Dr Libby Weaver - Dr Libby

When your usual routine goes out the window

April 8, 2020April 1, 2020 by Dr Libby Weaver

Many of us around the globe are finding that our usual routine is completely disrupted.

Maybe you’ve had to say goodbye to your morning exercise session or now have the kids at home with you 24/7. Perhaps you’re working from home or missing the freedom and flexibility of leaving the house whenever you want to eat out, meet up with friends or visit elderly or sick family members. Some of you will be essential workers and may find yourselves with volumes of work that seem insurmountable.

For some, the self-isolation guidelines will feel like a much-needed breath of fresh air. Yet others will be itching to go back to the way things were – if that is even possible.

Whether you’re the former or the latter, be mindful you don’t let all of your nourishing routines fall away as your usual day-to-day ones change. It might be tempting to pour a glass of wine every afternoon, however, consider the impact this will have on your body and the flow on effects it will have on your systems—including your immune system which needs to be a priority for all of us right now. My hope is that more people start to approach their health this way year round.

So, what can you do to take care of yourself through these unusual circumstances?

Prioritise a daily movement practice

Has dropping the school run and need to get to the office meant that you’re lying in bed longer? While I absolutely encourage you to listen to your body if this feels supportive for you to do this, you may also feel nourished by getting up and moving your body. Could you do some daily stretches in the lounge room or garden? Or follow an online Stillness Through Movement, yoga or Pilates class? If the children are with you, could you teach them a few basic yoga poses to get them involved or take them for a walk with the dog (if this is allowable where you live)?

Increase your nourishment with home-cooked meals

Whether you’re a natural in the kitchen or feel completely out of your depth, forced time at home gives you the perfect opportunity to cook more often. One of the biggest roadblocks for people when it comes to home cooking is arriving home late at the end of the day or a feeling that you have no time to cook. Of course, self-isolation doesn’t mean you have nothing to do but it does significantly reduce commute times which in itself will usually mean you have more time to focus elsewhere. So why not learn to cook—or reignite a love for it? Again, if the kids are around, it can be great to include them as a way of getting them more interesting in whole, real foods and teaching them about nourishment. There are endless supplies of free, health-supporting recipes online, or if you feel it would be helpful, you may enjoy my Real Food Chef video series.

Join an eLearning course

If you do find yourself with more time on your hands, instead of just getting lost in Netflix (which can have its place of course, just preferably not all day every day), could you join an online course and learn something that you’ve always been interested in such as a new language, or how to take better care of your health?

Get creative

Dust off the paintbrushes, crack open your journal, jump into the garden or look for other ways to bring some more creativity into your life right now. If you have kids at home, maybe set up a craft table for them—and make sure you get involved too. Creativity is a way for us to play; it’s process-oriented rather than outcome-oriented. It doesn’t matter if it’s any good or not, just try something you wouldn’t normally make space for in your usual routine. It can be incredibly soul-nourishing to tap into your creativity.

Talking to kids about food

February 21, 2020 by Dr Libby Weaver

If you feel a little lost about how to talk to your children about food, you’re not alone.

Many parents struggle to get their little ones to eat nourishing foods or don’t know where to start when trying to establish a healthy relationship with food in their children. It’s always going to differ depending on the little human you’re raising but here are a few pointers to get you started.

Connect nourishment to things they care about

Kids love to know the ‘why’ behind things. Telling a child that a food is good for them may not be enough to spark an interest in them, however, if you connect it to something that’s important to them, they may be more inclined to eat it. If your child loves to play sports or dance — or even if they prefer more creative things like drawing or painting — link what they’re eating back to their ability to perform their favourite things. For example, nourishing foods help them to grow stronger and give them energy so that they can do more of the things they love to do.

Get them involved

Whether it’s growing your own herbs and vegies in your garden or letting them help you with the cooking process — getting kids involved can get them interested in what they’re eating. Obviously the level of involvement will change depending on how old they are but find something that they can do to help. (Hot tip: starting young with this can make all the difference when they hit their teenage years!) They’ll love spending the quality time with you and it provides you with the opportunity to talk to them about the food that you’re preparing and how fun it is to make food you love (as well as food that is nourishing!).

