Ask the Experts
New Year, Whole You
By Tia
We gathered expertise from the Tia Team on how to better care for the whole you in 2021. Here’s what they had to say...
Reflect
2020 was tough. Grieve your losses (it’s okay to be angry) and identify what’s bringing you hope.
Tia Therapist, Julia Hunt says:
Getting things out of our heads and into the world can give texture and voice to our internal dialogues and ultimately begin to settle and relax our brains. Get out a pen and paper. Jot down a list of your losses from this past year and make another list of what you’re hopeful for.
Move
Whether it’s long walks, indoor yoga, or zoom workout classes, find ways to move. Read more about Dr. Ava our Head of Research, here.
Julia Hunt says:
We’re often in our heads, so connecting with our bodies can help us gain perspective.Grounding, meditation techniques, and moving can help us refocus on the here and now.
Head of Research at Tia,
Aim for movement daily, but don’t start off the new year with crazy expectations on yourself. It is natural and normal to be physically lazy. The ancestors of modern humans lived as hunter-gatherers. In this subsistence lifestyle, food was often scarce, so resting was key to conserving energy for survival and reproduction. In other words, humans were born to run, but as little as possible. Workouts don’t have to be a gigantic, painful undertaking.
Move
Stress less is easier said than done but can have some major impacts.
Dr. Ava Mainieri says:
Skip caffeine early in the morning. CAR or Cortisol Awakening Response means cortisol levels are highest in the morning when you first wake up. Instead of pounding coffee first thing when cortisol levels are high, wait about an hour until CAR drops before your first cup. You’ll feel better and the caffeine will pack more of a punch!
Julia Hunt says:
Reincorporate things you enjoy into your routine. Like music, which is great to engage with when feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
Tia Nurse Practitioner, Devon Klauck says:
Create space to stress less. Schedule acupuncture, take an Epsom salt bath, shut off the computer at a certain time, or try a dry January.
Sleep is when your body repairs and restores. It also has a major effect on your cravings.
Dr. Ava Mainieri says:
There is an association between sleep deprivation and your lust for carbohydrates. Rising ghrelin levels (aka the hunger hormone) in the evening are one of the signals for our bodies to sleep. Sleep deprivation causes higher ghrelin levels to promote rest. The problem is, this can also promote late-night carb fests.