Just listening to sounds of nature has been shown to improve people’s quality of life. In general, according to multiple studies, listening to nature audio decreases stress and pain in people. Studies have shown that listening to rain noises can improve sleep, slow heart rate, and slow breathing. They are also just generally calm and soothing! Additionally, listening to bird…
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Sometimes, advice about being “happy” can seem impractical and ambiguous. You might not know how to apply it to your own life in a practical and meaningful way. For these reasons, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin is a great read! Not only does reading, in general, add to people’s happiness, but this book is literally about happiness! In this…
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Stress responses are natural and come in different forms for everyone. For some, this response can be a resort to comfort food. In fact,research does suggest that eating comfort food may alleviate hormonal stress responses in the short term with temporary increases in dopamine, your feel good hormone. Yet, what exactly is comfort food? Some will say its chips, or…
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In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I was intrigued by the importance of a four leaf clover. Never fully understanding why it was considered to be such a prominent symbol for good luck, hope, and love, I did some digging to find out. I learned that for every 10,000 three-leaf clovers, there is one four leaf clover, meaning these…
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Do you struggle with sleep issues? If so, you’re not alone. 30% to 40% of U.S. adults suffer with insomnia symptoms at some point during the year. There are many behavioral practices that can help get you back on track, and one of our favorites is a very simple trick: stepping out into the sun first thing in the morning.…
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Sunday, March 12 was the start of Daylight Savings which means we have all moved our clocks ahead an hour! This also means that we are now experiencing less natural morning light and more natural evening light. According to Dr. Phyllis Zee from the Northwestern Medical Group, this can have effects on our natural circadian rhythm, impacting our sleep schedule…
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Plan Your Happiness! We are all familiar with the mechanics of time; there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day. Yet, something about time tends to both confuse and stress all of us out. We either feel as though there is too much, or feel as though we cannot get…
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Coming home to a nice clean area, with a clean workspace, and a clean scent in the air is refreshing… if we are able to get around to cleaning. I am not just writing this because I am looking at piles on my desk, although I do need to get around to fixing that. I am writing this because it…
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Throughout our daily stressors we face and the constant worries of not knowing what is going to occur next in our lives, we often miss out on something we constantly are told to do: enjoy the present moment. It is hard to stop and breathe to soak in what is happening around us, the beauties we pass everyday outside, and…
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When it comes to our change and growth, we cannot underestimate the power of consistency. It is better to do less if it means we can do it more often. For example, if you are starting out at the gym, perhaps it is better to leave the gym after twenty minutes rather than push yourself to do a whole hour.…
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Oftentimes, we associate February as the month of love, and although it is important to let those around you know that they are loved and appreciated, it is easy to get away from directing the same shared love to ourselves! Self-love can be different for everyone, but is consistent in the idea of self appreciation. Some tips to indulge in…
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Sometimes our lives feel so busy and crowded that we tend to focus purely on our own feelings, emotions, and situations. Although this can be done in a healthy self-reflecting manner, we can also let this stray us away from one of life’s greatest gifts: kindness! Random acts of kindness, complimenting someone, or taking time to volunteer for your local…