We all know that exercising regularly is good for our health. Too much exercise though, not so healthy… It’s easy to get carried away by the feel-good sensations you can get from exercise, whether you find it meditative, empowering, or therapeutic (or all three). But going full speed with your workouts every single day and never taking time to rest can backfire. Your body needs time to rest in between hard exercise sessions so that it can repair itself properly, and come back stronger. Plus, if all your body gets is physical stress without rest, you can reach the point of diminishing returns. Or to the point at which more exercise doesn’t result in any more progress. But that doesn’t mean you need to avoid all activity on your rest days.

Active recovery workouts gives your body a break

Active recovery workouts let you get in some activity while giving your muscles and joints the rest they need to bounce back stronger than ever. An active recovery day features easy workouts equivalent to no more than 60 to 70 percent of your maximum effort (low to moderate intensity). For example, if you’re training for a marathon, you can use an active recovery day as an opportunity to take a gentle yoga class to work on flexibility.

Working at a lower intensity, as opposed to doing absolutely nothing, will help increase recovery from your previous workout by increasing blood flow to your muscles and tissues. Giving your circulation a little boost helps get nutrients (like amino acids and oxygen) to your muscles so they can repair themselves. It also helps flush out waste products that built up during exercise (like hydrogen ions and lactic acid) and contribute to muscle damage and fatigue.

Which workouts to do on active recovery days?

1. Tai chi
   Tai chi is a low impact form of martial arts. It’s characterised by slow, flowing movements, making it ideal for activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps our bodies calm down and recover from the stress of our intense workouts and daily lives. Tai chi is great for building strength and working on your balance. You will become aware of your whole body. Research shows tai chi offers a host of aerobic fitness-boosting, pain-relieving benefits. In addition it is also a classic mind-body exercise, so you’ll reap the meditative, stress-reducing benefits while you’re at it.
2. Yoga
   Yoga not only increases flexibility, but it also teaches proper breathing techniques and body control. In addition, an easy yoga flow also promotes blood flow to help repair your broken-down muscle tissues. Depending which classes you take or forms of yoga you’re practising, you’ll also work on being mindful.
3. Swimming
   Taking your workout to the pool is a great low-impact exercise option. Swimming relaxes your joints, and stretches your body. In addition, the water pressure helps improve circulation in the muscles, blood vessels, and heart. It’s also great for building cardiovascular endurance.
4. Cycling
   Swimming not your thing? Get in some steady-paced cardio by cycling instead. Hop on a bike and pedal away for a low-impact form of exercise. It lets you get in some cardiovascular exercise without all that pounding on your joints. You will improve improve circulation to the lower body, and it can be done at low intensities.

Tastes and preferences

Everyone has their own tastes and preferences, and that’s okay. Find a low impact workout that works for you and don’t forget to rest between intensive workouts. Your body needs it. Do you have a favourite low intensity workout that you like to do?

”Have a notebook next to your bed, if you wake up at night with a mind full of thoughts, you can write it down immediately! Within no time you will be sleeping again.” I got this advice a while ago. And as a true thinker, this is exactly what I needed. We all have a lot to do: at work but also at home. Writing things down, in the broadest sense, helps tremendously. Thoughts, feelings, events but also ‘just’ tasks! Here are some benefits of a to-do list:

1. Peace of mind

   Making a list of what you have to do helps you to make peace in your mind. Because once you put it on paper, it is ‘out’ of your mind. This automatically means more rest and being able to focus on the task at hand. You will worry less about everything that still needs to be done, because you have the list as a ‘second’ brain.

2. Work more efficiently

   Besides that you will have more rest, it also ensures that you work more efficiently. You can go directly to task 2 when you are done with task 1. And if you get distracted in the meantime, because you received an email to which you had to respond immediately, you can go back to your list to see what you were doing!

3. Cross that task!

   You might recognize it; crossing a task feels good. It gives satisfaction. You can see how much you get done in a day! Tasks, big or small, fun or less fun, you do it all. You get insight into what you have already done, and that gives a boost to your confidence level!

4. More time and energy

   Rest, the boost of crossing tasks but also working more efficiently ensures that you have extra time and energy! You can use this for example to get ahead at work or to do nice things with your friends, family or maybe something for yourself. Because who works hard, should get rewarded, right?

NiceDay app

At the end of the day, write in your NiceDay-diary what you got done and how you feel about it. Also write some to do’s in your Daily Planner!

Hygge: the Danish way of cosiness. It’s all about being calm and peaceful with all that is important. And the Danish know what’s right, they can call themselves the happiest country in the world for a couple of years already! Want to know their secret? We describe it in 6 steps.

Step 1: Seek warmth and comfort

After a tough day of work, it’s time to destress. Go and get comfy! Take off your jeans and get into a woollen sweater or your favourite pyjamas. Make a cup of tea and sit close to the heater. It’s cold enough outside already!

Step 2: Get a cosy interior

Make your home a cosy place. Don’t use bright colours in your interior but go for colours that radiate calm. Candles are very hygge, so light them even when you’re alone! Get some nice pillows and a beautiful rug. Change your bathroom into a spa and get some (extra) plants. Dive in Pinterest for some nice ideas! Your surroundings unconsciously affect how you feel.

