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      Here’s How To Actually Practise Mindfulness And Unlock Inner Peace

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      We’ve got some good news. While you may feel that mindfulness is a a lot to get a handle of, the truth is you already practise mindfulness in other ways all the time. For example, you’re mindful when you need to change lanes, or when you use an oven mitt so you don’t burn yourself.

      So why not try intentionally putting some mindfulness techniques into practice? We’ve got everything you need to know right here in one place so you can click away from this article a whole lot more zen.

      What Is Mindfulness?

      Based on Zen, Vipassanā, and Tibetan meditation techniques, the concept is over 2 500 years old and has been practised over countless generations. It’s the practice of being aware and conscious in the present moment, calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings and is used as a technique in therapy. This awareness has opened the door for thousands of pieces of literature on the topic because it works so well.

      3 Books To Read About Mindfulness

      The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle

      Wherever You Go by Jon Kabat-Zinn

      The Miracle Of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh

      READ MORE: These 3 Mental Exercises Can Help You Find Your Purpose In Life At Any Age

      What Are The Benefits Of Mindfulness?

      Studies reveal a direct link between mindfulness practices such as meditation, breathwork and yoga, and an array of health benefits.

      Mindfulness Can Lower Your Blood Pressure

      A 2022 study in the Journal of Tehran University Heart Centre found that mindfulness meditation “showed a significant reduction in the mean blood pressure, stress, depression and anxiety scores, as well as a significant improvement in different aspects of quality of life in patients.” Fabulous news!

      It Can Reduce Inflammation

      A 2019 study found that mindfulness meditation helped the brain manage stress – a known inflammation trigger – and therefore could reduce levels of inflammation.

      Mindfulness Can Promote Better Sleep

      A 2018 study found a promising correlation between mindfulness practises and better sleep with less disturbance. Other experts believe it might even help fight insomnia, too.

      It Can Help You Recover Quicker From Stress

      While it’s kinda the whole point for mindfulness to nix stress, it could also help you bounce back from current stressors. That’s likely because mindfulness equips you to better respond to stress, helping you recover from it faster.

      It Can Positively Influence Willpower and Interpersonal Relationships

      Studies have found that when you practise mindfulness, your ability to react to relationship stress is better. Also, your satisfaction in relationships improves.

      It’s Good For Your Immune System

      Physically, mindfulness practices enhance immune functioning and foster greater bodily awareness.

      It Can Shift Your Mindset

      When you practise mindfulness, a few great things happen. “Mindfulness is more than just a practice,” says Cami Barausse, Head of Yoga at Virgin Active. “It’s a whole mindset shift.”

      It Can Give You Emotional Balance And Mental Clarity

      “For many, it has offered a transformative pathway towards mental clarity and emotional balance,” says Barausse.

      It Can Help You Handle Pressure

      “Mindfulness can empower you to navigate through life’s daily pressures with composure, ensuring that you view challenges as transient phases,” Barausse explains.

      It’s Great For Fitness Enthusiasts

      Additionally, mindfulness offers a plethora of performance benefits for sportspeople and fitness enthusiasts. For athletes, the holistic benefits derived from mindfulness practices can be especially pronounced. Personal trainers and coaches often encourage daily mindfulness and meditation to boost their overall performance and recovery.

      READ MORE: How To Turn Those Forgotten Resolutions Into Attainable Goals

      How To Practise Mindfulness

      “Incorporating mindfulness into one’s routine can be a game-changer for anyone looking to elevate their wellness journey,” says Barausse. For her, it can be as simple as incorporating the practice into your everyday life.

      “Dedicate a few minutes each morning, during a break, or before sleep. Find a quiet space, focus on your breathing, and gently acknowledge your thoughts before bringing your attention back to your breath. This simple practice can anchor you in the present, enhancing your day or preparing you for restful sleep.”

      But if you’re not quite ready to be alone with your thoughts, these activities can help you settle into the present moment, too.

      1. Practise Mindfulness With Yoga

      “The social aspect of mindfulness as a group makes it a validating, often profound experience, which many people find spiritually significant,” says Barausse. So head to your local gym to try out a yoga class.

      By focusing on your breathing as you work your way through each pose, you allow yourself to focus only on the present moment – which in itself is an act of mindfulness. Allow other thoughts to melt away and focus only on your breath, each moment, and how it feels.

      Want to get started at home? Try this easy 15 minute yoga flow.

      2. Try Walking Meditation

      If it’s hard to sit in one position while focusing on creating mindfulness, so why not try a meditative walk? During the walk, focus on your breath, the air and objects around you.

