As this is the first Blog of 2023, the entire team at SP Physiotherapy would like to wish all of our patients a happy and prosperous 2023!

For many of us, the start of a new year means the January blues are now well underway, and we often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to have a never-ending list of resolutions and goals to accomplish in the year ahead.

However, it is important to take a step back and remember that too much pressure often leads to burnout and ultimately has a detrimental effect on achieving your goals. That being said, being driven about improving your fitness and taking the first steps back into exercise should be commended, and for those of you that are in a bit of a ‘slump’ and aren’t quite sure where to start, we have got you covered!

Here are our top tips for kicking the January blues by kickstarting your health and wellness journey.

To prevent falling at the first hurdle, make sure you manage your expectations and avoid reminiscing about how fit you used to be! Learn to accept that you haven’t been exercising for a period of time, and understand that you will need to make gradual improvements to reach your goals, and that’s ok! Break up your typical routine by giving yourself some more rest time during your workout that you may not have needed when you were exercising regularly.

In order to give yourself the best chance of sticking to your new routine, make sure you choose exercises and sports you enjoy to get yourself started. This could be running, swimming, weight training, Pilates, and the list could go on, but it is crucial to incorporate an element of ‘fun’ into your new routine. That being said, what better time to try something new than the start of a new year? Try finding new sports or exercises that you perhaps wouldn’t have considered before. You might just surprise yourself!

A lack of sleep can cause our bodies to feel distress and release more of the stress hormone, known as cortisol.

People often underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep for the mind, body, and skin, and are blissfully unaware of how much a lack of sleep can impact your mental well-being. Sleep has the ability to reduce levels of anxiety by improving your ability to process stress and respond in an appropriate way.

To ensure you are recovering at the optimum level, sleep and diet are the two most important factors! Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night to help increase your energy levels and maximise muscle recovery.

Further to this, maintaining a good diet will be instrumental to achieving your health and wellness goals, and will help to give your body the nutrients it needs to recover after exercise. A healthy balance of protein, fats, and carbs are essential to fuel your new routine!

Implementing small improvements to your routine over time can help reduce the risk of injury, however, it is important not to be disheartened by muscle soreness after training. This is totally normal!

If you are looking for advice on how to implement a structured fitness regimen into your day-to-day activities, please get in touch at 0141 266 0230!