3 Wellness Practices to Recharge Your Mind and Spirit

When you think about your wellness practices, do you only think about your physical body? Most of us do, but did you know that your mind plays a huge role in how your body functions? 

For example, when you're under huge amounts of mental stress your body struggles with its normal functions like digestion. This means that your body can have trouble absorbing nutrients and allow gut bacteria to enter the body which has a negative impact on your health. 

Simply put stress can reek havoc on the body and in order for us to really adopt a lifestyle of wellness, it is not only important what we consume food-wise, but we also have to learn the practice of feeding our minds and our spirits. Just like we carefully pick foods that are in line with our health goals, we also must be just as picky regarding what our minds consume. 

Today, I'm sharing 3 practices to incorporate into your daily routine for mental health . I hope that you can work at least one of these into your daily practice. 

1. Prayer or Meditation - Science now backs the benefits of prayer and meditation. Studies show that prayer and meditation reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Both of these promote emotional health and well being.  
2. Reading - While turning on music may be your go to method of relaxing, did you know that reading has proven to reduce stress by 68% in adults? That’s right, curling up with your favorite page turner tends to lower your heart rate and ease tension in your muscles. Next time you’re felling a bit overwhelmed, take some time out with your favorite book. 
3. Journaling -  With jam packed schedules and never ending to do lists, most often our minds are on overload. Journaling can be a way to release and processing emotions that we my be experiencing. In addition, this practice an help us continue down the path of self discovery. 

If you are already incorporating these practices into your daily life, comment below. I'd love to know how these have an impact on your mental wellness.