      And if you want to level up those walks, why not take on our WH Walking Challenge right here.

      READ MORE: 18 Mental Health Books For Anxiety, People-Pleasing And More

      3. Use Journalling

      Nothing forces you to zero in on your emotions quite like flooding the pages of your diary with your thoughts. While you’re writing, you’re forced to focus on the words you’re creating, which creates mindfulness. You can also take note of the texture of the paper, the way the ink flows, and where in your body you’re holding tension.

      Want to get started? Here are 15 wellness journals you can buy right now.

      4. Do Crafts

      Any activity that requires you to use your hands and stay focused on your given task is a gateway to mindfulness. Keep yourself from wondering thoughts by focusing on the task at hand, like perfecting your brushstroke as you paint.

      5. Eat Mindfully

      Not only is this a healthier way to consume food, it also has mood benefits. While chewing, focus on the feel of your food, the way it smells and how it’s filling you up. You’ll be surprised to see you’ll likely eat less, too.

      6. Try An App

      Mindfulness and meditation apps help you settle into the OG meditation practice. They’ll also let you customise things like the voice, listening time and more. Try apps like Headspace, Calm or Insight Timer.

      3 Mindfulness Apps To Download

      Headspace app

      Calm app

      Insight Timer More

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      How To Turn Those Forgotten Resolutions Into Attainable Goals

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      We can’t think of a better way to remind you that you’re never too late to try again or to attempt new things! So, we’ll borrow the late Aaliyah’s words: “…And if at first you don’t succeed, then dust yourself off and try again.” We know, it’s simpler read/said than done! This should also apply to those New Year’s resolutions you have gotten around to implementing – or that vision board you promised to finalise by the end of January.

      If you’ve long abandoned the New Year’s resolutions you swore you’d pursue in 2024, welcome – there’s many of us here! Research suggests around 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February of the year they are made.

      “Often those well-intentioned proclamations have to do with improving our wellbeing,” says Maya Rutstein, product architect at soSerene, a digital wellbeing platform. According to Forbes research, the most common theme for New Year’s resolutions in 2023 was improving mental health. And for 2024, it was getting fitter. So, before you give up on yourself for another whole year, let’s take a look at how you can reboot those  fitness resolutions into solid goals.

      READ MORE: 18 Mental Health Books For Anxiety, People-Pleasing And More

      Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail?

      “To avoid making the same mistakes, we need to look at why our resolutions failed in the first place,” says Rutstein. “For starters, a New Year’s resolution is often a broad statement of intent that’s inspired by the tradition of setting intentions for the new year but lacks any kind of plan when it comes to how we’re going to achieve success – or what success even looks like. It’s hard to achieve a goal when you don’t have a clear roadmap to follow or any way of measuring your progress,” she explains.

      The second reason for failed (read: delayed) resolutions is that they are often made while we are in an idealistic state of mind.

      “So, we end up setting overly ambitious goals that become unrealistic once we’re back in our regular routines. This leads to disappointment and discouragement,” says Rutstein. Other reasons we might fail are lack of support, external pressures such as life changes or stress or simply losing interest.  

      How To Make Goals That Stick

      A good framework for solid goal-setting is the SMART approach. “This is designed to take a vague aspiration and turn it into a goal that can be achieved,” shares Rutstein. SMART is an acronym that stands for: 

      Specific: The goal should clearly define what you want to accomplish. It should answer the who, what, where, when, which and why.

      Measurable: There should be a way to measure your progress. This helps you stay on track and motivated.

      Achievable: The goal should be realistically attainable with the resources, knowledge and time you have available.

      Relevant: The goal should align with your broader life ambitions and values. It’s important that a goal matters to the person setting it. If you’re trying to achieve something just because someone else said you should, your chances of success will be zero to low.

      Time-bound: There should be a clearly defined timeline for the goal. This creates a sense of urgency, which in turn will encourage you to prioritise working towards the goal.

      READ MORE: These 3 Mental Exercises Can Help You Find Your Purpose In Life At Any Age

      How To Rejig Your Resolutions

      To see what the SMART Approach looks like in practice, let’s take a look at the world’s favourite New Year’s resolution for 2024: “I want to get fit”. “Framed in this way, this resolution is broad and vague. It doesn’t outline how the goal will be achieved, nor does it have a measurable or time-bound aspect,” notes Rutstein. “It’s more of a wish than a goal.” 

      Transforming this intention into a SMART goal could look like this, she says: “I aim to jog for 30 minutes, three times a week, after work and increase my distance by 10% each month, aiming for a 5km run in six months.”

