New Year, New You: Healthy New Year’s Resolutions Challenge

In 2021, start off the year with a challenge. Rumor has it that it takes 3 weeks to make or break a habit. While experts question the validity of that statement and we wish it were that easy, we definitely think 3 weeks is a great amount of time to get a start on new habits. That’s why we put together this 3-week Healthy New Year Challenge to get you started on the right foot going into 2021.

Follow this New Year’s resolution challenge to keep you on track so you can truly stick to your resolutions and actually reach your health goals in the new year – whether that means eating healthier, exercising more, being more mindful, or making more time for yourself..

New Year Challenge: Week 1

Day 1: Dedicate an Hour Completely to Yourself

Life can get busy, and 2020 sure was hectic. It’s easy to get caught up in things that don’t allow you to have you-time. Block off one entire hour to yourself (or more!) to focus on you. Mark it on your calendar, put up a “do not disturb” sign, and enjoy some time dedicated to things that give you a mental break like reading, using a sauna, or watching a show.

Day 2: Cut Down on Social Media

Looking at a screen all day can lead to overstimulation, especially around the holidays, which can lead to mental exhaustion. Whether for an hour or for the whole day, unplug for some time to focus on non-digital activities that benefit your new year health. Spend time with family, pamper yourself with a home spa day, work on a hobby, or just relax.

Day 3: Get in 10,000 Steps

Walking 10,000 steps a day has been a highly-recommended activity to help maintain physical health. Immediately jumping to 10k a day can be difficult, so instead dedicate just one day to reaching your goal and pay attention to what lifestyle changes you can make to make it a long-term habit.

Day 4: Do a 16-Hour Fast

The 16:8 fast is a great way to do a mini gut reset and dip your toes into the world of intermittent fasting. During this, you will do a 16-hour window of fasting and an 8-hour window of eating. People typically choose to eat lunch and dinner then fast through the night and breakfast the next day to maintain a somewhat normal routine.

Day 5: Practice Breathwork

Sure, breathing is an activity we do without even trying, but putting focus into your breathwork can be great for your mental health – something greatly needed after the whirlwind of 2020. Learn some new breathing exercises that help you slow down, destress, and find some mental clarity throughout your day-to-day life.

Day 6: Cook a New Recipe at Home

Spice up your daily menu by researching healthy recipes to whip up in the kitchen. Look for healthy recipes that include nutritious ingredients such as vegetables and fruits. Summer is a great time for produce, so your recipes will be nutritious and delicious.

Day 7: Rest and Journal

At the start of this 3-week new year challenge, take some time to sit down and write down the things that you are grateful for. Visualization of your accomplishments, blessings, and experiences helps highlight the positive things in the last year. Writing the items down can be a therapeutic exercise for your emotional and mental health.

New Year Challenge: Week 2

Day 1: Go to Bed 1 Hour Earlier than Normal

Sleep is another important basic need for your health, but it is easy to let life (and the holidays) get in the way and eat into your sleep time. Not only does sleep allow your body to rest and recover, it can help prevent illness as well. Today, budget an extra hour to go to sleep early and allow your body to fully rest.

Day 2: Connect with a Loved One

If 2020 was anything, it was definitely a lesson on connecting with people. It can be easy to lose touch with loved ones, but it is just as easy to reach out and say hello. Make a friend or family member smile by sending a quick note – and set aside some time in case that quick note turns into a long conversation!

Day 3: Try a New Exercise

If you’re doing the same workout every time, you are sure to get bored of the same moves every time. That, and your body isn’t getting as well-rounded of a workout. Look up new workout routines to help mix it up and keep things interesting. Pro tip: Using a sauna after a workout makes it even better.

Day 4: Do an 18-Hour Fast

Pick it up a little from Week 1 and add two hours to your intermittent fasting! An 18:6 fast is 18 hours fasting with a 6-hour window to consume your daily calories. This timing is very popular and is a sustainable way to fast on a regular basis. Though just 2 hours longer, this longer fast helps you burn more fat and better stabilize blood sugar levels.

Day 5: Meditate for 30 Minutes

We’ve mentioned breathing exercises, and meditation falls right into the same vein of new year health. Meditation helps you center your mind and find ways to shift your mentality into a calmer, more accepting state. Meditation can be a few minutes or a few hours depending on how deeply you want to go.

Day 6: Plan a Weekly Menu

Knowing what you are going to eat throughout the week is a great way to stay on track with health, time management, and budget goals. Think about what your week ahead looks like and plan how often you will cook at home and when you will eat out. Try to plan at least 3 at-home meals this week to start cutting down on expensive and unhealthy eating out.

Day 7: Rest and Journal

Halfway through the challenge, use your journaling day to think about the future. If you’re wondering how to keep New Year’s resolutions, this is one very helpful way! Writing down your goals and taking time to consider what really matters to you helps you visualize what needs to be done and also helps with setting more realistic expectations for yourself.

New Year Challenge: Week 3

Day 1: Cross an Item Off Your To-Do List

Having too many things on your plate can lead to frustration and stress. Instead of worrying about your whole list, use this day to knock out a big-ticket item on your list that you have been putting off. Once the task is complete, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and relief that it is finally done. Taking your list task-by-task makes the list more manageable.

Day 2: Plan a Group Zoom Call

Seeing friends in person hasn’t been the easiest thing this year, but we are lucky to have the technology to connect in different ways. Organize a group video call with friends to bring back a sense of being social. You’d be surprised just how uplifting it is to simply laugh with friends over Zoom.

Day 3: Be Active Outside

A daily dose of fresh air is great for you physically, but it is also a great activity for mental health. Being stuck inside all day can lead to negative feelings, especially if you don’t have much natural light. Brighten up your day and invigorate your mind by getting outside for at least 30 minutes.

Day 4: Do a 24-Hour Fast

The final week of your new year challenge includes a full 24-hour fast! On top of the additional fat burn and blood sugar management that comes from extra hours of fasting, this is also a great test of will power. If going from morning to night without food doesn’t appeal to you, try starting and ending at lunch time so you can still get a meal in during the day.

Day 5: Add Yoga to Your Workout

Yoga is a great way to challenge your body in new ways. Spend 30 minutes stretching, activating your core, and tapping into new movements you might have thought weren’t possible! Step it up by doing hot yoga in a sauna for added health benefits. Not only is yoga great for the body, it’s also a perfect time to try meditation for your mind.

Day 6: Meal Prep for the Week

Now that you have been cooking more at home and have the weekly menu planning down from last week, take it a step further and cook all your meals for the upcoming week. Preparing your meals for the week not only helps you cut down on time cooking throughout the week, it also allows you to keep an eye on every ingredient you are consuming.

Day 7: Rest and Journal

At the end of your 3-week new year challenge, this is the perfect opportunity to reflect back on how you feel, what worked for you, and what long-term changes to make in your life to continue with your healthy New Year’s resolutions. Documenting your accomplishments is a great thing to look back on if you ever feel as if you are losing motivation.

Knowing how to keep New Year’s resolutions is always a common concern as a new year rolls around. Use this 3-week challenge to start off 2021 on a great, and healthy, path. Whether you find health in the kitchen, gym, sauna, or journal, any step you take is a step in the right direction for this next chapter!

