What are some non fitness-related things you do for your health?

[NukeTheUnicorns]

Being fit and strong is important to being healthy, but it's just one variable. What are some other things you do that are related to health, but not directly related to physical fitness and/or diet?

I have a few:

• Meditate every morning - I've been bad about this, but I have a good excuse!
  
• Try to have a minimalist lifestyle - I'm currently trying to get rid of stuff, things, and clutter - any extraneous stuff that I don't need - in pursuit of a more minimalist lifestyle. Minimalist lifestyles have anecdotally been shown to improve mental health and clarity, and seem to relax people who implement them. Tyler Durden said it best: the things you own end up owning you. Ridding myself of emotional attachments to things is allowing me to appreciate people and experiences more than stuff.
  
• Read every day - I try to do more reading than TV/gaming/internet-ing. It makes me feel more educated, and the more I do it, the more it seems like a more enriching way to spend my time.
  
• Cold shower every morning - for the sake of discipline, and to help me adapt to cold temperatures.
  

These things, combined with working out like a beast and eating like an animal, really help me feel like a healthier person. What are your little habits and lifestyle quirks that you feel better your mental health?

[Maggie May]

Nice post!

I value sleep. I get about 8 hours every night, more on weekends. I feel like so many people disregard sleep as a vital aspect to health.

Also, I make time for church. It really refreshes me and I feel puts my mind in the right place for the week. (for others this could be meditation, like you said)

The last thing I've been really working on is not over-scheduling myself. If I have a free weekend, I'll try to leave it free. After a non-stop crazy year of wedding planning and events, I need a rest!!

[ebm1224]

good question!

for me:

-cuddle time with my sweetie - helps me feel connected to him and just very safe - esp after a long day/week

-crossword puzzles/sudoku - fun to do and it feel like exercise for my brain.

-clean the house/declutter on a regular basis - i'm a big believer in feng shui and i know that i just generally feel more clear-headed when my living/working space is neat, organized, and clutter-free.

i'm curious about the cold shower thing. how does it promote discipline? and why is it important to get used to cold temperatures?

[spatzcat]

I cuddle with my poodle dogs....actually, one of my goals this year was to try to do more for myself. now I'm reminded of that. sigh.

i like your declutter goals ebm1224, I've started to do that, but it needs more work!

[Maggie May]

ebm I love to declutter too - I'm a cleaning maniac! Sometimes it stresses me out more than it calms me, though. :/

[NukeTheUnicorns]

i'm curious about the cold shower thing. how does it promote discipline? and why is it important to get used to cold temperatures?

It promotes discipline because the instinctual human reaction to the freezing water is to get out ASAP. This either means turning the water hot, or rushing through the shower. By keeping the water cold and staying calm and taking my time, it allows me to work against my basic instinct, therefore taking control of that part of my mind. It's sort of another form of meditation for me.

It's important for me to get used to the cold because I live in Colorado, and it gets pretty cold around here. Furthermore, I'm the type who likes to be prepared for any situation, including unexpected weather!

[ETFnerd]

i do #2 with concentration and purpose... like all other facets of my fitness regimen...

i treat others like i would like to be treated myself... because what goes around... comes around...

[IndigoBanshee]

I also make time for church every week, and help with the clothing and food bank at church. Saturday is the American Cancer Society kickoff for Relay for Life, which is the charity I work with the most. As a cancer survivor myself, and having lost a parent to cancer, and the other has gone through it, I think cancer is the worst set of diseases in our lifetimes. I also think it's one that can be cured, so I help raise money to cure it.

Dance functions in my life both for fitness and to keep me sane. I get antsy if I go too long without dancing.

[Atalan]

good question!

for me:

-cuddle time with my sweetie - helps me feel connected to him and just very safe - esp after a long day/week

-crossword puzzles/sudoku - fun to do and it feel like exercise for my brain.

-clean the house/declutter on a regular basis - i'm a big believer in feng shui and i know that i just generally feel more clear-headed when my living/working space is neat, organized, and clutter-free.

i'm curious about the cold shower thing. how does it promote discipline? and why is it important to get used to cold temperatures?

I don't know, but I've heard there is a German insult for cowardice that translates as 'person who takes warm showers'.

[ebm1224]

then call me a coward

[21katykat01]

Ooh good question! To keep me sane I:

- Sleep. And enjoy it.

- Keep my mind active. Reading, studying, learning, writing. I do all these things every day. I love keeping my brain ticking.

- Give myself a break. I make the most of the time I'm not at uni, and do something fun.

- Talk. I talk *a lot* to everyone, but I have a select few to whom I talk about how I feel, and if none of them are available I write about it. None of this keeping it bottled up malarky.

- Embody the oath and the tenets I have sworn to uphold from Taekwondo. This includes trying to make a difference everyday, even in a small way.