      This goal is specific (jogging a certain amount of time and number of days), measurable (30 minutes, three times a week, with a 10% increase in distance monthly), achievable (it starts with a manageable routine and builds gradually; it doesn’t require exercise equipment that you may not own), relevant (aligned with the broader objective of getting fit), and time-bound (there are weekly targets and a six-month milestone). It provides a clear roadmap for what success looks like and how it can be achieved.

      READ MORE: Here’s Why Burnout Among Women Is A Bigger Issue Than You’d Think

      How To Stick To Your Goals

      Setting a goal is one thing, sticking to it can be quite another. Rutstein says a mix of internal and external motivators can help you stay on track.

      “Intrinsic motivation comes from within – we engage in an activity because we find it inherently fun or satisfying,” explains Rutstein. “In the example of wanting to get fit, choose an activity that’s genuinely fun for you. If you absolutely loathe running, you may want to choose something else, like brisk walking or home workouts.”

      Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, involves external rewards or pressures, she says. “You could enter a 5km race that’s taking place in six months’ time so there’s pressure on you to train. Or you could publish your progress on social media so that you receive the reward of people acknowledging your efforts.”

      Finally, be open to learning and adapting along the journey. “Continuous learning involves seeking out new information and being receptive to changes, while adaptation means adjusting goals and methods as our understanding and circumstances evolve,” says Rutstein.

      For example, you may find that you need to change how you eat to fuel your new running habit, or that running before work is better for your schedule. Together, these principles encourage a flexible and dynamic approach to wellbeing, ensuring that your journey remains relevant and responsive to your changing needs and insights. Now that you have the tools to rejig your goals, here’s to making the rest of 2024 your best year yet! More

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      Art Curator Lerato Bereng-Moji On How Self-Honesty Improved Her Mental Health

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      Moving to a new environment in hopes of levelling up your career or life can go either way. Sometimes, it may take longer for the grass to finally be greener on the other side. That was the case for Lerato Bereng-Moji, an art curator, director and co-owner of the Stevenson Gallery, who soon learned that studying and living art were two different concepts.

      The Root Cause

      Right after graduating with a degree in fine arts from Rhodes University, Lerato joined the art scene in Cape Town. It was here where she met her art heroes and cut her teeth working in curatorship. Coming from Maseru in Lesotho, Lerato found both Cape Town and the art scene overwhelming. “Coming to Cape Town, which is kind of a mega art city, everything was a lot to take in,” she muses.

      READ MORE: How To Actually Get Better At Talking To Yourself

      “I was super starstruck when I first arrived. I remember finally meeting someone like Penny Siopis, an honorary professor at the University of Cape Town’s Michaelis School of Fine Art, whose art we’d studied in school.” Still, she found the city a tad intimidating, which took a toll on her mental health. “Cape Town is a very Eurocentric city for starters, and has a very different landscape from many African cities,” she explains.

      “While learning a lot – and I’ll always be grateful for that experience – I also found it incredibly alienating.” Lerato also struggled with resonating with the art in Cape Town.“I found that the predominant voice [in most of the art] was really unfamiliar to me. It was difficult to find my own voice and to figure out who I was, and what I wanted to do creatively in a space that had very little that I could add to my experience.” In this way, Lerato felt not only far from home geographically but conceptually, too.

      The Tides of Change

      Then in late 2010, an opportunity to travel to Joburg for a conference presented itself. At the spur of the moment, Lerato decided not to book a return ticket. “I was offered a return ticket and I kind of impulsively decided to ask for a one-way,” she recalls. She didn’t know much about Joburg at first, but grew to love it. “I really enjoyed the energy and hustle of the city and most people here are migrant labourers like myself,” she points out.

      READ MORE: Fall Asleep Faster With These 7 Hacks For Better Sleep

      Lerato started hustling to find work in the Joburg art scene, while enjoying the new Afrocentric space that spoke to her. “You immediately encounter Joburg with a punch in your face and I appreciated the honesty of the city,” she shares. Not only that, but Joburg is only a mere four-hour drive to her home country.

      In late 2013, Lerato also completed a Masters thesis, centred on Lesotho, which was met with great appreciation. “I called it Conversations at Morija. The first iteration happened in 2013, and again in 2015 and 2017,” she says. Another was held in October this 2023 around Lesotho’s Independence Day, and will centre on her recent exhibition and book How to Make a Country.

      “I now understand that the only way to make it, or to make something of myself in the world, is if I’m entirely honest,” she muses. And that’s a liberating lesson that she’s since carried into all aspects of her life!

      Parting Shot

      2010…The year Lerato learnt that Joburg was exactly what her mental health needed.