How to Keep Your Body Warm Naturally in the Winter

The colder months are here, and you may be looking for an escape from the cold. Since travel to a warm place isn’t on the table this year, try these other methods to warm up – all with an emphasis on health! From eating nutritious meals and drinking cozy drinks to working up a sweat in a sauna or while exercising, this list will help teach you how to keep your body warm naturally this winter season.

9 Natural Ways to Stay Warm in Winter

Use an Infrared Sauna

It is no secret that saunas are a quick and easy way to warm up your body. You can take this practice a step further by using an infrared sauna as infrared heat penetrates deeply into the body and helps increase blood flow. Using an infrared sauna is a great way to naturally warm yourself in the winter with the temperature inside being adjustable and averaging a comfortable 100°F to 130°F. Not only does this heat application feel nice when the weather is chilly outside, it also offers a host of health benefits that can help keep you feeling warm and healthy all season (and year) long.

Take a Ginger Bath

A bath on its own is already warming, but adding ginger to the water can step up its warming properties. Similarly to adding ginger to your diet, a ginger bath can help your body increase circulation to help your body warm up and even break a sweat. Do a test on a small patch of your skin before adding the root to your bath to test for sensitivity. Once you’re in the clear, add ½ cup of freshly grated ginger or 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger to your bath and soak for 20-30 minutes. Since this bath will definitely make you sweat, have water nearby and be ready to bundle up after.

Monitor Your Iron Intake

If you feel cold more often than average, especially in your hands and feet, it might not just be the winter weather playing a part. An iron deficiency might also be in play. A lack of iron causes anemia and inhibits oxygen from properly being delivered to your body. Eating iron-rich foods such as red meat, poultry, seafood, beans, seeds, nuts, leafy greens, and dried fruit can help boost your iron intake. There are also iron supplements easily available to help boost your levels. Before taking supplements or starting a diet, talk to your doctor if you believe iron deficiency is an issue.

Layer Appropriately

Having some strategic layers can help hold your body heat close to your body and keep you warm. The main goal is to reduce the amount of your skin that is exposed to the elements. Keep your tighter elements closer to your body, then layer on looser pieces to create a warm environment. Socks for gifts really aren’t that bad of an idea during the winter! It also helps to have layers that are easy to remove if you are transitioning between the cold outdoors and indoors. Don’t forget that layering your blankets on the couch or bed can also help you stay warm in the winter at home.

Get Your Body Moving

This one is pretty simple, and has a lot of benefits outside of just heating you up! Being active is one of the best ways to keep the body warm naturally in any season. When you exercise, your body burns calories, which are units of energy. This stored energy is converted to heat, which is why your body heats up. Your blood flow gets going, thus increasing circulation and making you break a sweat. Even on the coldest days, taking a brisk walk or doing some jumping jacks will make you stay warm in winter very quickly.

Eat Warming Foods

Eating is one of the most enjoyable methods when learning how to keep the body warm naturally. There is a reason why stews and spices are so popular in the winter months, and it’s because their ingredients help keep you warm and full a while. Spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cumin are warming and help promote thermogenesis, which helps boost metabolism and keep you warm. Caffeine is also a great tool for boosting metabolism. As mentioned earlier, iron-rich foods can also help prevent anemia. Lastly, whole grains and other complex carbs require more energy, or heat, to digest.

Drink Something Hot

A warm drink might not warm you from head to toe for a long time, but it is certainly comforting and gets the job done to some degree. The hot drink triggers receptors in the mouth that can cause you to sweat and feel a wave of heat . Another perk to a warm drink is the hand and face warming properties when you are holding your mug near your face. Just like the ginger bath mentioned above, you can also add in some warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to give that extra kick – some typical spices already used during the winter.

Breathe Through It

Sometimes, all it takes to stay warm is doing a bit of mental work. Reframing your mindset can help distract you from feeling cold. Breathing into your hands and visualizing warmth is a simple-but-effective technique. If you want to try something new, Taoist tradition teaches how to keep the body warm naturally through a technique called “vase breathing”. This technique involves holding your breath and contracting abdominal and pelvic floor muscles to create a pot-like vase shape and imagining you are breathing in warm energy. There are even studies showing that it helps!

Avoid Alcohol

Having a glass of wine or a hot toddy definitely helps you feel warmer, but that doesn’t mean it is actually helping your body warm up. The warmth you feel from alcohol is caused by causing your blood vessels to dilate under your skin. This brings the blood to your skin’s surface, as you’ve probably noticed before with the flush you get when drinking. The flush actually prevents your body from truly getting warm and lowers your core body temperature – which heightens your risk of hypothermia. Drinking for that warm feeling isn’t necessarily bad, but be aware of what is real vs. perceived warmth.

This season, try these natural ways to stay warm in winter so you can stay healthy and comfortable as the cold settles in. Keeping warm also helps your body stay strong to get through the winter. Put on your scarves, grab a warm mug of tea, and eat a bowl of stew, and stay warm!

How to Deal with Burnout: Recovery, Tips, and More

During this day and age, for many of us the lines between work, play, and personal time have started to blur. With everything merging into one, burnout happens to the best of us. Working from home, disrupted routines, and the overall business of the world can lead to stress, uncertainty, and fatigue. Luckily, putting a focus on your mental health can help you learn new habits that will improve your wellbeing in the future. Learn about burnout and find ways to avoid it, or how to recover from it, below.

What is Burnout?

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. It can affect anyone and is namely caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Burnout can be caused by personal or professional stress and is often exasperated when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. General symptoms of burnout include:

Lower resistance to illness
Pessimistic outlook on work or life
Physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion
Irritability and behavior changes

Demotivation and detachment from your work
Depleted energy levels
Detachment in personal relationships
Lower productivity

The 5 Stages of Burnout

Burnout can affect anyone, at any time in their lives. However, burnout is most common in people between the ages of 25 and 44. As with any illness, symptoms of burnout change from person to person, however these five stages are commonly observed:

Stage 1: Honeymoon Phase

When we undertake a new task, we often start by experiencing high satisfaction, commitment, energy, and creativity. In this first phase of burnout, you may begin to experience predicted stresses of life, so it’s important to start implementing positive coping strategies, such as taking practical steps in your job or prioritising your mental health. The theory is that if we create good coping strategies at this stage, we can continue in the honeymoon phase indefinitely. Common symptoms include:

Job satisfaction
Readily accepting responsibility
Sustained energy levels
Unbridled optimism

Commitment to the job at hand
Compulsion to prove oneself
Free-flowing creativity
High productivity levels

Stage 2: Awakening

The second stage of burnout begins with an awareness of some days being more difficult than others. You may find your optimism waning, as well as notice common stress symptoms affecting you physically, mentally, or emotionally. Common symptoms include:

High blood pressure
Inability to focus
Irritability
Job dissatisfaction
Reduced sleep quality
Lack of social interaction
Lower productivity
Unusual heart rhythms

Anxiety
Avoidance of decision making
Change in appetite or diet
Fatigue
Forgetfulness
General neglect of personal needs
Grinding your teeth at night
Headaches

Stage 3: Chronic Stress

The third stage of burnout is chronic stress. This is a marked change in your stress levels, going from motivation, to experiencing stress on an incredibly frequent basis. You may also experience more intense symptoms than those of stage two. Common symptoms include:

Lack of hobbies
Missed work deadlines and/or targets
Persistent tiredness
Physical illness
Procrastination at work and at home
Repeated lateness for work
Resentfulness
Withdrawal from relationships

