Taking a break is necessary so that you don’t actually break down. It’s the same with exercise. Getting enough rest after exercise is essential to recovery as well as performance.  Fitness expert JJ Virgin gives us the reasons why rest and recovery is important to one’s health.

Signs You Need to Rest 
Pushing yourself to your limit can be great, but pushing yourself too far can backfire. How do you know the difference? Your body offers clues. Feeling tired is one of the most straightforward signals you need to rest. Think of constant fatigue as a warning light on a car dashboard indicating low fuel.  

Soreness is another sign. After a challenging workout, feeling a little sore is normal. However, if that feeling lingers for an extended period, it's a sign that your muscles need more time to recover. Soreness is a message from your muscles telling you they need rest to repair and strengthen.  

Feeling irritable or easily agitated are also signs of mental exhaustion and overtraining....

Our bodies need food, movement and rest. Rest, however, is not just about sleep. According to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are seven different types of rest your body needs to keep your energy levels and mental capacity high. They are:  

• Physical rest 
• Mental rest
• Social rest
• Spiritual rest
• Sensory rest
• Emotional rest
• Creative rest

How do we know if we need more rest? Health expert JJ Virgin gives us the symptoms and breaks down the different types of rest we need.

Before we dive deeper into the different types of rest, let’s look at some of the symptoms you might be feeling if you’re missing out on any of the seven:   

• Feeling tired, groggy, unfocused, or cranky throughout your day, even when getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night 
• Stress from feeling like your life is non-stop action and hustle from the moment you wake up till the second your head touches the pillow at night 
• Achy joints or random pain without knowing where it came from
• Difficulty...

We’ve gleaned some great tips from Dr. Aviva Romm, a Yale trained MD, specializing in all areas of women’s health (and not to worry to all the men reading this, her practical tips will apply to you as well!)

We all know it’s essential to bring some form of relaxation into our daily lives in order to achieve the well-being we all desire. Volumes have been written about relaxation, meditation, and mindfulness, but here are a few fantastic tips from Dr. Romm to replenish and repair… 

Cave Proactively
When you hit the wall of overwhelm, stop everything. Unplug. Step away from your cell phone, stay off the internet, turn off alarms and notifications, and take some time to be a human being — not a “human doing.” It takes downtime for productivity to blossom, clarity to return, and your mood to smooth out. It could be a minute, an hour, or a vacation! But when you need it: cave.

Take a Bath
Before you go to bed, or anytime you need to soak up some relaxation response, fill your tub with wa...

Healthy sleep is a major cornerstone for an energetic, joyful, healthy life. Sleeping better is one of the simplest and most powerful things you can do to improve your health as it plays a key role in rejuvenating the cells in your body and helps wash away toxins that build up during the day.

High-quality, restorative sleep carries several additional life-giving benefits, including:

 • Improves brain function 

• Faster muscle recovery

• Increases fat burning

• Boosts longevity

• Balances your hormones 

• Protects your heart 

Not getting enough sleep or poor-quality sleep adversely affects hormones that make you hungry and store extra weight. This lack of sleep also creates blood sugar imbalances that increase the risk of pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and poor immune function.

VALUE YOUR SLEEP AS MUCH YOU DO YOUR DIET AND PHYSICAL FITNESS

When you become aware of your sleep and its importance, you’re more prepared to be able to optimize it.

MAINTAIN A REG...

This has been such a unique time to navigate as we all seek to find a new normal. No matter what your journey has held, we want you to know that you are not alone, and that amidst all the change and challenge that hope is within reach. 

As we seek to find strategies to rise above, we wanted to take a moment to refocus on a few simple practices that promise to enrich and empower your life in the days ahead.

For decades, experts in every walk of life have found that the common practices of resilient individuals are consistency on the fundamentals. They show up day in and day out and stay committed to what is most important to strengthening their lives.

So, whether you want to make a few improvements in your health, business, relationships, or simply boost your mood and expand your joy during this unique season, exploring these 3 energizing practices is a great place to start!

#1 - Take an inventory of what rejuvenates you

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “being fully energized comes dow...