      READ MORE: TV/Radio Presenter Rorisang Thandekiso On The Moments That Defined Her Path Forever

      Best Lesson…“So often, we try to fit ourselves into the moulds that are presented as what has already been, but we’re not here to occupy spaces of what’s already begun.”

      11…The approximate number of art exhibitions Lerato has curated in her career. More

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      Fall Asleep Faster With These 7 Hacks For Better Sleep

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      20 Minutes. That’s all that stands between feeling exhausted and the best sleep ever. It’s also how much more sleep a woman needs than the average man, according to professional James Horne, a leading sleep expert in the UK.A good night’s sleep is kind of like an orgasm – you have friends who experience it on the reg, your guy gets it right every night and you’ve only managed it a couple of times over the past few months. Sleep deprivation affects women more than men… fact! We sleep lighter and find it more difficult to go back to dreamland once we wake up. So, what gives? Well, turns out that your daytime habits and your pre-sleep routine could be to blame. So, if you’re keen on catching a little more shut-eye tonight, start by making these easy changes to fall asleep faster.

      Fall asleep faster with these hacks

      Start bright

      Within five minutes of waking, try to expose yourself to sunlight for 30 minutes to give your brain the “It’s morning!” signal, says sleep specialist Clete Kushida. If it’s still way before sunrise, turn on a bright light to simulate sunlight as closely as possible. Getting exposure to light as soon as you wake up sends important signals in the body. It regulates your body’s internal clock – called the circadian rhythm – and suppresses melatonin while boosting cortisol levels. In this case, cortisol isn’t the demon we make it out to be, but rather helps wake up the body and allows you to become alert.

      See the light

      Once you’re seeing the light, continue to bask in it. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found office workers who scored natural light during the day got an average of 46 minutes more sleep per night than daylight-deprived colleagues. That’s because being exposed to sunlight signals to the body that it’s time to be alert and awake. As the day wears on, lower your exposure to sunlight as you signal to your body that it’s time to slow down.

      READ MORE: Struggle Sleeping? Here’s How To Create A Bedtime Routine, Per Experts

      Hit the weights

      Any resistance exercise you do, whether it’s at 7 am or 7 pm, will reduce the number of times you wake up during the night, according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. In a review of research in Sleep Medicine Review, researchers found that “resistance exercise training improves anxiety and depression” – which makes sense since these conditions can keep us up at night. Moreover, they found that when compared to aerobic exercise (the kind that pumps your heart rate), resistance workouts scored higher for sleep. One theory is that weight training boosts growth hormone and testosterone in the body, which is in turn linked to better sleep.

      Save carbs for dinner

      The insulin spike you get from eating foods such as brown rice, sweet potato or pasta may help you fall asleep faster, says research published in the journal Cell Reports. That’s because carbs increase the levels of a hormone called tryptophan, which works in the brain to produce serotonin (your happiness hormone) and melatonin (the sleep hormone). Have a portion with dinner to help you fall asleep faster when bedtime rolls around.

      Play your soundtrack

      To set the stage for sleep, play a slow jam – songs with a continuous rhythm of around 60bpm, which sync up with your resting heart rate, says therapeutic practitioner Lyz. And it doesn’t have to be Enya – try Coldplay’s “Strawberry Swing” or Beyoncé’s “Flaws and All”. Per the popular sleep app Calm, there’s a plethora of sounds that signal the body to wind down. That includes white noise, ocean waves, rain, nature sounds and sleep stories. By creating a sense of peacefulness, you allow the body to enter rest mode and can fall asleep faster.

      READ MORE: We Tried Morphée: A Screen-Free Sleep Device To Help You Actually Doze Off

      Find your calm

      Women who had hypnosis got up to 80 percent more deep Zs in a study by the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Try this from hypnotherapist Dr John McGrail: sit with palms on thighs. Raise your index finger and imagine it getting lighter. Lower it as you silently count down from five then think “deep sleep”. You could also try meditation apps or sleep-time podcasts to lull your body into a sense of calm and fall asleep.

      Banish glare

      If you must watch a series in bed, set your gadget’s brightness to the lowest possible level. U.S. research shows that the light from computer, tablet and smartphone screens suppresses melatonin. Use an app like f.lux, which filters out blue light from your device, or wear blue-light-blocking glasses, which helps.

      READ MORE: The Greatest Sleepytime Products That’ll Take You To La-La Land, STAT More

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      How To Actually Get Better At Talking To Yourself

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      We’re all probably guilty of entertaining the negative voices in our heads in the midst of a situation where things aren’t exactly going our way. Whether you’ve missed a deadline on your assignment, dropped off the kids late for school, made a lacklustre supper or messed up a job interview, no situation is ever that grand for anyone to talk harshly to themselves.

