Focus on your wellbeing so you and your family can start enjoying the benefits today!

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We know that good wellbeing can help us cope better with stress, anxiety, and fatigue. But did you know that it can also help to ward off illness and some common diseases and disorders¹? With this in mind, right now is a good time for you and your family to try out some new activities towards a healthier lifestyle. Check out these fun and easy ways to make it a part of your everyday life at home.

Play mind games

Just like your muscles, your brain needs a bit of flex in its daily life and giving it a regular workout can help to keep your brain healthy and fit and improve your memory². Activities or mental tasks that stimulate the brain, also known as neurobic exercise, increases the production of neurotrophins³ (natural growth factors that can help with mental ageing). That doesn’t necessarily mean Sudoku or those brain training games you see on the App Store. Instead, try challenging your mind in real-world ways, such as eating with the opposite hand, doing regular tasks with your eyes closed, and learning something new like another language. Get your kids involved to make it more fun!

Step it up – in your own backyard

Countless experts and reports confirm the many physical benefits of exercise for your body, but a recent study has found that aerobic exercise, such as running, sustained walking, or even climbing stairs, improves your brain health too - by improving blood flow, oxygen levels and increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), your brain will benefit with better cognition, function, and brain structure³. So, while you can’t physically get to the gym, try popping on an exercise video when bubs is sleeping, or get out and about for a brisk walk around the block with your toddler.

Pose like a rabbit

As a society, we are becoming more aware of how important it is to look after our minds and souls. That is why practices like yoga are said to be beneficial for reducing stress. When you’re stressed, Yoga Journal recommends poses that include a forward bend which increase your exhalations, causing your body to relax. One such position is Rabbit Pose (Sasangasana), which claims to give ‘the comfort of being curled up in a ball’4. To do this pose, simply sit on the ground on your knees with your toes tucked. Reach back and grab your heels, keeping the backs of your hands facing out. Now lean forward till the top of your head is on the ground and your forehead towards your knees. Don’t forget to engage your tummy muscles. Exhale and breathe deep here for at least five breaths before releasing and slowly rolling up. Your littlies will love this one too!

Sleep your way to better wellbeing

Hmm, ok maybe not the easiest thing to do when you have a newborn, or even a toddler who doesn’t like sleep! But as you probably already know, lack of sleep can make you cranky and grumpy, and continuous sleep deprivation can make you more prone to serious medical issues like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, as well as depression and anxiety⁵. If you need to catch up on lost sleep, try going to bed when baby does - this may be the last thing you feel like doing when you finally get some me time, but your overall health and your family will thank you for it! Remember it will take time to regain good sleeping patterns after having kids too – so be patient, give yourself time and make sleep a priority in the evenings, as the earlier you get to bed the better you will sleep.

Take the right steps

Of course, we all want to live healthier lifestyles - for improved wellbeing and quality of life. But, as the unexpected can happen, many new parents take out life insurance, so they can help their loved ones at a difficult time. With AA Life, it only takes a few minutes to apply and there are no medical questions on application. Take these steps, and you’ll be able to rest easy knowing you’re covered by one of NZ’s trusted life insurance brands^{^}.

Get it sorted now and get on with the good life! Check out AA Life to get all the information you need.

1. ^{1. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/295474/The_relationship_between_wellbeing_and_health.pdf} 
2. ^{2. Keep Your Brain Alive, by Dr. Lawrence Katz http://www.keepyourbrainalive.com/}
3. ^{3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4915811/}
4. ^{4. https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/yoga-for-inner-peace-stress-relief-daily-practice-challenge#}
5. ^{5. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/why-lack-of-sleep-is-bad-for-your-health/}