Sometimes I manage them better than others, but these are the things I aim for.

[ZenGwen]

I try to take good care of my skin, hair, and nails. Leave-in conditioner, lotion, that sort of thing.

Removing myself from activities and social circles which bring me down, and using the extra time and energy to work on more important projects.

I'm also trying to get back into the habit of going to Meeting for Worship every Sunday. I'm a Quaker, our services are like... vaguely-Christian group meditation. Kind of. With occasional inspiring or thought-provoking messages out of the silence. It's really good for my mental and emotional health, but I haven't been going regularly since I moved here a few years ago. I went the week before Christmas, this weekend is the first time I'm going to have a chance since then, so you can bet I'll be there!

[sydneyanaconda]

Sunscreen

Sleep

Massages

[Guest guest4729]

*Read up on the news when I can - being aware of what's going on in the world around me helps keep me connected, so to speak. I don't feel like I'm out of the loop.

*Sleep, but not oversleep. I also try to avoid naps because they make me feel lethargic.

*Drink more water over other drinks, or at least water down drinks that are like juice or something.

*Give myself quiet time away from people. People take a lot of energy from me, since I'm so introverted I like to have copious amounts of quiet time.

*Cuddle/hug/text my boyfriend often. He means a lot to me so it makes me feel better when I show him lots of love.

*Knit (rarely anymore, but sometimes)

*Clean, organize and put things in their place. Cleaning and organizing makes me feel like a boss.

[lulu]

I play with my two furry boys.... They love me unconditionally and are always happy to see me.

[concretecavewoman]

A few things:

1) Using the highest bandwidth form of communication possible. If I can't talk face to face, then I call; if I can't call, then I email. Texting/IM are options of the last resort. I mostly use this tactic at work. I figure our paleolithic ancestors wouldn't have made a cave painting to talk to the guy next to him in at the fire pit; why should I?

2) Staying out of debt. Why purchase a sword of Damoclese?

3) Spending on experiences over things.

4) I also do the cold showers thing. It's terrible. Every time I do it I wonder why.

5) Avoiding reading the news. I used to be a news junkie but I found it too stress-inducing.

6) Hobbies that involve creation. I like to make stuff with my hands since my work (software) doesn't produce anything tangible and tactile.

[NukeTheUnicorns]

A few things:

1) Using the highest bandwidth form of communication possible. If I can't talk face to face, then I call; if I can't call, then I email. Texting/IM are options of the last resort. I mostly use this tactic at work. I figure our paleolithic ancestors wouldn't have made a cave painting to talk to the guy next to him in at the fire pit; why should I?

2) Staying out of debt. Why purchase a sword of Damoclese?

3) Spending on experiences over things.

4) I also do the cold showers thing. It's terrible. Every time I do it I wonder why.

5) Avoiding reading the news. I used to be a news junkie but I found it too stress-inducing.

6) Hobbies that involve creation. I like to make stuff with my hands since my work (software) doesn't produce anything tangible and tactile.

I'm with you on 2. I try to stay out of debt and stay frugal. The only major expenditures I make regularly are on food and books. I spend quite a bit of money on grocery, but when I'm paying for quality and nutrient density, it's worth it!

I've grown to love the cold showers. It's a little zen moment for me every morning!

[ZenGwen]

*Knit (rarely anymore, but sometimes)

Oh man, I forgot this one! Yes. So good for my mental health. Almost meditative, and fun, and then I get the satisfaction of having created beautiful, useful items with my own hands.

[161803398874989]

Mainly lucid dreaming, which basically requires good sleep (I tend to get 9 hours a night), discipline and self-awareness. Mentally, it's like fitness, but then without getting out of your bed.

[Ryan Sannar]

Prayer

Contact with my family on a regular basis

[Oogiem]

Spin yarn, I spin every night if we are watching TV or a movie. I also read and run genetics problems in my head. Knitting can be relaxing but not always, depends entirely on the pattern. Weaving is relaxing but only once the loom is all warped.

[oystergirl]

Oh this is a wonderful topic because there is so much more to health than just exercise and eating right.

I have sleep issues so when I fall asleep I try to make sure I stay there for 8 hours.

I spend a lot of time cuddling with my kids and my hubbie.

I try to laugh as much as I can every single day and not take things so seriously.

I have parrots, a cat, a dog, fish and frogs and I interact with them all in personal ways daily.

I love to garden and spend time outside as much as I can making things grow.

I do energy work with my chakras...i do a lot of energy work though I do not like to meditate I will meditate mindfully and with energy and color.

I love to DANCE and SING and just be silly and play with my inner child.

I love to have adventures and live a very experiential life. I would much rather travel and see something spectacular than have a mercedes!

hmmmm......so much to say....LOL I think that is probably enough!