      Ask yourself this question? How often are you polite to others as opposed to the number of times you bash yourself when things go wrong?

      “When it comes to our inner dialogue, a.k.a. self-talk, what we say to ourselves is often careless, critical, and even cruel. And while we may not think much of it, that self-talk is powerful and has more of an effect on our mental well-being than we realise,” explains psychologist Maya Rutstein, also a product architect for digital wellbeing platform, soSerene.

      Quick recap: Self-talk is the inner voice that houses the beliefs we hold about ourselves. It shapes our perception of the world and personal reality, therefore influencing our emotional, psychological and physical well-being.

      READ MORE: TV/Radio Presenter Rorisang Thandekiso On The Moments That Defined Her Path Forever

      The Origins Of Self-Talk

      “There are many factors that influence our inner voice during the course of our lives,” explains Rutstein. “It starts early on. Our past experiences and upbringing play a significant role in shaping what our inner voice sounds like. Interactions we have and feedback we receive early in life shape our self-perception into adulthood.” She adds that social comparisons play a major role, too.

      “When we compare ourselves to others and find ourselves wanting, this can lead to negative self-talk. Often this is exacerbated by social media, because we’re comparing our whole lives to carefully curated snapshots of other people’s lives,” says Rutstein.

      Cultural, societal and family expectations can also set standards that individuals strive to meet, influencing self-criticism or encouragement. For example, when family members expect you to have ticked off certain milestones (such as marriage, children or buying a house) by a certain age, you may start to feel like a failure if you haven’t met their expectations. Personal achievements and failures can directly impact self-talk, too, with successes boosting positive self-dialogue and failures often leading to negative self-talk.

      READ MORE: Enjoy Your Downtime (Without Feeling Guilty) In 3 Easy Steps

      Positive Self-Talk For The Win

      When self-talk is positive, it can have a wide range of positive effects on our lives – from how we feel to how we show up in the world. People with a positive inner dialogue tend to be more confident, more productive and happier. “Have you ever felt frustrated because someone with less technical ability than you got promoted and you didn’t? Or that someone else built a successful business off an idea that you also had but didn’t have the guts to pursue?” asks Rutstein. “That’s self-talk at work.”

      “Positive self-talk enhances mental well-being by reducing stress and anxiety and fostering a positive outlook on life. That optimism makes the other person believe that the business idea will be a success, making them more inclined to pursue it,” shares Rutstein. Positive self-talk also boosts self-confidence and self-esteem, empowering individuals to tackle challenges and pursue goals. Rather than being held back by self-doubt, the person believes that they are the one who should pursue the idea and turn it into a business.

      “Positive self-talk encourages resilience, enabling individuals to recover more quickly from setbacks and maintain motivation. This emboldens the person to take the risk of starting the business, because even if it doesn’t work out, they’ll bounce back and try something else. Positive self-talk can even improve physical health. It has been linked to lower stress levels, better immune function, and better overall wellbeing,” explains Rutstein.

      READ MORE: 18 Mental Health Books For Anxiety, People-Pleasing And More

      Why Negative Self-Talk Is A Definite ‘No’

      Unfortunately, as powerful as positive self-talk can be for improving the overall quality of our lives, negative self-talk can be just as powerful – but in a destructive way. Unchecked, it can lead to mental health issues such as chronic stress, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem, as well as exacerbate physical ailments.

      “Negative self-talk can result in a defeatist attitude towards goals and aspirations, hindering personal and professional growth. If you’ve ever given up on something before you even tried because you expected the worst, that was negative self-talk in action,” says Rutstein. She adds that it can also strain relationships by projecting insecurities and negativity onto interactions with others. “When you feel bad about yourself, you may enter social interactions defensively. This may cause you to misinterpret what other people say or do as an attack because that’s what you’re expecting,” says Rutstein.

      A classic example is when someone says, “You did well today,” but what you hear is, “You did well today for a change because you’re usually incompetent.” That, right there, is negative self-talk causing you to perceive a compliment as an insult.

      READ MORE: TikTok’s Loud Budgeting Trend Is What Your Wallet Needs In 2024, Say Financial Experts

      How To Show Up For Yourself

      Per Rutstein, if you typically engage in negative self-talk, the good news is that it’s totally possible to rewire your brain with these five easy steps:

      Practise mindfulness: Caught yourself feeling bad that the person on the treadmill next to you is running so much faster? Instead, think about how well you did by making it to the gym in the first place – and how many excuses could have held you back, but didn’t. Become aware of negative self-talk as it occurs. Acknowledge these thoughts without judgment and gently redirect your focus to more positive or neutral thoughts.