Try to avoid linking food to storing body fat

The language we use around food is important as it establishes the foundation of a relationship with food that the child will develop. Using words like “that kind of food will make you fat” can set up a fear of food while also inadvertently linking body shape and size to self-worth. Saying “that is bad for you” sometimes leads the child to think they are bad for eating it. Food is not “good” or “bad” – it is either nutritious or it isn’t. So instead, talk to children about how food nourishes us and builds our health, energy, brain power and sports performance, or doesn’t nourish us and detracts from these things. Consider teaching them about the kinds of foods that help to foster what they care about so they are empowered to make decisions that support this, and inadvertently, their health. This will help them to focus on their nourishment instead of their body weight and differentiate between how they look and their self-worth.

Consider how you talk and act around them

It’s not just what we say directly to children but also what is said in their presence. What is your relationship with food and your body like? Are you regularly eating different things to the rest of the family because you’re watching what you eat? Do you talk about the shape or size of your body in front of them in a way that reflects a negative self-image to them? Kids pick up as much from this as they do from what you say to them. Please know that this is not intended to elicit any guilt or judgement, it’s just to encourage bringing awareness to your own relationship with food and your body. Look for ways to work through any challenges you may have in this regard. Be gentle with yourself as you do this.

Could you be iron deficient?

February 14, 2020February 11, 2020 by Dr Libby Weaver

If you’re a woman in her menstruation years, there’s a chance you may be iron deficient. As one of the most common nutrient deficiencies worldwide, monthly menstruation makes women in this stage of life more susceptible—particularly for those who have very heavy periods.

It’s important then to ensure that you’re getting sufficient iron from the foods you’re eating. However, when it comes to making sure we’re getting enough dietary iron, it’s not always as simple as just adding in more iron-rich foods. We also need to consider bioavailability, which involves various factors that influence how much iron our body can actually absorb and use.

There are two main types of iron in food:

Haem iron – this is the form of iron found in animal foods such as red meat and liver
Non-haem iron – this is the form of iron found in plant foods such as lentils and green leafy vegetables.

Haem iron is more bioavailable than non-haem iron, which means that your body is more readily able to absorb it. However, there are things we can do (and not do) to significantly enhance our ability to absorb more of the non-haem iron from our plant-based sources. Here are some strategies to help with this:

Pair your iron-rich plant foods with a source of vitamin C – vitamin C rich foods include citrus fruits, kiwifruit, strawberries, capsicum and lightly cooked (rather than boiled until they are soggy) Brassica vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage
Chew your food well to help stimulate stomach acid production
If you feel nourished by good quality red meat, including these foods with your plant-based sources of iron will help to improve the non-haem iron absorption
Avoid drinking tea and coffee with iron-containing foods, as the tannins in these drinks can bind to the iron and significantly hinder absorption
Minimise or avoid the use of antacids where possible
Avoid calcium supplements with iron-rich meals
Avoid fibre supplements with iron-rich meals

Our body is also working behind the scenes to do its best to keep our iron levels where they need to be. The liver plays a key role in this and it’s here where our body stores some extra iron so it can be released for use when needed. The liver also produces a substance called hepcidin that tells the body when to absorb more iron (when our iron stores are getting low) and when to absorb less iron (when our iron stores are high enough). How clever is that?

You could think of hepcidin like a bouncer or security guard at a bar, and your liver as the manager. When the bar is full (your iron stores are high), the manager (liver) sends more bouncers (more hepcidin) to block off the entrances to the bar (the sections on the gut wall through which iron can be absorbed across into the circulation) to stop or reduce the amount of people (iron) from entering. To carry on with this analogy, when the bar is fairly empty and they are wanting to get more patrons in (iron stores are getting low), the manager (liver) allows the bouncers to take a break (less hepcidin), so people can freely enter the bar as they arrive (more dietary iron can be absorbed across the gut into the circulation). This helps to ensure that we’re able to absorb and use iron more efficiently from our food when we need to, and it also helps to safeguard us from absorbing too much iron, because if excess amounts build up inside of us this can be very problematic. This is one of the many reasons it’s so important to take such precious care of your liver. It plays so many vitals roles in every aspect of your health!

Although we have this incredible regulatory mechanism, our body can only adjust our iron absorption to a certain extent and if we consume way too much or way too little on an ongoing basis, it’s not going to be able to offset it. Some people also have a genetic condition called haemochromatosis, where their body absorbs and stores too much iron. Some of the symptoms of iron overload/excess can be similar to symptoms of iron deficiency, so this is why it’s very important to have your iron stores checked via a blood test before commencing iron supplementation.

