduction and panic attacks?
Simply fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water and ice and dunk your head in for as long as you can stand it. Typically, this will lower your heart rate and get you to a more relaxed state, fast–not to mention the facial tightening benefits an ice bath offers. Win-win!
Meditation
We know sitting in silence isn’t the most exciting manifestation of today’s wellness culture; but it’s an ancient practice for a reason. Meditation is one of those things that you can’t really tell is working–until you do it for a while, stop, and notice how much more reactive you are. It doesn’t need to be difficult, either.
Here’s how to get started:
Carve out 5-10 screen-free minutes per day
Find a comfortable corner of your home or somewhere you won’t be interrupted
Close your eyes or lower and soften your gaze
Breathe in (say to yourself “now I’m breathing in”)
Breathe out (say to yourself “now I’m breathing out”)
Repeat 5-10 minutes (since you won’t have your phone, try to find a watch to monitor time)
Try it for 10 days and notice how much better you feel!
Journaling
Okay, this one’s not completely free–you’ll need a journal. And if you want tips on getting started from two of the most prolific journalers we know–those are just one click away.
That’s all for our free wellness hacks. If you liked them or use them, tag us on social media using @casa.de.suna!
As always, it’s worth noting that we are not doctors and this does not constitute medical advice–but we still think it can help just about anyone (especially when combined with whatever else you’ve already been advised to do).
