Mental Wellness

5 self-compassion exercises to boost your mental health

5 self-compassion exercises to boost your mental health

Self-compassion is widely spoken about in the wellness industry. But what is the concept of self-compassion and why is it so integral to good mental health and wellbeing both for you and within your organisation?

April marks Stress Awareness Month and this years’ theme has been set as Lead With Love, encouraging kindness, compassion, and acceptance to foster a more resilient and supportive environment - something any responsible workplace strives to achieve in and amongst its teams. We feel this is a key moment in the wellbeing calendar to explore the power of self-compassion and what this might mean to your workplace.

Whether you’re seeking to treat yourself with a little more compassion this month, or want to turn your focus towards your colleagues, read on to understand more about what leading with love looks like and the benefits it can bring.

Does blue light really disrupt our sleep?

Does blue light really disrupt our sleep?

A key debate in our modern era is whether the blue wavelengths emitted from our lights and devices disrupt our sleep.

For the first 10,000 generations of human existence, we never had to worry about exposure to blue light in the evenings. Wood fires and candles contained virtually no blue, and nights were dark. But in the last ten years, we have entered the era of ubiquitous blue-rich LEDs in our computer and mobile device screens, and in the lights in our homes and workplaces.

Some sleep scientists claim that removing evening blue light is unnecessary because it doesn’t affect sleep onset. Other experts tell you to protect your health by avoiding blue-containing light after sunset. Who is correct? It turns out, like many debates, it is all a matter of definition of what you mean by “blue”, and what you mean by “disrupted sleep”.

This week, guest writer Dr Martin Moore-Ede M.D., Ph.D., author of Light Doctor, explores the different perspectives and research-led insights on the effects of blue light on our sleep, and what we can do to ensure a healthy sleep routine.

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The power of the reset: setting your intentions for a successful year ahead

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The power of the reset: setting your intentions for a successful year ahead

There’s definitely something magical about the dawn of a new year. It’s a time when we can wipe the slate clean and start again. We can build on a blank canvas and believe that anything is possible. Our New Year mindset is unstoppable and invaluable. 

In reality, New Year is a manmade date and occasion. However, it is a special and important time of year that signifies new beginnings, excitement and motivation. The trick is to maintain the same outlook at the start of each day, not just the start of each year.

So, how do we nail this intentional mindset?

This week, we welcome guest writer and Calmer partner Abigail Ireland to share her three tips on how to start the year effectively.

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The link between mindful eating and better health

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The link between mindful eating and better health

Many people have heard of mindful eating, and for some, it is an entirely new concept. What is it? What are the three R’s of mindful eating? How does mindful eating contribute to a healthier lifestyle?

Learning about this new way of looking at your food intake begins with a mindset shift, which results in multiple benefits to your overall health and wellbeing.

This week, Beth Rush returns with her third guest blog post for Calmer to explore what mindful eating is all about. Here, Beth shares simple and effective strategies to enable you to enjoy this beneficial practice, and highlights how it contributes to better health.