If iron levels are low and an iron supplement is needed, taking the supplement every second day may actually help to promote better absorption because of the acute increase in hepcidin that iron supplementation can trigger. However, your health care practitioner will be best placed to advise what is best for you, based on your personal circumstances and iron levels.

For more about iron deficiency and what to do if you think you may be low in iron, check out my blog here.

Tired all the time? Maybe it’s your iron levels.

September 29, 2021February 11, 2020 by Dr Libby Weaver

Ever wonder if iron deficiency might be behind your persistent fatigue?

Iron is a mineral that is critical to so many aspects of our health yet, it’s a nutrient that many people don’t get enough of. In fact, it’s the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide most often affecting women throughout the menstruation years (particularly those with very heavy periods), pregnant women and children.

Most of the iron in the body is within haemoglobin in red blood cells, which carries oxygen throughout the body. Our body also stores iron in a protein called ferritin. Both ferritin and haemoglobin can be tested in the blood but it’s ferritin that’s used as a marker of our iron status. Haemoglobin levels are used to assess whether anaemia is present—low levels can result from a severe iron deficiency, but other nutritional deficiencies can cause anaemia too so low haemoglobin isn’t specific to iron only.

Symptoms of iron deficiency can include:

Fatigue
Shortness of breath, particularly on exertion (for example, you might feel very out of breath and possibly lightheaded after walking up some stairs or a hill, and this doesn’t seem to reflect your level of fitness)
Poor memory and concentration
Increased susceptibility to infections
Restless legs syndrome
Brittle hair or hair loss
Brittle and spoon-shaped nails
Poor appetite
Cravings to eat ice

Iron deficiency occurs gradually and in stages (unless there is blood loss that is sudden and significant).

Stages 1 – 2

These stages involve moderate to severe depletion of iron stores, however, symptoms of deficiency usually aren’t yet apparent.

Stage 3

By this stage, you are likely experiencing some symptoms of iron deficiency (such as tiredness) however iron deficiency anaemia is not present.

Stage 4

By this stage you have progressed to iron deficiency anaemia – your red blood cells are now hypochromic (pale) and microcytic (smaller than normal), and haemoglobin levels are low so your capacity to transport oxygen throughout the body is reduced and you will be experiencing symptoms.

With any health challenge my goal is always to get to the heart of what’s going on, and the same is true with iron deficiency. While an iron supplement may be needed to restore your iron levels if you are deficient, this may not necessarily be the only action that is required; there could be other strategies and changes that are needed to address an underlying problem or to prevent the deficiency from persisting or reoccurring in future. For this reason, it’s really important to understand what has caused the iron deficiency.

Some potential contributors to iron deficiency can include:

Inadequate dietary intake of iron
Increased iron requirements, which may make it difficult to obtain enough through food – for example, due to increased blood volume during pregnancy, during the adolescent growth spurt, or for athletes (particularly those who do a lot of vigorous activity, such as endurance sports and long-distance running)
Undiagnosed (untreated) coeliac disease – chronic iron deficiency can sometimes be the only symptom a person with coeliac disease experiences
Increased iron losses due to heavy menstrual periods
Blood loss – if there is blood in stools, this must be investigated by a medical doctor
High calcium intake or calcium supplementation taken with iron-rich foods, as the calcium competes with iron for absorption
Excessive intake of other dietary substances that can inhibit iron absorption, such as too much fibre
Long term use of antacids and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, which are used for heartburn and reflux
Parasitic infections

So, what can you do if you think you might be low in iron?

The first step is to visit your GP to discuss your symptoms. They can arrange a blood test to check your iron stores if needed – this test is called ‘iron studies’. If iron deficiency is chronic and unexplained, your GP may also order some further tests to investigate the cause (such as a test for coeliac disease).

It’s vital to have your iron levels checked via a blood test before starting an iron supplement as the body isn’t able to readily excrete excess amounts of iron and if too much builds up this can be problematic for your health. Some people have a genetic condition called haemochromatosis, where their body absorbs and stores too much iron, and some of the symptoms of iron overload can actually be similar to those of iron deficiency.

If an iron deficiency is confirmed through your blood test, an iron supplement is usually needed for at least a few months to help replenish your body’s iron stores. For some people, iron supplements can contribute to digestive symptoms such as constipation, however there are a few strategies to try if you have had this experience in the past and are concerned. Liquid iron supplements or iron supplements made with a form of iron called iron bisglycinate are often well tolerated, and another option is to try taking it every other day to see if this improves tolerance. For personalised advice on what is right for you, please consult with your health care provider.