Uptake of escapist activities
Anger or aggressive behavior
Apathy
Denial of problems at work or at home
Feeling threatened or panicked
Feeling pressured or out of control
Increased alcohol/drug consumption
Increased caffeine consumption

Stage 4: Burnout

Entering stage four of burnout is where symptoms become critical. When burnout is talked about more generally, this is the stage that is often referred to. Continuing as normal is often not possible, and it’s key that you seek intervention. Common symptoms include:

Having an escapist mentality
Feeling empty inside
Obsession over problems
Pessimistic outlook on work and life
Self-doubt

Social isolation
Chronic headaches and stomach problems
Complete neglect of personal needs
Desire to “drop out” of society
Desire to move away from obligations

Stage 5: Habitual Burnout

The final stage of burnout is habitual burnout. This means that the symptoms of burnout are so embedded in your life that you are likely to experience a significant physical or emotional problem, as opposed to occasionally experiencing stress or burnout. Common symptoms include:

Chronic sadness
Depression
Chronic mental fatigue
Chronic physical fatigue

How to Deal with Burnout

Burnout Recovery Tips

Accept Help when Needed: One of the big symptoms of burnout is social withdrawal. When recovering, make an effort to open the door to help when needed. Whether it’s through coworkers, friends, or counselling, using your resources and accepting help when needed can help relieve stress and improve your situation.

List Things that Overwhelm You: It can be easy to get lost in worrying about the things in life that are overwhelming. Instead of letting these thoughts take control, make a list of the things that are on your mind. This will help you visualize what is happening and better focus on what you can do to find solutions.

Set Boundaries: Burnout is easy to achieve when you’ve spread yourself too thin. Set boundaries for yourself, especially during a time of burnout recovery, so you can give yourself the adequate space to feel better while putting better habits into place to avoid burnout in the future. It is okay to say no, especially when it comes to your health.

Focus on Your Capabilities: Don’t let the symptoms of burnout make you feel like you aren’t capable of achieving things. Focusing on your capabilities highlights your strengths. If you are recovering from burnout, try to only take on tasks that you know you can achieve and feel confident in to boost your confidence and motivation.

Understand Your Weaknesses: Your weaknesses are an important factor in burnout recovery. Instead of beating yourself up over them, take time to remember that weaknesses are not failures and are instead a chance to continue growing. Don’t commit yourself to tasks that make you feel frustrated or underprepared – both feelings can further burnout.

5 Ways to Avoid Burnout

Meditate: Burnout is felt heavily in the mind, and meditation might be just what you need to help quiet it. By learning how to meditate, you can learn how to manage your thoughts and feelings before they become negative. Pair meditation with breathing exercises or time in an infrared sauna for a full mental reset to really avoid burnout in the future.

Exercise: Getting active in any way is a proven way to help reduce stress and avoid burnout. If you find yourself getting in a rut or feeling overwhelmed, simply get your body moving and your blood pumping. Not only does this help your overall health, it also is a great mood booster and distraction from whatever might be on your mind.

Make Time for Yourself: As mentioned earlier, burnout often happens when you spread yourself too thin. Dedicating your time to work, relationships, and other external factors can become draining. Block out time for yourself every day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes. We highly recommend a home spa day to create an escape and truly pamper yourself.

Allow Yourself to Unplug: Constantly being plugged in can take a real toll on your mental health. Whether it’s work emails always on your phone or the need to check social media, looking at a screen doesn’t allow you to take a break from continually being engaged with a screen. Give yourself time often to unplug and give your eyes and mind a break.

Establish a Support System: Having people on your side can definitely make a lasting impact on avoiding burnout. Your support system will help lift you up when needed and staying social can be a distraction from the other things in life that might be overwhelming. As overplayed as it may be, we’re all in this together. Strong relationships truly help.

Burnout is a very real experience many are having today. Try to take the steps to avoid burnout and make it a large priority of yours to put a focus on your mental and emotional health. Make time for yourself, praise yourself for your wins, and form a support system that can help you through the tougher times.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, it is totally understandable – it can happen to the best of us. However, if it ever extends past the one-off stressful days and develops into a desire to withdraw from life, reach out to a professional to determine how to get you on the road to burnout recovery.

Not Just an Infrared Sauna, it’s a Clearlight Sauna®

When you buy a Clearlight Sauna®, you’re buying more than just an infrared sauna, you are buying an entire health and wellness experience. There are specific aesthetic, technical, and service advantages that make a Clearlight a Clearlight. From expert design to unique features, we take great pride in providing more than just an average sauna experience. Read on to learn more about what makes a Clearlight Sauna® stand out against the rest.

Doctor-Designed and Recommended

All Clearlight Sauna® models are not just made with high quality and craftsmanship, but with the knowledge and experience brought by Dr. Raleigh Duncan. With many years of experience as a Doctor of Chiropractic and research into infrared therapy, Dr. Duncan’s knowledge and expertise can be felt in every model. Our proprietary True Wave™ far infrared and full spectrum infrared sauna heaters were designed, tested and approved by Dr. Duncan.

In addition to the design and endorsement from Dr. Raleigh Duncan, Clearlight Infrared Saunas are also recommended by a number of trusted doctors and experts, including Deepak Chopra, Dr. Sara Gottfried, Dr. Brian Clement, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and many more. Clearlight Saunas also have Class I Medical Device Licensing in Canada

True Wave™ Carbon/Ceramic Heating Technology

As a leader and innovator in the infrared sauna industry for over 20 years, we have been manufacturing infrared saunas that are both luxurious and effective. While our cabins are exceptional quality, the therapeutic benefits of infrared heat are our main focus. Our research and development department has developed the ONLY combination Carbon/Ceramic far infrared heater to ensure you have the best infrared sauna experience on the market. Clearlight True Wave™ Far Infrared Heaters combine carbon and ceramic to produce healing infrared heat that is unmatched.

The carbon in our heaters allows the heater to produce long wave far infrared heat. This long wave infrared heat penetrates deeper into your body and the infrared heat is more readily absorbed. The ceramic in our heaters gives them a very high infrared output when compared to traditional carbon heaters so we can concentrate the heat directly onto your body.

Strategic Infrared Heat Emitter Placement

Heater placement in an infrared sauna can make or break a sauna experience. Many saunas on the market have poorly-placed heaters, which causes uneven heat distribution, hot spots, wasted heat, and lost health benefits. Clearlight Saunas® change the game with the positioning of our infrared heating emitters completely “Surround You in Wellness” with healing infrared heat from all angles.

Our infrared heat emitters aim directly at your core for maximum infrared penetration and absorption – to raise your core body and give you a wellness experience second to none. Heaters are aimed directly at the back, sides, behind the claves, front, as placement above the head is unnecessary. The strategic placement of infrared heat allows for optimal heat distribution and comfort.

Low EMF/ELF Emitters

Our True Wave™ far infrared and full spectrum infrared heaters are the best in the industry and are the most effective and safest infrared heaters available. Jacuzzi® saunas are one of the only infrared saunas with the electrical wiring run through metal conduit. This shields both the ELF and EMF to ensure that your sauna is the safest available. Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) are energy waves with frequencies below 300 hertz or cycles per second. Extremely low frequency (ELF) are the electric fields with frequencies from 3 to 30 hertz.