Copyright Pinterest

Step 3: Spend time with family and friends

Spend some time with your loved ones. Turn off the television and do not use your phone, enjoy each other’s company. Take a moment to be grateful for what you have and for the people who are part of it.

Step 4: Get some me-time

However, it’s also important to spend time with yourself. Do something you like and relax. Take a bath or read a book or magazine. Don’t think about other people’s needs and focus on yourself. It’s time to recharge!

Step 5: Comfort food

Does cooking stress you out? Go for comfort food! Comfort food can be very healthy, for example a vegetable stew and warm apple with cinnamon as a dessert. Also hot drinks and soups are hygge-proof.

Step 6: Get your rest

Stress is not done: hygge is all about rest and calm. Enjoy your night. Take care of yourself and the people around you. Let all the things bugging you go! Search the web for relaxation exercises of try some mindfulness.

“Hygge is about simplifying life, a feeling of cosy, being aware of a good moment, lingering over an evening with friends and stopping to enjoy the simple pleasures.”

NiceDay: Do you suffer from stress? Plan a hygge evening in your Daily Planner and write down in your diary whether it was successful and how it felt.

If you’re looking for tips concerning better well-being, mentally and physically, movement is an important, but often underestimated aspect. People who often exercise, sometimes seem to be addicted to this. But sports cost energy, so how can people want to exercise more, if, on first sight, you’re likely more relaxed when you’re taking it easy?

Sports

Because sports cause your body to create more energy! This occurs at the level of cells, namely the mitochondria, which draws energy out of the nutrition you consume. Energy is not only used for movement, but also for keeping your brain alert, keeping your lungs active and regulating your body temperature. When you exercise more often, the amount and efficiency of mitochondria in your body increases. You will teach your body to produce more energy!

Take rest

The more energy needed for movement, the better your body learns to have enough energy for you well-being in periods of rest. This means, among other things, a lower heart rate, less headache, a lower tendency for yawning, and less snacking. In order to achieve the best effect, it is therefore important that you engage in movement where you will sweat a bit.

Chemicals

Apart from this energy process in your body, you also produce more body-like chemicals that make you feel more comfortable. More movement creates more dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of reward. Also, the decrease of cortisol, the stress hormone, reduces fat storage and fear. This effect already occurs with moderate intensive movement. A walk, bike ride, or walking the stairs are already sufficient to reach this effect!

Sleep

You are indeed more relaxed if you take it easy, but if you move regularly, your body will learn to relax faster. Even for your sleep rhythm it can do miracles. In today’s society, our bodies are sometimes confused by exposure to, for instance, light of electronics, and additives in foods. Move, make more body-like fabrics that reward you with a good feeling, and you will feel more energetic, but also more relaxed.

If you doubt to go out and exercise because you feel energy depleted, just don’t hesitate to exercise, and see how you feel afterwards!

NiceDay: Plan your sports sessions in your Daily Planner; a good walk in the park is, of course, also fine. Record in your diary how you feel before your effort, and after your effort, and look at the difference afterwards.

A lot of stress is caused by not having enough structure in your life. Structure can be found in different things, from making your bed to writing down what to do today. Often you are too busy to think about self care and how to get structure in your day. Because of this you become stressed and frustrated. Creating rest and regulation is the right thing to do, but it requires discipline. We will help you! 

Activities
Most people get down on the couch after a long workday and only get off when they are going to bed. Of course, it can be relaxing, but doing fun activities will decrease your stress-level in the long term. Also taking the time to organize can be good. For example cleaning up your house, after this you will feel satisfied and more relaxed!

Rituals for regulation
Rituals are important. However, people tempt to forget this or do not want to spend time on it, they believe it is too time consuming. Rituals can be different for every person. An example of a ritual can be drinking a cup of coffee to start the day. Other rituals are; taking a hot shower before you are going to sleep or pampering your body with bodylotion. Also exercising can be a ritual, it provides a clear mind and boosts your energy level. By performing these rituals you create structure in your life, this causes you to feel more relaxed.

Plan your day
All these rituals sound nice, but how can you make sure you actually have time for it? Planning ahead helps you to organize your day. Stress is caused by not being able to finish your to do’s and this can be caused by a lack of planning. The best way to make a planning is to write down the important things you need to finish and schedule time blocks. Be realistic, ask yourself: ‘is this doable?’ By doing so, you prevent unnecessary stress and disappointments.

Still some unfinished tasks at the end of the day? Try to think positive; tomorrow is a new day. Start the new day with a new planning. Reflect on your day, how did you experience it and did you finish everything you wanted?

A Dutch sleep research (Hersenstichting, 2017) has shown we don’t sleep good enough. We can’t sleep in, use sleep medications and can’t wake up easily. This can lead to both psychical as physical health problems. So we should do something about it! We would like to help you sleep better with these tips.

Daily activities
What you do in a day has an effect on how well you sleep. Make sure you have the right balance of work and relaxation. When you haven’t been that active during the day, you won’t be tired during the night. So if you feel you haven’t been as active, you could add a work out to your day.
But also when you don’t rest in between work, your body will react. You will feel tired during the day and restless during nights. So don’t forget to take breaks, go for a walk, stretch, read a book, watch tv or do some mindfulness exercises.

