The Inspiration Challenge| LL: SIX 🔶 📙


Hello everyone! Sorry about the delay in a new blog post but last week was CRAZYYYY!! We planned a last minute trip to go out of town because we had a free weekend and that was the only one we will get all semester. So I wanted to take full advantage of that time and when I got back I had a lot of "life stuff" to take care of. You all know how that goes trying to get ready for ANOTHER hectic week lol! Thank you all for bearing with me and sharing this series! I've been getting lots of views and messages so I am so pleased that I am touching all of you. Continue to read and share and give me your thoughts. 


Speaking of  "life stuff" this weeks level is going to be about how three main aspects of your everyday lifestyle can change and affect anxious and depressive symptoms. The three main aspects we will cover this week will be sleep, diet, and exercise. Don't get me wrong, there are so many other lifestyle situations that can affect anxiousness and stress, however, studies show that these three have the most dramatic effects both negatively and positively. For these examples, I want to be relatable. I don't want to just throw a bunch of numbers and statistics at you. I want to give you information that is more valuable using my own life as an example. I feel transparency is one of the best ways for us all to relate. (If you want more numbers or statistics just let me know in the comments and I would be more than happy to provide those.)

SLEEP: I know that it is extremely common for people to have insomnia. This is when you are tired physically but your brain has a hard time winding down when it is time for bed. This is even more common with those who experience stress, anxiety, and depression. They actually go hand in hand. Without good sleep, you are more irritable and think more irrationally. More situations become stressful because you can't think straight. With better sleep and a sound mind from a good nights rest, stressful situations can be thought through more clearly. 

With my experience, it has been not only hard for me to fall asleep at night but stay asleep. God forbid that I have to wake up to use the bathroom. I used to never be able to go back to sleep after that. Here are some things that I did that have dramatically changed my sleep and in turn just makes me feel much better in the morning. One of the main dramatic
changes I have done is taking a melatonin vitamin every night right before bed. This is a supplement NOT sleep medication. It is a natural vitamin that increases the melatonin levels in the brain which helps you relax. This is not a dramatic change and it does not make you feel loopy the next morning like NyQuil or ZzzQuil. I take a dose of 3mg. (they have doses that are larger and smaller) This helps me fall asleep and stay asleep. Something else I do is make sure my TV is on a timer. I do not always have to have the TV on before bed, but when I do, it helps me stay asleep when it automatically turns off. Also, I make sure that whatever I am watching before bed is something light-hearted or inspirational to help me sleep peacefully and have sweet dreams. Usually, I make sure that I bathe, wash my face and brush my teeth before bed. Some people like to bathe or shower in the morning but it relaxes me to "wash the day off" before bed. The last thing I like to do is use essential oils and drink chamomile tea. I bought an oil diffuser and use the lavender oil right next to my bed. It is an oil that is used for relaxation and relaxes the mind and body. Drinking hot tea before bed, any sleepy time tea, does a good job of relaxing your body as well. I really do try to make sure all of these things are part of my bedtime routine. It makes a dramatic difference in my sleep and my rest for the next day. 

DIET: I am NOT going to sit here and tell you that my diet is perfect or I am the cleanest eater because I am not. Counting calories is something that stresses me out so I don't. However, I try to eat things I know my body will like and process easily and things my body does not like I stay away from. Does that mean I never eat those things? HECK NO! It just means that I stay away from bad things when I can. Life and eating are all about balance so if I have had a craving for a while (three days) I will allow myself to indulge and NOT feel guilty because of it. You only get one body so you want to cherish it but in turn, we only have one life so you still want to enjoy food and not be miserable. Now, if counting calories works for you then KEEP DOING IT. I'm just telling you what works for me and what doesn't. 

My example would be dairy. OMG, when I tell you my body, does not like dairy...it's really no joke if you know what I mean. Since I know that I use almond milk and almond creamer and stay away from cheese and ice cream. Oh, how I love those foods but I also know my body and my tummy doesn't so I usually do not eat those. Like I said that doesn't mean I never ever eat them, but you usually won't catch me. Also processed foods. It takes a lot for our digestive system to process those if we ever do or can. So I eat less of those as possible. I think you get it. 

EXERCISE: When we exercise that sends off endorphin's in the brain and we experience happiness and more energy. I exercise a few times a week and try to walk while I am on campus as much as I can to different classes. I do not work out every day and I do not work out for more than an hour. I do make sure I am getting some cardio in to get my heart rate up and get a good sweat. I have done weight training in the past but now I have been working on cardio and pushing myself that extra lap. Breathing hard, sweating and getting your heart rate up is good for your body and your brain. Exercising itself can be a good and healthy way to reduce stress as well as prevent stress. 

This week I want you guys to try to include just one of the suggestions above that you do not already have in your routine and see if it changes or helps reduce stress this week. Like I said, these are things that I do and what works for me. We are all different and there are variations of all of these suggestions. Do some research for yourself and figure out what works best for you when it comes to sleep, diet, and exercise. I love you guys and I will talk to you next week RIGHT HERE SUNDAY AT 5PM!!!



Lapè Level 10 week series:

1. Everyone gets anxious...that doesn't mean everyone has anxiety
2. Diagnosis: self-diagnosed vs. Dr. diagnosis; Know your triggers
3. Talk to SOMEONE: create boundaries and thoughts on therapy
4. Find a hobby: make time for something you love and the benefits
5. How to: calm down even in the moment
6. Lifestyle: sleep, diet, and exercise can all affect stress
7. Step back: taking time off
8. What to do: Panic attack
9. The damages of comparing yourself to others
10. Control: what you can and cannot control

I hope you all enjoyed this week’s blog post. Thank you for taking the time out to read it. Don't forget, we can always chat in the comments. Let me know if you have any questions and please leave suggestions for other blog ideas for the upcoming weeks.Talk to you soon. Stay beautiful stay positive. 💕

Yaya Hall
3inspirationchallenge@gmail.com
www.youtube.com/livelaughlearnlove3

Follow my social media:
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IG: hallyaya
FaceBook: Yaya Hall
Twitter: hall_yaya

Check out what my parents do:
Moms walking organization GirlTrek
http://www.girltrek.org/

Dads fitness business 
http://bryanhallfitness.com/
http://designerwheel.com/

--------this blog post is not sponsored-------
all blogs grammatically corrected by Grammarly

--------all blogs checked by mom 💕--------


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