As the pioneer of low EMF carbon infrared sauna heaters, our patent-pending infrared heater technology reduces EMF levels where you are sitting in the sauna to virtually zero. Our exclusive manufacturing process allows us to cancel out EMF to levels that are virtually undetectable. In addition, when testing Clearlight Saunas® with our low-ELF technology, users test as low as 200 mV – five times below the threshold of concern.

High-Quality Construction and Craftsmanship

From the wood press in our factory to the final stages of packaging, Jacuzzi® infrared saunas are beautifully crafted and built to last. We start with the highest-grade materials and adhere to the highest standards of design, manufacturing, and assembly. Each cabin is engineered proportionately with the right amount of eco-certified wood – either Grade “A” Clear Western Red Canadian Cedar or hypoallergenic Basswood.

We ensure that nothing goes to waste and reinforce each cabin structure with light-weight metal in the wood walls to add rigidity, rather than excess weight. Additionally, each sauna is rigorously tested and certified for product safety. Clearlight Saunas® are stronger. Not Heavier. Given today’s advancements in manufacturing, smaller amounts of material evenly distributed can yield stronger structures by applying smarter design processes:

Applied Engineering

Material measurements
3-D structural analysis
Computer modelling to test loads and forces

Quality Construction

Material selection
Refined craftsmanship
4-stage quality control

Practical Benefits

Less environmental impact
Easier cabins to lift and install
Safer structure

Unique Add-Ons and Features

Clearlight Sauna® Chromotherapy

Your home sauna from Clearlight has chromotherapy lights built in to help you reap all the benefits of color therapy. Chromotherapy, also called color light therapy, is the process of restoring balance to the body by applying color. Color light therapy relies on the premise that each color is associated with a different bodily response. For example, red is typically associated with stimulation, while blue is considered a mentally relaxing color.

Color light therapy has been reported to temporarily reduce swelling, relieve pain, decrease inflammation, accelerate open wound healing and greatly reduce overall recovery after medical and surgical procedures. When paired with a healthy lifestyle, chromotherapy patients have demonstrated increased range of motion, decreased muscle tension and spasm, and improved circulation.

Jacuzzi® Light Therapy

Clearlight Saunas® use powerful dual-optic technology that combines red light and near infrared technology. Red light therapy works by using red low-level wavelengths of light to produce a biochemical effect in cells by penetrating approximately 5 millimeters below the skin’s surface. This effect helps strengthen the mitochondria and increase cell energy to improve performance of cells. Red light is considered “low level” because it works at an energy density that’s low compared to other forms of laser therapies.

The light from near infrared LEDs has been shown to bring energy to cells, reduce pain, increase collagen and elastin production in skin cells, speed up the wound healing process, reduce inflammation and provide numerous anti-aging benefits. To use red light therapy with your sauna at home, you can attach a Jacuzzi® Light Therapy tower to the door of your sauna.

Vibration Resonance Therapy (VRT)

This additional therapy combines the healing effects of sound and vibration to soothe all systems of the body to bring you to a deeper state of relaxation. In your sauna, the vibration resonance therapy (VRT) modules attach to the bottom of the sauna bench and use an amplified audio signal to resonate sound waves to the surface of the sauna.

Clearlight Saunas® use VRT to allow the sounds and vibrations resonate throughout the body and stimulate the body’s natural relaxation response. Including vibration resonance therapy in your home sauna sessions enhances the rejuvenating properties of infrared therapy. Think of it as a light touch massage for your body and mind during your sauna session.

Award-winning HALOONE™ Halotherapy

The HALOONE™ is a halotherapy device designed to provide salt therapy in many areas, including use in Clearlight infrared saunas. Its portability enables use by both home users as well as wellness clinic owners by removing the need for investment in large infrastructure like salt rooms. The HALOONE™ is the only halotherapy device that offers a vapor salt therapy system with the full spectrum of salt particle sizes from 1-10 microns. This combined with intuitive usage and smart design designate it as a superior salt therapy solution.

The HALOONE™ has won the Good Design Award 2020, which recognizes various products, including industrial goods, architecture, software, systems, and services, and evaluates design and quality. It has also won the German Design Award, where expert committees on the German Design Council honor products that stand out from the competition in regard to design excellence.

Jacuzzi® UV Disinfectant Wand

Harmful germs and bacteria are everywhere. Now more than ever it’s important to ensure that the space around us is healthy and safe. Sterilizing hand gels, disinfectant sprays and sanitizing wipes are not enough to ensure a healthy environment. Many bacteria and viruses are heat, cold and drug resistant, but they are not resistant to Ultraviolet light (UV). It is widely accepted that it is not necessary to kill pathogens with UV light, but rather apply enough UV light to prevent the organism from replicating.

Emitting both UV-C and UV-A, the Jacuzzi® UV Wand damages the DNA and RNA in bacteria and viruses rendering them harmless. Using high powered LEDs, the UV Wand allows you to disinfect up to 10x faster than most fluorescent UV devices and the Jacuzzi® UV Wand is up to 2x more powerful than other LED UV devices.

Exclusive Clearlight Sauna® Lifetime Warranty for Home Use

Your Jacuzzi® sauna comes with another exclusive – the Clearlight Infrared® Limited Lifetime Warranty for residential use. Few other companies can offer this type of warranty because no one builds saunas like Clearlight Infrared®. Our True Wave™ infrared emitters have an estimated operational life of 30,000 hours. Using your sauna 5 times per week your True Wave™ heaters can last up to 125 years.

In the rare event that you might have an issue with your sauna, our limited lifetime warranty covers the entire sauna – heaters, controls, electrical, and wood. Even the included audio system is included. You will never have to worry if anything should go wrong with your Jacuzzi® sauna. If you are using your sauna in a commercial location, you are still covered under our 5-year warranty.

The Advantages of Buying a Clearlight Sauna®

Buying a Clearlight Sauna® is more than just purchasing a sauna – it’s an investment in your health and wellness. Over the years, we have dedicated an immense amount of research and care to design the best infrared technology available. Each element is strategically planned to help you surround you in wellness. Join the Jacuzzi® sauna family today and see for yourself what makes a Clearlight a Clearlight!

12 Healthy Holiday Tips to Prepare for Holiday Season

As November and December arrive, it means the holidays are upon us. This time brings around indulgent food, a whirlwind of events, and unfortunately seasonal colds. Learn how to continue your health journey, from eating healthy to preventing colds, even with the temptations of the holidays right around the corner with these healthy holiday tips.

Holiday Health Facts

Before jumping into tips on staying healthy during the holidays, take a look at these interesting holiday health facts:

The most weight gain people experience is the period from Thanksgiving through New Year
On average, holiday weight gain is slightly less than 2 pounds
Unlike holiday rumors may say, the suicide rate is the lowest in December
For those with heart disease or other risk factors, heart attacks around the holidays are more common
The average caloric intake for Christmas dinner is around 6000 calories
More than 20% of people set a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or get fit
Seasonal affective disorder is estimated to affect 10 million Americans

Healthy Holiday Tips for General Health

Prevent Sickness

Health is always a priority, and this year is highlighting its importance even further. During the holidays, it can be easy to catch a cold when the temperature drops and you are running around with holiday activities. Take extra precautions this year by taking vitamins and supplements, washing your hands, wearing a mask, and disinfecting items with a UV wand.

Detoxify Your Body

Detoxification before, during, and after the holidays can be a huge help to your overall health. All it takes is working up a bit of a sweat to start the detoxification process. Regular use of an infrared sauna helps promote detoxification of chemicals (and maybe some holiday treats) from the body to help you feel rejuvenated and relaxed during the holidays.