Routine
You body has a circadian rhythm, which is a brain structure that regulates sleeping and waking. Irregular sleeping times can disturb the sleeping- and waking system, which prevents you from falling asleep. So try to set regular sleeping times so that your circadian rhythm can stabilize. In the weekends you can sleep in a little, but no more than 1,5 hours.
Don’t be active before you go to sleep and avoid caffeine. Avoid screens like the television, laptop or mobile phone. If that doesn’t work for you, at least dim the screens.

Worrying at night
Do you often worry about something during the night which stops you from falling asleep? Then plan a moment to worry before bed. Write down all your problems and find solutions for them. Write down the pros and cons of these solutions and decide which one is the best. Try not to worry anymore after this. However, if worries come up, take the time to write them down before you try to sleep again.  

The bedroom
Use your bedroom only for sleeping. Leave the bedroom if you can’t fall asleep and come back when you feel sleepy or keep a time in mind you want to get back.
Also little adjustments can help you fall asleep easier. For example the lighting, because your body can’t make melatonin in a light room. Melatonin is a hormone which makes you feel sleepy. So keep your room as dark as possible! Also noise can keep you awake. So buy earbuds if you live in a noisy environment. The room’s temperature should be around 17 degrees Celsius and also ventilation is needed for a good night sleep.

A vicious circle
If you experienced insomnia for a longer time, you can get restless and anxious. This unrest can stop you from falling asleep, which then again makes the unrest worse. You get stuck in a vicious circle and it’s hard to get out.
So try to stay positive after some bad nights of sleep and don’t make the problem worse as it is. Well, you didn’t sleep well this night, but that doesn’t mean your day is worth nothing. Make the most of it!

Goal: Activate the ‘Sleep Goal’ and try to maintain regular sleeping times to stabilize your circadian rhythm.

Everyone has them from time to time: nightmares. Often it is just a nightmare every once in a night, it wakes you up, but you turn around and fall a sleep again. But what do you do when these nightmares return night after night? And you are not able to wake up when it becomes very scary, like “normal” people, but live through the whole nightmare?

The problem

When did it start? I do not dare to say specifically. The nightmares were suddenly there. For four months I woke up every night of the vigorous images that appeared when I was sleeping. Often I could not remember what I had dreamed, but I still felt the fear in my whole body. After a few months, they would disappear, and I would sleep normal again.

After half a year, it started again. This time it lasted for eight months. Night after night the most dreary nightmares. I dreamed about how I jumped into the water and could not swim… I drowned and I only woke up when I almost lost consciousness under water in this dream. Shots in the middle of the street and during the runaway I got shot 2 times in my back. I do not know how gunshots really feel it, but for 3 days I felt the bullets ticking in my back.

In addition to the violent nightmares, I also dreamed about my family. But then about total panic because they no longer recognized me. They walked right passed me on the street, or picked up another child from school instead of me? I was so tired and slept so badly that I got medication. That helped a couple of nights, but after a while I did not really wake up during a nightmare anymore and when I woke up the next morning I was completely covered in sweat, with a lot of fear in my body. So I stopped using this medication quite fast, I could not handle waking up like that in the morning either!

Sleepless nights

After three months without nightmares, it started again. This time I did not want to sleep anymore, I would stay up as long as possible until I really could not stay awake anymore. This happened just before my burnout. Usually I did not remember them, but with the therapy I wanted to do something about it. So I put a notepad next to my bed, so I could write when I woke up.

All I could remember, I put on paper, even though I felt embarrassed. I took this notebook to therapy, so we could figure out where the nightmares came from. I desperately wanted to find out, because I did not understand anything about the situation.  The nightmares were never about reliving my traumas and there were never 2 similar ones. So why did I dream about all this?

Fortunately, there appeared to be a very good explanation for my nightmares. A red thread that I could see straight through everything. Afraid of losing the people around me, I do not want to fail in the things I’m in doubt about, things like being afraid to not be good enough for others. As soon as I realized this, a world opened for me. In my opinion, there are no deep, bizarre theories behind dreams and nightmares. But, in fact, they are very logical, if you do not take them too literally. I still have nightmares. Fortunately, I’m waking up soon or my boyfriend wakes me up. Then I turn around and fall asleep almost immediately. Exceptions aside, of course.

What you can do about your nightmares

Do you also suffer from nightmares? Think about what you are afraid of and talk about. Your dreams are nothing to be ashamed of. Write down what happened in the nightmare you just had, but do not go and write obsessively every night. Believe me, that does not help: you will sleep worse, I did this for a week or four and my sleep did not get any better.

Does your daily life suffer because of your nightmares? Go to the GP! This way you can talk about it and the doctor will help you find solutions to get a better night’s sleep.

The song I have chosen this time is: Wake She Up from Ed Sheeran. I think it’s a wonderful song to fall asleep to and have a nice dream! Especially when you wake up and your dream lies next to you. Try to turn everything into something positive!

Love, Renée