      Challenge your own negative thoughts: Question the validity of negative self-assessments and replace them with positive affirmations instead. Thinking about how you’re definitely going to mess up your job interview? Focus on all the reasons why you’re actually the best candidate for the position.

      Gratitude journalling: Regularly write down things you are grateful for or proud of about yourself. This can help shift focus from negative to positive aspects.

      Surround yourself with positive influences: Engage with supportive friends, family and content that uplifts you, reducing exposure to negativity that can feed into self-criticism.

      Set small, achievable goals: Accomplishing even little goals (making your bed every morning; not snoozing the alarm) can boost your sense of efficacy and foster a more positive dialogue about your capabilities and achievements.

      As a parting shot, we invite you to reflect on these words from author Brianna Wiest‘s book When You’re Ready, This Is How You Heal: “What if cleansing your mind with hopeful, joyful, positive thoughts is the rebalancing that’s been long overdue, after so many years of existing solely on the most negative interpretations you could come up with?” More

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      Could Bed Rotting Be The Answer To Your Self-Care Struggles?

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      New Age, TikTok wellness trends will have you believe that everything your parents taught you about waking up early daily and making your bed is as irrelevant and outdated as a feature phone. Take for instance the latest fad: bed rotting (the tag has garnered more than 2 billion views on TikTok)!

      Ever had those weekend episodes where your eyes are wide awake (yay, new day!), but your body tells you that it doesn’t feel like leaving the bed. So, you end up eating, reading, catching on the latest season of Love Is Blind, taking calls, mindlessly browsing the rabbit hole that is the ‘net – all from comfort of your bed! Yep, you may have done this a couple of times already but thanks to GenZers redefining life as we’ve always known it via TikTok, the trend now has a phrase. What you call being consciously unproductive your grandmother may call pure laziness – but however you see it, let’s delve deeper into what ‘bed rotting’ a.k.a. ‘much-deserved rest’ entails – and how to do it right!

      READ MORE: 5 Reasons This Mauritius Holiday Is A Wellness Dream

      What You Do In Bed Matters

      Granting yourself a lazy day every once in a while is purely warranted and is no new concept. However, equally important is knowing when bed rotting is totally healthy and when it’s feeding into your existing mental health issues. “If, for instance, you’re already struggling with basic day-to-day functions and you’d rather sleep than face certain emotions head-on, sleeping or spending more time in bed could signal depression and other mood disorders,” explains counselling psychologist Selloane Molalogi-Makau, adding that if you’re constantly feeling lethargic and feel safer spending time in bed than anywhere else, perhaps it’s time to seek professional help.

      If, however, there is nothing alarming about your behaviour and you function just as well when you’re not cooped up in bed, Molalogi-Makau, suggests setting time limits to how much time you’re going to spend ‘bed rotting’ could be a good idea. For instance, are you going to use that time catching up on to-do list items that you didn’t get to in the week or are you immersed in a book whose storyline literally transports you to another world?

      “Just be careful not to indulge in anything that could upset you, stress you out or make you feel like your bed is safer than being out there in the world,” warns Molalogi-Makau.

      A February 2023 study by the University of Bath found that “long-term inactivity significantly increases blood sugar levels even if you reduce your food intake to avoid gaining weight.” While another pilot study published in the National Library of Medicine found that there was a correlation between “sleeping or lying in bed all day and an increased risk of stress and depression, systemic inflammation and other psychological and cardiovascular ailments.”

      READ MORE: Banesa Tseki On How Yoga Gave Her A New Lease On Life

      Bed Rotting Done Right?

      Durban-based psychologist Lindani Mnyaka believes that there’s nothing sinister with bed rotting – provided it’s done once in a blue moon, as opposed to regularly. He does, however, add that nothing adds meaning to our lives such as kicking that duvet cover and being up and about creating a life of meaning. He also highlights the importance of constantly checking in one’s mental health state, so as to avoid sinking into a mood disorder without being aware of it.

      Changing your sleep schedule drastically ultimately does more harm than good for your mental and physical health, says Mnyaka. Per a 2019 Harvard Health report, “too much sleep can lead to too little energy.” Why is that? “Because it appears that any significant deviation from normal sleep patterns can upset the body’s rhythms and increase daytime fatigue,” according to the report. That said, Mnyaka agrees with Molalogi-Makau re: setting a limit to how much time time you’re going to spend in bed, as well as mapping out exactly what you’ll be doing.