Be Active Daily

Getting your body moving every day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes, will help with staying healthy during the holidays. The winter months make it easy to want to curl up on the couch and do nothing, but that can quickly lead to unhealthy habits and can even contribute to seasonal affective disorder. Movement helps boost endorphins and your health!

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is often an overlooked part of your health, especially during the holidays. With holiday events, gift shopping, family obligations, and general life taking place, it is easy to miss some sleep. Sleep allows your body to rest and restore. If you are having trouble sleeping, try some sleep remedies such as sauna use, aromatherapy, or meditation to help.

Healthy Holiday Tips for Diet

Eat Healthy Ingredients as Often as Possible

Having a strict diet may be difficult to follow during the holidays, so try a different approach this year. Instead focus on eating healthy ingredients whenever possible. Delicious fall and winter produce makes it much easier to make delicious and nutritious meals that still have the holiday feel – and eating mostly healthy makes the indulgence feel less guilty!

Allow Yourself “Cheat” Days

Along the lines of eating healthy, diets are all about moderation, and it is important to allow yourself to indulge at times. The holidays bring treats and large meals with friends and family. Don’t let dieting get in the way of creating memories with loved ones. Simply be aware of your choices so you don’t overdo the indulgence and wind up feeling worse.

Offer to Host or Contribute to Meals

One of the easiest ways to have control over your diet during the holidays is by doing the cooking. This way, you know exactly what is going into your food and onto your plate. If cooking or hosting aren’t your style, still offer to bring something on the healthier side or ask the host to prepare some lighter dishes if it isn’t a hassle.

Drink Responsibly

Drinking is one of the worst things for your health during the holiday season. On top of the calories, alcohol can lead to a number of negative outcomes such as hangovers, sadness, and damaged organs. Just like with food, you don’t necessarily need to cut out drinking, but do drink responsibly. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water!

Healthy Holiday Tips for Mental Health

Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin

It is easy to get swept up in all the holiday activities and events that take place during this period, but you aren’t doing yourself or anyone else any favors by saying yes to too many things. Give yourself a break and only say yes to things that you truly have time for and will enjoy being a part of. Your loved ones will understand if you need to pace yourself.

Set Boundaries

The holidays are great, as you get to see friends and family that you probably don’t see regularly! However, that also means that there are a lot of new people to factor in. Set boundaries to make these new social interactions less stressful, whether that means being upfront about topics to avoid or being firm about what time you’re leaving an event.

Make Time for Yourself

Hopefully with this list of healthy holiday tips you are seeing the importance of putting time into your own health during the holidays. So often we get caught up in catering to others during this period, but be sure to make time for yourself as well. Set aside 30 minutes every day to do something for just you – have a spa day, read a book, or work on a hobby.

Balance Your Social Needs

Your mental health relies on many things, and social interaction is one of them. Balancing your social interactions during the holidays is important for balancing your emotions. Too much interaction can cause you to burn out, whereas too little interaction can contribute to seasonal affective disorder. Gauge what’s right for you and stick to it this holiday season.

This year, really put a focus on your health during the holiday season. Being successful in being healthy and having a good time requires moderation and setting boundaries for both yourself and for others. Use these healthy holiday tips to stay on track, but also don’t hold yourself back from making memories just to save a few calories!

Learn How to Get the Most Out of a Sauna at Home

Sure, you know how to sit in a sauna, but do you know how to do it like a pro? There are plenty of opportunities to take your home sauna to the next level and truly create a sanctuary at home. From using enhancements like aromatherapy and halotherapy to general sauna safety tips, read on to learn how to get the most of a sauna at home by making it a truly incredible sauna experience.

How to Get the Most Out a Sauna with Enhancements

Chromotherapy

Chromotherapy, also called color light therapy, is the process of restoring balance to the body by applying color. Color light therapy relies on the premise that each color is associated with a different bodily response. For example, red is typically associated with stimulation, while blue is considered a mentally relaxing color.

Halotherapy

The practice of salt therapy, or halotherapy, uses microsalt to promote a range of health benefits once inhaled. Many believe that when people inhale this salty air, it can help stimulate their respiratory system, reduce inflammation, fight infection, clear blockages and reduce discomfort.

The treatment is intended to recreate the atmosphere of salt caves with a high concentration of micronized salt in the air. One of the best solutions on the market is the Microsalt Halotherapy Generator that can be incorporated into your sauna and used to crush salt into microparticles that are easily inhaled. Creating your own salt sauna experience allows you to combine the powerful detoxifying properties of infrared therapy with the healing benefits of halotherapy.

Aromatherapy

Spending time in an infrared sauna is relaxing on its own, but you can enhance the experience even further by incorporating essential oils. It is important to note that essential oils are very strong and should be diluted or used with a carrier oil to avoid too much exposure. Ten of the best essential oils for sauna aromatherapy include birch, cinnamon, citrus, eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, peppermint, pine, sandalwood, and tea tree oils.

Depending on your desired results, try mixing different essential oil combinations. Some simple combination ideas include citrus + peppermint for an energizing experience, pine + birch to go woodsy, and lavender + sandalwood for mental clarity and relaxation. Simply place a few drops of your favorite oil in a small container and place it in your home sauna to be heated and enjoy.

Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, LED light therapy, and low level light therapy, works by using red low-level wavelengths of light to produce a biochemical effect in cells by penetrating approximately 5 millimeters below the skin’s surface. This effect helps strengthen the mitochondria and increase cell energy to improve performance of cells. Red light is considered “low level” because it works at an energy density that’s low compared to other forms of laser therapies.

Vibration Resonance Therapy

Listen to some soothing music while using VRT to really let the sounds and vibrations resonate throughout the body and stimulate the body’s natural relaxation response. Including vibration resonance therapy in your home sauna sessions enhances the rejuvenating properties of infrared therapy. Think of it as a light touch massage for your body and mind during your sauna session.

How to Get the Most Out a Sauna with Activities

Hot Yoga

As the name implies, hot yoga is the practice of yoga in a heated setting. Hot yoga sessions are typically more vigorous and intense than the average yoga practice. Many use hot yoga as a way to connect with their body physically, mentally, or spiritually. Both infrared saunas and hot yoga offer the health benefits of detoxification, weight loss, flexibility, and reduced stress. Doing hot yoga in a sauna is the perfect scenario!

Meditation

A home sauna creates the perfect environment for you to disconnect from everyday life and connect with yourself instead. Taking just 10 minutes of your day to meditate in your sauna can help significantly reduce your stress. On top of meditation, breathing exercises can help bring you to a state of mindfulness and concentration, which can help you push through the heat sauna session and get comfortable.

How to Use a Home Sauna: Tips & Safety

Home Sauna Tips

Place your sauna near a shower or pool for easy access.
Bring a towel to sit on for comfort and cleanliness.
Take a shower before and after your sauna session.
Block off uninterrupted sauna time so you can fully relax.

Home Sauna Safety

Limit your sessions to approximately 20 minutes.
Don’t use a sauna before working out.
Keep water nearby to stay hydrated.
Don’t use a sauna if pregnant.
End your sauna session if you begin to feel lightheaded.

If you have a sauna at home, you are already on the right path toward wellness! But now that you’ve learned how to get the most out of a sauna, you are about to experience a whole new approach to your sauna sessions with increased health benefits. If you are considering buying a sauna, take these tips into consideration so you can design your ultimate sauna experience.

