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[bc_video video_id="6297639695001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] It’s never too late to start exercising and reap the benefits of it. To help you get started on toning your upper body, we’ve rounded up some of the best exercises you can do anywhere, anytime, with just basic equipment or items you can grab in your home. You want to add resistance training, but only to tone and define your arms, shoulders and back, but to also build strength, improve our posture and help you with our everyday activities. From carrying your kids, to heavy luggage, there are so many everyday activities that require upper body strength. When it comes to the upper body, there are 5 major areas we are looking at, Back, Chest, Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps. You can use your own body weight, weights, bands and kettlebells to help us build strength, but you can also use things around the house to incorporate into your upper body exercises like bottles of water, can of beans, and books.

Push-ups / Chest press

Using cans of beans!

Rows/ Weights & Bands

Using laundry detergent.

Shoulder Press/ lateral raise

With books.

Bicep curls & Tricep Kickbacks

Using water bottles.

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[bc_video video_id="6297456645001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Did you know that the side of the bed that you prefer to sleep on is dictated by your personality? According to a survey of 2000 individuals the top 5 reasons that people sleep on their side of the bed is because of:

• Easier access to leave the bed
• My partner prefers the other side
• Better access to nightstand
• Better view of TV
• I like to sleep against a wall

Right brained people, those who tend to be more creative, imaginative, and emotional tend to sleep on the right side and left brained people, who tend to be more logical and rational in thought, tend to sleep on the left side. Some say that if you wake up from your right side, you will start your day in a more peaceful state of mind and less stressed filled. It is also believed in Feng Shui that it’s best to get out of bed on the left side as it associates the left side of the bed with family, health, and power. Waking up on the wrong side of the bed emotionally is totally possible. The main reason is due to the transitional period between wake and sleep called sleep inertia. This is when upon waking we are feeling groggy and foggy, and getting out of bed is a real struggle. This feeling can last anywhere between 1 minute to 4 hours, but it doesn’t normally last longer than 30 minutes. The more sleep deprived you are the longer you’re going to feel it when you wake up. It’s important to note that it’s normal to wake up feeling tired. To experience bouts of sleep inertia is a normal experience. Not many of us are bouncing out of bed with smiles but there are a few things you can do to help make mornings not as sleepy.

What to do when you wake up tired:

Get Hydrated – You’ll likely be pretty dehydrated after 7 to 8 hours of sleep so start off the day with a cold glass of water to rehydrate your body and get your blood pumping. Jump in a Cold Shower - The cold water increases your body’s circulation, which means your body requires more oxygen helping you feel more awake and refreshed.

What to do when you wake up sad:

Smile! If you are lying in bed feeling glum – smile! Put a smile on your face and keep it there as you get out of bed to trick your mind into thinking you are happier than you may feel at that moment. Create a morning up-beat playlist that is going to help you dance that blues away and start off your day feeling a little brighter and lighter and think if two or three things that you are thankful for or excited about.

What to do when you wake up anxious:

When you wake feeling anxious choosing the right breathing exercise can work fast to calm your nervous system. You may need to try a few breath work techniques before you find the one that works best for you but the more you use them, the more effective they will become. There are some great apps and digital memberships that you can use to help guide you like Calm, Headspace. Putting the focus on breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which slows your heart rate and encourages your body to calm down and relax. Also, resist checking your social media, the news, or your emails at least 30 minutes after you wake up an instead use that time as calming personal time for yourself like going for a morning walk, practicing your breath work, or organizing your thoughts.

What to do when you wake up lonely:

The importance of connection plays such a fundamental role in your overall happiness and wellbeing. Waking up feeling a sense of loneliness could be a signal to you to reevaluate the relationships you have around you, and what you can do to bring in more connection. Because we can’t necessarily control waking up alone don’t only focus on filling your attachment tank in the morning. What do you do throughout the day or in the evening to bring you the connection you need? Perhaps it’s finally making that coffee date with your friend, scheduling a regular Zoom chat with friends or family from far away. Look into joining a club or gym to bring you the social contact that you need. Also, to help make those lonely mornings a little more connected, tune into your favorite podcast or show while you get ready to start your day. Familiar voices speaking on topics that interest you can help you shake away the quiet blues and start your day off right.

[bc_video video_id="6297455137001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] We make about 35,000 decisions every day, according to rough estimates. The vast majority of these are automatic/unbeknownst to us or moderate. We may make several moderate decisions in a day or week, depending on our jobs and lifestyles, and all of us are confronted with major decisions at various turning points of our lives. E.g., Auto-pilot decision: Brushing teeth. Even rising out of bed or breathing. Moderate decision: What to have for dinner tonight? Major decisions: Do I stay with this person or leave? Decision fatigue is something that happens when we feel overwhelmed by our lives, because making good decisions relies on our level of emotional fitness. When we feel strong, confident, and in control of things, we feel calm, more relaxed, and able to make decisions (and accept the possibility of them not turning out the way we'd hoped). When we feel emotionally, physically tired, or unsupported by others, making even the tiniest of decisions can seem impossible, and totally immobilize us. It's a form of anxiety. People with high anxiety are always second-guessing the smallest of decisions and can therefore never make one (or it takes them a very long time, lots of wasted energy). More of us are now making big decisions than ever before because of the pandemic! So, what you keep in mind is this:

1. Physical fatigue affects good decision-making as it undermines focus. Get good sleep! This is also your best defense against illness.  Besides if you are struggling with a difficult decision at night, rather than rushing to make it before turning in, you are better off sleeping on it and reconsider how you feel in the morning.
2.  Make bigger decisions in the day during your "prime" (i.e., when you feel most alert/awake).
3. Automate as much as possible (e.g., grocery lists that auto-populate everything you purchased the last time are really cool upside of tech). Really successful people have a capsule wardrobe they wear on repeat, so they can save all their brain energy for other things.
4. Time spent on decisions should be in proportion to the impact on your life (e.g., choosing a flavour of ice cream, vs. time spent in choosing a partner).
5.  Use a "consigliere" for big decisions - a trusted friend or even a professional, especially when it comes to challenging decisions, it helps when you are not alone.
6.  And last but not the least PACE YOURSELF. When you make one decision after the other it’s easy to end up with cognitive fatigue. That’s why it’s important to rest and recover throughout the day so you are not mentally on all activities at all times.