      Among some of the activities he suggests are reading, watching a series, colouring in, sewing in buttons (time to own a sewing kit!) or a catch-up video call with a loved one. “It’s also very important to mention that just because a health trend has attracted billions of views doesn’t necessarily make it a healthy solution. People really need to start scrutinising

      READ MORE: 20 Fitness Apps To Kickstart Your Wellness Journey

      A Problematic Title, Maybe?

      Perhaps worth asking is – why is resting referred to as rotting, when the former is actually a good thing (and especially when self-care/resting comes in many forms? What’s self-care to one person may not work for another individual and such is the case with many subjective practises. TikTokers are probably rolling their eyes this very minute and thinking – what’s in a name, anyway? If there’s anything that we should take away from the bed rotting trend, it’s that aimless and unplanned rest – especially in a culture that praises busyness over relaxation – is completely healthy and okay. We’re allowed to take care of ourselves, the best way we know how. More

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      TV/Radio Presenter Rorisang Thandekiso On The Moments That Defined Her Path Forever

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      TV/Radio broadcaster and speaker Rorisang Thandekiso’s biggest turning point came in Grade 8. Vocal from a very young age, Rorisang often got into trouble for being too opinionated or mediating a fight between classmates, for instance. “So much so that the principal called me Winnie Mandela. My mother would get called in because I talked a lot,” she recalls.

      The ‘talking’ started affecting her marks via the school’s demerit system, where for every wrongdoing, points would be deducted from the learner’s final year mark. “At the end of Grade 4, I received two report cards – one with my actual marks, where I’d passed, and one where the demerit points had been deducted and I’d failed. The school went with the latter report card, meaning I had to repeat the Grade 4.”

      READ MORE: How One Woman Overcame Diet Pill Addiction And Reclaimed Her Life

      Nothing But A Minor Hurdle

      Livid, Rorisang’s mother wanted to take her daughter out of the school, to which her grandfather advised: “Don’t, it will shrivel her up forever!” That year, Rorisang repeated Grade 4 and vowed to keep silent, which killed her confidence and made her feel as though there was something innately wrong with her. 

      Fast-forward to Grade 8…Rorisang’s English teacher would always sing her praises on just how well she narrated stories and carried out her class presentations. “That year, he encouraged me to enter the English Olympiad competition that was actually meant for Grade 11 and 12 learners. I won and we only declared afterwards that I was, in fact, in Grade 8,” she shares, adding that in that moment a light bulb went on in her head. 

      READ MORE: 10 Wellness Quotes By Miss SA Natasha Joubert (That We Absolutely Loved!)

      Feeling Seen

      “Winning the English Olympiad competition made me feel seen and reaffirmed that there had been nothing wrong with me throughout primary school. The competition celebrated me for having an opinion. All of a sudden everything that I loved – engaging, debating and trying to change the world through my opinions – suddenly had a place to live,” she enthuses. 

      As a result of wanting to be an agent of change, Rorisang studied International Relations after matric. And even though she didn’t get to change the world through championing policies – being cooped up in an office was just not for her – she did find another platform when the yesteryear children’s TV show YOTV headhunted her. This, after seeing her making waves locally and internationally through her debating engagements.

      “At 18, my first presenting gig was a show called Blue Couch, which dealt with the more serious stuff – and I later started producing it. This was the beginning of a broadcast career that has spanned nearly 20 years.” 

      READ MORE: DJ And Fitness Trainer Miss Bee On Crafting A New Life After Surviving Cancer

      Staying Power

      The secret to her longevity is from another lesson she learnt while waitressing as a teen. “I worked at a restaurant where Tata, one of the chefs, would always encourage me to arrive at work early so he could show me how the kitchen operates. He wanted me to get the complete picture of how a restaurant functions,” she says. Tata taught her a valuable lesson: “In any place, the most knowledgeable and impactful people are usually behind the scenes – and are often the most disregarded,” he said. This lesson guides Rorisang to this day. 

      “I’ve learnt that no one is beneath me. There can never be anything that makes me feel too important. Many of my work opportunities come through ordinary people. Therefore, there can never be anything that makes me feel too important. Fame, for me, is a weird concept,” she concludes.  

      Parting Shot

      I could never live without…God. I’m fully dependent on Him and it’s the one relationship I cannot compromise on. The things people enjoy about me – be it TV, radio or an MCing gig – I pull them from God. Family has also been my biggest source of support.

      One thing most people don’t know about me is that…I only watch Nollywood films and K-Drama series. So much so that I usually get into trouble when I meet local personalities that I’m supposed to know [chuckles].