What is Physiotherapy? The Importance of Physical Therapy

Physiotherapy, also known as physical therapy, is in the same vein as sauna use for helping with body ailments by applying external elements to help the body heal. Being aware of your body and how it works is important for long-term health, and physiotherapy can be the perfect practice for both injury recovery and prevention. Read more to learn more about physiotherapy techniques and how it can benefit your overall health.

What is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy takes a ‘whole person’ approach to health and wellbeing, which includes addressing general lifestyle and encouraging participation from the patient. This practice helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. It can also help reduce your risk of injury or illness in the future. Physiotherapy helps improve a range of conditions associated with different systems of the body, such as:

Neurological: stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s
Neuromusculoskeletal: back pain, whiplash associated disorder, sports injuries, arthritis
Cardiovascular: chronic heart disease, rehabilitation after heart attack
Respiratory: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis

Physiotherapists consider the body as a whole, rather than just focusing on the individual aspects of an injury or illness. Some of the main approaches used by physiotherapists include:

Lifestyle Education: General advice about things that can affect your daily lives, such as posture and correct lifting or carrying techniques to help prevent injuries
Movement, Tailored Exercise, and Physical Activity: Exercises recommended to improve your general health and mobility, and to strengthen specific parts of your body
Manual Therapy: Use of hands to help relieve pain and stiffness, and to encourage better movement of the body
Electrotherapy Techniques: Incorporating Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), laser therapy, diathermy, and ultrasound technology to help treat pain

Physiotherapy vs. Physical Therapy: Are They the Same?

On a basic level: Yes, they are the same.

On a more technical level: While both physiotherapy and physical therapy have the same goals, the terminology slightly differs. Physiotherapy involves a hands-on approach and makes skilled use of manual therapy such as stretching, joint mobilization, soft tissue release, etc. Physical therapy, on the other hand, adopts a more exercise-based approach for strengthening muscles, improving balance, etc.

The methods used to deal with pain are more varied in physiotherapy, including manual therapy and electrotherapy treatment techniques such as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). A physical therapist would not commonly use the TENS method.

Regardless of the slight differences noted above, physiotherapy and physical therapy are essentially the same practice and are often used interchangeably.

The Importance of Physical Therapy

A physiotherapist’s purpose is to improve a person’s quality of life by using a variety of treatments to alleviate pain and restore function or, in the case of permanent injury or disease, to lessen the effects of any dysfunction. At the core of physiotherapy is the patient’s involvement in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and participation in their treatment.

Different Physiotherapy Techniques

Though the main approaches to physiotherapy were mentioned above, there are a number of other techniques that may sometimes be used during treatment. While the combination is not the same for everyone, these are the most common techniques that are used.

Massage

Massage is the manipulation of soft tissue through the use of hands. Massage can improve blood flow, reduce pain, and increase mobility. Massage can also help reduce any tension that you might have been holding onto and reduce your pain perception as well.

Taping

Your physiotherapist might use taping or strapping to immobilise certain joints. This can take tension off of strained areas and allow for better healing.

Icing

While you might be thinking that you can ice at home, many physiotherapy visits end by icing the area that was worked on. This is to help reduce any inflammation that might have come up during your visit. You normally should ice an injured area for 15 minutes, but when your physiotherapist is doing it in-office, you need to follow the time that is determined by the therapist.

Joint Mobilization or Manipulation

Joint mobilization increases the range of motions of joints and can dramatically help improve a patient’s life. This technique is done by focusing on a normal range of pain-free movement.

Stretching

Stretching during physiotherapy can mean a few different things. To begin with, stretching can help release any muscles that might be locked up. It will also increase your range of motion and allow you to stay more physically active for much longer. Allowing your muscles to lengthen will make them move better, reducing the risk of injury.

Neurodynamics

Some pain or injury is caused from a muscle putting too much pressure on a nerve, either due to injury or inflammation. Neurodynamics can help identify the source of the nerve compression and alleviate the pain.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is another technique that is often used to help with physiotherapy treatment. Ultrasound provides a deep heating effect directly into muscles and soft tissues. Heating injured areas up improves circulation and can promote good healing.

How to Enhance Physiotherapy at Home

Incorporate Infrared Sauna Use

With the approval of your therapist, infrared sauna use and physiotherapy go hand-in-hand. For parts of the body that are experiencing muscle inflammation and swollen muscle tissue, saunas can help reduce inflammation. Studies also show that repeated use of saunas can have a positive effect on chronic pain, and it can also help alleviate joint pain and arthritis. By reducing this pain, your physiotherapy treatment may become easier to navigate. Sauna use can help your body feel better, making it a proactive measure in reducing risks of several diseases and preventing future injury.

Be Open with Your Physiotherapist

Your physiotherapist’s job is to provide you with the guidance to recover, which they cannot properly do if there isn’t an open line of communication. Check in with your therapist often and report back on what things are and are not working during your treatment. Ask questions if you have any, especially when it comes to perfecting techniques – one wrong move can unfortunately set back your progress. Set goals and milestones with your physiotherapist to make sure you are on track and know what to expect.

Do Your Daily Exercises and Stretches

Perhaps the most important way to ensure your physical therapy is working is by practicing your stretches and exercises at home. Your physical therapist likely assigned you different movements to help in your rehabilitation, and it’s crucial to follow them. This helps you learn proper techniques and become more aware of your treatment. Think of it like homework – you can learn so much in the classroom, but the homework and studying at home is what really helps you ace your test.

We believe in taking the ‘whole person’ approach. Taking the physiotherapy approach can be a huge benefit to your overall health. Whether recovering from an injury or learning lifestyle changes, these techniques will bring you lasting effects. If the above sounds like something that can benefit your life, speak with your doctor for next steps.

Getting a Home Sauna: Where to Put a Sauna in the House

Getting a sauna for your home is an exciting addition to your home health regimen. But before you can use it, you need to figure out the best place for it to go! Indoors or outdoors, large or small, DIY or prebuilt – there are a lot of considerations to think of when it comes to preparing for your home sauna! These tips below will help you determine the best spot in your home to enjoy your new sauna.

Why to Put a Sauna in the House

While many spas and gyms offer access to saunas, that access is unfortunately not always guaranteed. From saunas being too full with other users or spas and gyms simply being closed, there are a few things that might hold you back from using a public sauna. With a home sauna, however, you have total freedom in sweating whenever and however you want. Having a sauna in the house gives you the opportunity to have your very own health and wellness tool tailored to your needs.

Some home infrared sauna health benefits you can enjoy at any time include:

Weight Loss & Increased Metabolism
Temporary Muscle Pain Relief
Better Sleep
Detoxification
Decreased Appearance of Cellulite
Eased Joint Pain & Stiffness
Reduces Stress & Fatigue
Improved Skin Conditions

Along with the health benefits above, infrared sauna use has also been shown to help enhance workout performance, create an environment for mindfulness, and provide a sanctuary at home. Whether you’re considering a sauna in the house for on-demand spa days or for reaping the long-term benefits of daily use, a home sauna is sure to help you meet your health and wellness goals.

