I don’t know about you, but I’ve really been enjoying the sunshine we’ve had in the UK lately.
For this week’s Mental Sunshine I want to take full advantage of the lighter evenings and better weather as we head towards summer.
This week we’re going to talk about going for a walk after dinner.
Be honest: how often do you eat your evening meal, and then slump on the sofa in front of the TV for the rest of the evening?
I’ve been guilty of this too!
But now the evenings are lighter and warmer, it’s a great opportunity to get outside!
A gentle walk after dinner can help our bodies to metabolise and lower cortisol levels that may have built up throughout the day
It can help our bodies move into the “rest and digest” parasympathetic state, so that we’re ready to relax and chill out
It can also help with digestion, which can mean that when it comes to bedtime, we’re not still working on digesting food – so we sleep better
If you have a partner, friend or child to go for a walk with after dinner this is a great time to have a chat and reconnect after a busy day
If you walk alone, it’s a perfect time for your brain to process what’s gone on during the day, so that it doesn’t end up doing that when you’re trying to sleep!
Taking a short walk can help us to spend less time slumped in front of a TV screen – which is always a good thing for our mental sunshine!
A walk after dinner doesn’t need to be longer than ten minutes – but it can be a great opportunity to get out and enjoy a peaceful stroll
Going for a wander with no particular destination in mind, no timescales to stick to, nowhere to be… it can feel like an incredible luxury!
Plus you get to take photos of the world around you at sunset or Golden hour.
And everything looks better at sunset!
Try it this week – just a short walk after dinner.
Let me know how you get on!