Spring Cleaning: Detoxing Your Health

By Courtney Davies

Once January 1st hits, there’s an internal pressure to put our new year resolutions into motion the next day or the next week and if anything, we have probably been doing that more than usual having started the new year in lockdown. But let’s face it, many of us tend not to follow through with our New Year’s resolutions or even think of what could be a New Year’s resolution until mid-way through January.

It’s ok to not push yourself to achieve these goals at the very start of the year, but also well done if you do. Notably spring is probably the best time to jumpstart personal growth. Days get longer, the weather gets warmer, and plants start to bloom: what a better time to allow yourself to flourish.

Spring is closely approaching and with the hope that it will be better than last year, people will take this time to bring out their best selves for summer. However, as it gets closer to the time, people tend to focus soley on getting their bodies in the best shape, forgetting to look after their mind. Mental health is something everyone has been trying to take care of this past year, but it’s not the time to forget that as lockdown restrictions ease. Mindfulness is key to keeping your mind fit and healthy, so try and slip it into your daily routine. Even if you don’t end up doing it every day, try and stay consistent. Whether this is meditating, journaling or showing gratitude each day, it all helps.

Throughout lockdown you may find that your sleeping pattern slips and with not much to do in the day, it always makes it harder to fall asleep at night. I always find I feel better after having a good night’s sleep but if I haven’t done much in the day it tends to be disruptive, and I wake up feeling less ready for the day ahead. I try to not sleep in too late either because then it is harder to get back to sleep at night when I am working or have lectures. Creating a night routine really helps with this, even if it is just turning off your phone and watching your favourite show or a film just before bed. Particularly, when the weather starts getting better and the nights get lighter, you don’t want to be sleeping in all day or missing out on the nice weather.

If you do find you are struggling to sleep, maybe try adding some form of exercise into your day, not only will this help you sleep better but it improves both your mental and physical health too. Instead of doing exercise to lose weight and look like those on Instagram, do exercise to help you feel better about yourself which will improve your mental health as well. It can be hard when the weather isn’t that nice but with spring on the way, it will give you more time to spend outdoors. I tend to run about three times a week and go on a walk, this helps me create a clearer mind and focus better on both work and university.

One of the best ways to look after my mental health is by taking a break from social media for a few days a week, or at least not just scroll through it endlessly. This gives more time to focus on things I need to get done and be more productive with my time instead of comparing my life and myself to others. Especially during lockdown- seeing how everyone else is dealing with it can be difficult if you aren’t coping with it the best, but I also think it helps with your confidence and keeping your mind in good health.

Another way to make yourself feel better this spring is by keeping a healthy balanced diet. I find if I eat too much junk food, I always feel worse about myself and slightly moody, so ensuring fruit and vegetables are included in your diet is key. Especially during spring and summer, fruit is the perfect snack to keep you hydrated. At this time of year some of the best spring fruits and vegetables that I favour are Kiwis, Avocado, Strawberries, Pineapple, Mango and Spinach.

With summer around the corner, spring is the perfect time to prepare yourself, mentally and physically, and is the stepping stone that we need to re-visit your own self growth. Let us know how you’re detoxing your health this spring.