      What I hope to build more of in 2024 is…I’d like to zone in more on my ‘speaking’ era. I really want to travel the world with my speaking engagements.

      This article originally appeared in the Jan/Feb 2024 edition of Women’s Health SA. More

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      in health and weelbeing

      How One Woman Overcame Diet Pill Addiction And Reclaimed Her Life

      by

      Monique Eloff has regained control of her body and eating habits and is now South Africa’s own Supreme Queen Global Earth Africa. But when she was 18, a bad breakup saw her struggling with diet pill addiction. Here, she tells her story to inspire and educate other women about the dangers of weight loss pills and how she regained control of her body – and eating habits.

      The impetus

      For four years, Monique had been battling with her weight and was trying to shed unwanted kilos. In 2005, when Monique was 18, a heartbreaking break-up sent her into depression and she tried to regain control by becoming fixated on losing weight. “My addiction started after going through a major relationship breakup and my inability to deal with the pain, the loss, the rejection and feelings of ‘not being wanted’,” Monique reflects. “I became obsessed with losing weight.” Monique visited a dietician but it didn’t work, mostly, Monique thought, because of a hormone imbalance caused by prolonged chronic stress that threw things out of whack in her body.

      The beginning of a diet pill addiction

      Thereafter, Monique tried an endocrinologist, but her treatment was expensive and she opted out.

      It was around this time that Monique discovered weight loss pills. “I was introduced to a substance called ephedrine. In year one, I mixed ephedrine with cayenne pepper to make my own weight-loss tablets,” she says. “That worked really well. I started to lose weight and I experienced increased energy levels and I also experienced higher performance at varsity and even better grades in my studies.” Unfortunately, Monique started building up a tolerance to the drugs and needed more to keep losing weight. To get there, she turned to ephedrine in its purest form. “At certain points, I even refined it for snorting,” she confesses.

      “One thing led to another. I could not sleep because of the adrenaline rush effect one gets using ephedrine. Then, I started taking sleeping tablets at night. I could not eat, because ephedrine is a potent appetite suppressant and I battled with fatigue and in turn, balancing my studies and my part-time work became extremely difficult. I was already on my way to complete burnout. My ability to cope, concentrate and perform was diminished,” she says.

      READ MORE: 10 Wellness Quotes By Miss SA Natasha Joubert (That We Absolutely Loved!)

      The turning point

      There were signs of the diet pill addiction that others could see – but she couldn’t. For one, she had limited self-control, talked a lot and experienced severe reactions to stress.

      On the inside, Monique was privy to extreme thirst, heart palpitations and shakiness. She felt depressed, anxious and sensitive. “Ephedrine certainly kept the weight off but the weight of the addiction literally crushed the life out of me and it left me feeling a great deal of shame, guilt and regret,” she says.

      Added to that, she was experiencing gastrointestinal disorders, mood swings and shortness of breath. Her central nervous system was beginning to shut down and Monique was forced to get help. “I had no choice; my body made the decision for me,” she says. In 2007, Monique was hospitalised and underwent treatment.

      READ MORE: Author Janine Jellars Shares Her Simple Wellness Routine

      The change

      “I received treatment that was aimed at opening up the receptors in my brain in order for the normal flight or fight response mechanisms to start functioning again,” Monique explains. “My body experienced inefficiencies in secreting adrenalin, serotonin and other key hormones. I had a complete imbalance in my body.”

      With treatment, Monique slowly started to improve, but the road to healing was long. “Diet and sleep played a crucial part in my recovery. I had to teach my body what a normal healthy intake of food consisted of and looked like, at frequent and consistent intervals,” she says. “Over time my mood and concentration levels improved. I could literally feel balance coming back to my body, and it felt amazing. The toughest part was the realization of how far I’ve taken my addiction and the damage it has done. The impact it had on my loved ones. What I’ve lost in the process and the fact that I had to drop out of varsity in my third year. I felt like a complete failure. I think my mental scars outweigh the physical scars, and for me, the biggest battlefield was my mind.”

      READ MORE: Weight Loss Pills: We Delved Deep Into The Science To See If Any Actually Work

      The glow up

      Through all this, Monique feels that she’s grown a lot as a person. “My mess has become my message and today I get to tell my story unapologetically. I still have feelings of shame, guilt and regret; however, it shows that I am human and that it matters to me,” she says.

      Now, 16 years later, Monique is at a happy weight and is taking things further in her life, earning her spot as the reigning Supreme Queen Global Earth Africa for 2023. “My wounds have given me great wisdom,” she notes. “This journey on earth is all about unbecoming to become, letting go of the things that are no longer serving you well.” More