Huggers are happier people. As a non-hugger, introvert who would rather be by myself reading a book, I can see the truth in this. I am content by myself, but content is not the same as happy. When I began to be intentional about giving hugs, it magically changed me!
We need human contact to survive
A little girl named Brittany proved this to me. When I met Brittany, she was 13 years old. She was placed in the foster care program after they found her neglected in a crib in a drug house. For FOUR YEARS she was left in that crib, never picked up and rocked, never allowed to run around. They basically propped up a bottle and left her there.
Brittany’s adopted mother was the most amazing person I’ve met. You see, Brittany was in a wheel chair and wasn’t expected to have a very long life. Her mother adopted her and committed to showing her absolute love for what little time she had left.
Our happy hormones run on solar power. Just like the solar panels on your house, our skin soaks up the rays and creates the chemicals in our body that are responsible for boosting our mood.
The simple act of standing in the sunlight for 15 minutes each day can do SO MUCH including:
- Increasing vitamin D production
- Helping you sleep better
- Improving your mood
- Strengthening bones
- Lower blood pressure
What do you do when the sun isn't shining?
In the winter months when we have decreased sunlight, many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Since we are not exposed to sunlight, our vitamin D and serotonin tend to decrease. There are a few options to turn your frown upside down.
If you want to change the world, start by making your bed. This is one of my favorite motivational speeches by … He is SPOT ON with this advice.
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We've all had those days where nothing seems to go right. You start out stubbing your toe on the bed and it goes downhill from there. But, what if I told you that I had a secret magic trick to turn it all around? It's a simple trick, but not always easy to do.
I log a lot of screen time hours, as I'm sure most of us do now days. With computers, cell phones and televisions we are constantly staring at the screen. When it hits bedtime, sometimes it's difficult to fall asleep. There are many reasons including not being able to shut off our brains, but one of the #1 culprits is technology.
Our bodies were designed with an internal clock called the circadian rhythm. We wake up with the sun and go to sleep once it sets. Now, with artificial light, our bodies get confused. When we wake up and are exposed to sunlight, we get a boost of serotonin. During the day, the sun emits blue light, which is a frequency of light that enhances our serotonin the most. When the sun begins to set, notice the reds and oranges, this is the point where there is very little blue light and we begin the cycle of producing melatonin and begin to wind down.
When we watch television or scroll social media, we are still exposing our bodies to a high dose of blue light, which screws with our internal clock. How do we fix this? Well, the obvious fix is to shut off electronics at sunset, but since we are in a digital age where that is not always preferable, instead, I invested in gamer glasses!
Why Gamer Glasses?
You can do a search for blue light glasses which will block the blue light on electronic devices, but after hours of research I found that gamer glasses had the most research and benefits to them. Not only do they block blue light, which is a huge benefit to people who generally game at night time, they also help with headaches, dry eyes, blurry vision and eye strain that are symptoms of extended screen time.
Since I've started using my gamer glasses while working on my computer and scrolling on my phone, I've noticed a HUGE difference! I found I can perform my best while protecting my eyes as I block the blue light, reduce computer glare, improve my focus and reduce dry eyes.
When I'm done for the day, I don't have the normal fatigue since wearing the glasses. If you are in front of the screen for most of the day and are having a hard time sleeping or have digital eye strain, it's definitely worth checking out. Here is a link to the glasses I use:
I recommend doing your own research and finding the best solution for you.
On a side note, I think I look more serious and intelligent while working.
About the Author:
Julie Lewis, Gamification Expert | SEO Specialist | Online Business Strategist | Tech Nerd
Julie has been developing websites for 23 years. Growing up as an online gamer and fascinated by psychology, she merged her "nerdiness" into an online business. Using her technical skills and gamification research, she teaches female entrepreneurs how to develop their online strategy to engage their customers and LEVEL UP their online business!