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Choosing the Right Home Sauna for You

Outdoor vs Indoor

Outdoor Sauna: Outdoor saunas of course require an outdoor space. Choosing an outdoor sauna is perfect for those with backyards – especially if a pool is nearby for a quick dip after a sauna session. Things to take into consideration with an outdoor sauna include space, proximity to a power source, privacy, and potentially a structure to help protect the sauna exterior from natural elements.

Indoor Sauna: Indoor infrared saunas are becoming increasingly popular as they provide luxury and health benefits right in the comfort of your own home. No matter where you live, you can likely make an indoor sauna fit in your space. From placing one in the corner of a small apartment to having an entire room dedicated to sauna use, choosing an indoor sauna allows for a range of options for everyone (and every space) to enjoy.

Large vs Small

Large Sauna: Large saunas are the epitome of luxury, but they do require extra space in your home. If you plan on having more than three users at a time or want extra space for activities like hot yoga, dedicate the extra space to have a home sauna of your dreams. Outdoor spaces typically lend themselves to more space for a large sauna, but you can also place one in your home if you have a large, open area.

Small Sauna: Small saunas are great for single-person use or areas tighter on space. The size of small saunas make them incredibly versatile, fitting in bedrooms, bathrooms, small yards, or anywhere else you desire. If you have a 4’ by 4’ space in your home, you can likely fit at least a one-person sauna. While smaller saunas don’t allow for group sessions or hot yoga, they still offer all the same health benefits as a large sauna.

Prebuilt vs Build-Your-Own

Prebuilt Sauna: A prebuilt sauna is a great option for people who want a simple installation. You still get all the bells and whistles of an infrared sauna, but without the planning! These saunas come in many sizes and can be placed anywhere inside or outside where there is a stable, flat surface and room for ventilation. Prebuilt saunas only require light assembly and are ready to go once you have them connected to a power source.

Build-Your-Own Sauna: Building your own DIY sauna is always exciting, as you can customize it to be exactly what fits your needs. These saunas take a higher level of planning, as they require careful calculations and measurements so they can fit seamlessly into your home. Building your own sauna is great for creating an at-home spa experience that perfectly fits your home decor. DIY saunas are more popularly done indoors and in bathrooms or pool houses.

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Placement Considerations for a Home Sauna

Use the Right Flooring Materials

If building your own sauna, the most suitable floors are made of plastic, ceramic, exposed concrete, or stone. The floor should be sound and heat insulated. If, however, you decide to use a premade home sauna, the flooring is already designed with premium cedar or North American basswood that hold up to regular infrared sauna use. Premade saunas can be placed on nearly any surface as long as it is level and sturdy.

Try to Place Near a Shower or Pool

Traditionally, people jumped from the hot sauna to frozen waters. For you, jumping into a pool right after a home sauna session can replicate that refreshing feeling. If your layout allows for it, make the transition between sauna and pool an easy one and have them close. If you do not have a pool at home, a refreshing shower achieves the same effect! Install your sauna in a bathroom for quick and easy access to a shower that will help you feel fresh after.

Have Access to Adequate Power

For infrared sauna use, you will need access to a 240-volt connection. While plugging in a prebuilt home sauna should be simple, especially for indoor use, be sure to double check your connections and contact an electrician if any concerns or issues arise. When building a DIY sauna, involving a licensed electrician in the process will help ensure safety for prolonged use. Ensure the wiring for your sauna is clear of any water or any other hazardous conditions.

Be Wary of Moisture Levels

Make sure there is adequate drainage around the base of your home sauna so water cannot pool around the base of the sauna. It is also important to consider the humidity levels of the area of your choice, as an environment that is too damp may affect materials over time. Additionally, while our outdoor saunas are constructed with engineered wood on the exterior, too much exposure to natural elements over a prolonged period may impact the exterior of your sauna.

Having a sauna in the house is sure to make every day feel a little more luxurious and a lot healthier. Whether you’re looking to improve your health or simply create an at-home spa experience, take the above tips into consideration to ensure your home sauna is exactly what you need!

Staying Healthy with At-Home Activities for Adults

It is no secret that staying home for days, weeks, and even months can get pretty monotonous. But you can shift your mindset from being “stuck” inside by keeping yourself occupied. Since we can’t change the current situation, it’s better to focus on how we can work to make the best of it. Being at home actually allows you to focus your time and attention on things you may not have pursued otherwise, such as taking some time for yourself with a spa day or finally starting on a home project that has been on your to-do list. Read on to find some at-home activities for adults that will keep you stimulated, productive, healthy, and happy.

Healthy At-Home Activities for Adults

Fun Things to Do at Home

As many have shifted into a work-from-home situation where home and business are always connected, it is now harder than ever to differentiate between when work ends and play begins. It is very important for your overall happiness to make some dedicated time to rest and enjoy life. Try out these at-home activities to keep your days lighthearted and fun:

Pick up a new creative project: Even if you aren’t the “crafty” type, crafting can be a great way to get your brain working in new ways. Painting, photography, graphic design, writing, playing music, and building are all great outlets for some of that pent-up creativity. At the end of it, you’ll maybe even find a new favorite hobby.

Plan video calls with loved ones: Staying in contact with loved ones is a great way to stay social when you are at home. Every week, schedule a call with someone new to check in and see how they are doing. Planning a large group call with friends or family can also give you a fun event to look forward to every week.

Schedule a movie night: Binge watching shows is surely one of everyone’s most popular at-home activities during these times, but what about having a dedicated movie night? Make this night special with movie snacks, a cozy setting, and a movie you’ve been wanting to see. You can even host a watch party with distant friends!

Break out the board games: Board games are definitely having a revival right now. As more time is spent at home, more time is available for putting in the time to learn and play new board games. Play with members of your household, or put on a game night with your bubble to really test your skills (and your relationships).

Have a picnic: Whether it’s in your backyard or on your living room floor, doing a themed meal like a picnic can make dining a little more exciting. Make and pack up all your favorite picnic foods in a basket, lay a blanket on the ground, and have a picnic right at home. If you have a bubble to enjoy it with, make it potluck-style!

Treat yourself to a spa day: This time is a bit stressful for everyone, and the tension builds up in the body. Get rid of this discomfort by treating yourself to an at-home spa day! Destress in an infrared sauna, soak in a bubble bath, put on a face mask, and dedicate a good hour to yourself to unwind and take a break.

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Healthy Things to Do at Home

Getting stuck in a rut happens quickly when you aren’t being healthy at home. Home life can certainly be a bit slower-paced than actively going out and doing things, but don’t let that be an excuse to push your health to the side. Instead, try these healthy at-home activities to keep your body and mind in shape while spending time in the house:

Invest in your health: Being healthy doesn’t have to require money, but it can definitely be worth it to invest in bigger-ticket items that can take your health to the next level. From infrared saunas to exercise machines, find equipment that inspires you to continue to stay healthy at home.

Try a new recipe: More time at home means less time eating out, so it’s the perfect time to get more acquainted with your kitchen! Look up recipes to add into your mealtime and learn a new trick or two. Use this as an opportunity to learn more about the ingredients you are using and to try new things.

Experiment with new workouts: Keep your days interesting by switching up your fitness routine. Not only will this keep you from getting bored with working out, it also ensures that you are targeting different areas of your body for more well-rounded fitness.

Make a meal plan: Planning out your meals ahead of time can help you save time and eat a healthier diet. By preparing your meals ahead of time, you only need to dedicate one day to cooking. Planning meals for your week also makes you more aware of the ingredients you are using and the portions you are eating.

Explore outlets for mental health: A large part of your health is your mental health, especially during this time. Find ways to express yourself and address your emotional wellbeing by finding outlets such as meditation, speaking with friends, or trying therapy.

Take some time outside: While this isn’t technically a healthy “at-home” activity since you’ll be outside, it is still an important thing to consider when spending more time at home. Getting some fresh air, movement, and sun can help break up all the time spent inside and help you feel more invigorated and healthy.

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Productive Things to Do at Home

While not as fun as some of the other at-home activities, being productive and getting work done is one of the best things to do when spending more time at home. These ideas require some extra work, but the end results will leave you feeling accomplished, efficient, and at peace knowing your life is on the right track.

Organize an area of your home: With all this time at home, you’re sure to have become more aware of where things are and how they’re organized. Set aside some time to focus on an area of your home to organize and rearrange. If organizing isn’t your favorite activity, try to only do one area in a day to avoid burnout.

Gather items for donation: Not only is this activity a great way to organize your items and clean out things you no longer need, it is also a great way to give back to those who may be in need. Spend some time going through your kitchen, closet, or storage and make a donation pile to bring to a local donation center.

Do a deep clean of one room: Similar to organizing a room, this at-home activity will help boost the enjoyment of being in your space for extended periods of time. Choose one room at a time to do a deep clean – dust, sweep, vacuum, scrub whatever you need to do to keep your home feeling refreshed and enjoyable.

Plan your budget: Taking a look at your budget isn’t the most fun at-home activities for adults, but it is a necessary one. We have seen the importance of being aware of your finances and planning for the future. Go through your recent transactions, forecast your future spending, and make sure your budget is on the right track.

Start a home project: Starting a home project may be daunting and seemingly time-consuming, but when you’re spending more time at home, it’s much easier to fit it into your daily life. Cross something off of your home improvement list and get started on a project that you can chip away at.

Learn a new language: Unfortunately, travel isn’t as easy to do right now, but you can still get a taste of other cultures by learning a new language! There are many languages and programs to choose from to help get you started, and hopefully you can use your new skills soon out in the world.

Being in your house doesn’t mean you’re stuck, it simply means you now have more opportunities to try these at-home activities for adults. Stay happy, healthy, productive!

50 Ways to Improve Yourself During Self Improvement Month

September is Self Improvement Month, which gives us a perfect reason to take a look at our lives to see how we can improve. Finding ways to improve yourself can be an uncomfortable, but necessary, task. It forces us to analyze what is and isn’t working on a very personal level, which results in change that can greatly improve quality of life. From getting healthy to organizing your home, check out these ideas to help improve yourself this month and beyond.

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The Benefits of Self Improvement

Increase Self-Awareness

The first benefit of self-improvement is that it requires you to become more self-aware and get to know yourself better. It makes you question yourself and face reality for what it is, however harsh it might be. Self-awareness is an ongoing journey. So, in order to be on the path of self-improvement, it is important to never lose touch with yourself.

Cultivate Self-Love

Self improvement cultivates self-love and compassion. By seeing yourself grow with every passing day, you build on your confidence and self-esteem. Self-improvement is about focusing on what matters to you and overcoming any mental hurdles that might be stopping you from reaching your highest potential.

Enhance Strengths

Self-improvement allows you to identify your personal strengths and play on them. From relationships to careers – knowing your strengths is important for every sphere of your life. It gives you a better understanding of what you are seeking and where you are likely to thrive and excel. It helps you set life goals and make them happen.

Overcome Weaknesses

While identifying strengths is an important aspect of self-improvement, so is identifying your weaknesses. The goal of improving yourself should be to look beyond those weaknesses that are stopping you from achieving greatness. Accept your weaknesses, identify where they stem from, and be determined to overcome them.

Step out of Your Comfort Zone

Choosing to work on improving yourself requires you to step out of your comfort zone. It lets you face your fears, try new things, and challenge yourself. There will be times when you will discover a new side of your personality, but there will also be times when you will fail. Don’t let those failures bog you down, as life begins outside your comfort zone.

Increase Motivation

Self-improvement and motivation go hand in hand. When you see yourself developing as a human being, you are filled with optimism and the drive to push yourself to do better. It is a continuous cycle that needs you to maintain your motivation levels and be committed to continuous growth.

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Improve Physical Health

Improving yourself is often spoken of in terms of focusing on your actions and mindset, but it can also apply to your physical health. Being physically healthy impacts your mental state and can help you approach life in a new way. Be active for 30 minutes every day, get plenty of sleep, eat well, and invest in items like an infrared sauna that will provide many health benefits.

Understand Mental Health

One of the biggest benefits of self-improvement is the positive impact it has on mental health. When you work on yourself, you get to know yourself better which lets you handle your thoughts and emotions more effectively. You begin to understand why you are experiencing certain emotions and learn how to tackle them with time.

Heal Relationships

When you work on improving yourself, you automatically improve your relations with those around you. The key to combat conflicts and build meaningful relationships starts with looking inward and developing yourself first. Moreover, when you strive to have a positive self-image, you are bound to nurture healthy relationships.

Improve Decision Making

Good decision making skills come from a place of clarity, self-awareness, and confidence which is a direct result of self-improvement. When you know what you want to achieve out of a situation and set your goals accordingly, you are able to make better, informed decisions.

Find a Sense of Purpose

Self-improvement and personal development give your life purpose and meaning. They help improve mental and physical well-being by keeping you on the right track. With a sense of purpose, you learn to accept all the challenges that come along the way because you have your eyes set on what really matters – the ‘bigger picture’.

Gain More Clarity

Mental clarity is a tough state to attain. However, when you make self-improvement the primary goal of your life, you begin to start becoming more authentic and removing the clutter from your life. Gaining clarity allows you to stay focused and not engage in anything that takes you away from your goal.

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Self-Improvement Ideas

Keep a to-do list.
Stay organized.
Do your most important task first every day.
Practice mindfulness.
Practice gratitude.
Pursue a hobby that you love – just for fun.
Have a motivational vision board.
Start a morning routine to do every day.
Journal regularly.
Have a go-to activity to get you out of a rut.
Create a mission statement for your life.
Get out of your comfort zone.
Start meditating.
Practice self awareness.
Focus on increasing the skills you’re good at.
Be comfortable asking for help.
Give praise to people you spend time with.
Take constructive feedback positively.
Save for retirement.
Spend money on experiences (not things).
Spend less than you make.
Stop negative thoughts.
Be your own best friend.
Drink enough water every day.
Get enough good sleep.

Learn ways to manage stress.
Have a weekly exercise routine.
Keep track of routine doctor appointments.
Create a meal plan.
Master the art of conflict resolution.
Stop procrastinating.
Improve your body language.
Invest in your health.
Read something new every day.
Check in on loved ones.
Create a bucket list.
Ask for feedback.
Acknowledge your flaws.
Leverage helpful resources.
Avoid negative people.
Get a mentor or coach.
Reduce the time spent on social media.
Stick to a 30-day challenge.
Let go of the past.
Show kindness to people around you.
Take a break.
Seek personal development opportunities.
Practice active listening.
Volunteer your time.
Actively participate in your community.

How to Improve Yourself Everyday

Personal development lasts far beyond Self Improvement Month, and meaningful changes can take place with just a few daily changes to your regular lifestyle. The key to achieving growth is sticking to it and continually making a conscious effort to improve yourself every day.