For more about iron in food and bioavailability, check out my blog here.

What are you really weighing?

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 by Dr Libby Weaver

Are you someone who jumps on the scales at every opportunity?

In my 20 years of clinical practice, I have never weighed a client. In fact, if you’re a chronic weigher, I encourage you to step away from the scales—for good.

Here’s why.

You’re only weighing your self-esteem

For the vast majority of people—women especially—when they weigh themselves regularly, what they’re really doing is weighing their self-esteem. When you have linked your weight to your worth, the outcome of your daily weigh-in can completely change the course of your day. You either jump on those scales and feel great about yourself or your entire day is derailed and you’re left feeling lousy. If you come away feeling lousy, it can affect the choices you make throughout the rest of the day—from the food choices you make to whether you feel like socialising or not. Beyond this, it can affect the way you talk to yourself in your own head, potentially further cementing self-judgement and criticism.

The thing is, you are so much more than your weight. That number doesn’t tell you anything about your beautiful heart, the light in your eyes, your generous spirit or how loved (and loveable) you are in this world. When you link your self-worth to your weight and use it as your main measure of progress, you set yourself up to feel like you’re failing because—as you’ll see in the next points—your weight isn’t the best measure of your health and it can be affected by numerous factors. Focus on the things that you can control, like taking the very best care of yourself.

Just because you weigh a little more one day, doesn’t even mean that it’s body fat. It’s entirely common for your body weight to fluctuate depending on how much fluid you’re retaining. Changes can occur across our menstrual cycle and/or with the kinds of foods (and fluids) we’re consuming. But you don’t think about this when you jump on the scale. You just assume that the number has jumped up (or down) because you’ve gained (or lost) body fat. It’s impossible for you to put on a kilogram or more of fat in a day. The body just doesn’t work this way.

Your muscle to body fat ratio (i.e. your body composition) can affect your overall body weight

You may have heard the phrase “muscle weighs more than fat” and wondered how that could be. Of course, a kilo of body fat versus a kilo of muscle will weigh the same, the key difference is how much space they take up. Muscle is much denser than body fat so you can effectively weigh more but appear leaner when you build muscle in your body. Have you ever seen those images of a group of women who all weigh the same on the scales but have vastly different body shapes and sizes?

You can see changes in your body by how your clothes fit you

It’s possible for there to be positive changes in your body without there being much change (or any change) in your total body weight. Rather than using weight as a measure of progress, I encourage noticing how your clothes are fitting. I’ve had numerous clients who noticed their clothes loosening significantly, yet when they decided to check their scale weight, it didn’t seem to reflect the extent of the changes they were noticing in their physical body. And then they felt lousy, despite the fact that their clothes were looser and they were (previously) feeling amazing.

So why weigh yourself at all? Your health is so much more than just your weight. It’s how you feel on a daily basis—how much energy you have, your clarity of mind, the way your digestion works, your emotional landscape and whether your hormones cause you chaos or not. And your body will naturally find its most comfortable weight when you are healthy, which means you have to be healthy to lose weight and not the other way around.

So, if you have a set of scales in the bathroom, I encourage you to find a new home for them. Maybe in the garage as your new luggage scales or perhaps in the bin!

Supporting yourself through the stress of natural disaster

January 9, 2020 by Dr Libby Weaver

It’s been an incredibly difficult start to the year in Australia. The devastation that has already been caused by the bushfires raging across the country is hard to fathom and we are yet to see an end in sight.

Collectively our hearts are breaking for those who have been affected in one way or another—as well as the trees and the millions of precious creatures who have lost their lives. And it’s not just Australians who are feeling this deeply. The outpouring of grief is coming from around the globe.

During times like this the likelihood of us spending more time in “fight or flight” increases. Our body’s natural stress response was designed for this very kind of thing—to alert us of potential danger in order to keep us safe. For some, this stress is due to a very real threat to their lives, livelihood or loved ones. For others, it’s more emotional stress as they feel compassionate distress for those who are affected. The stress response—while it may differ in intensity depending on whether we are directly or indirectly affected by something—is the same whether it’s physical or emotional stress.

If you are feeling the effects of this catastrophic disaster—or if you’re just experiencing stress for any other reason—here are some ways you can support your nervous system and process what’s unfolding around you.

Let yourself feel whatever you’re feeling

Acknowledge and accept whatever emotions might be present for you. We tend to avoid feeling the more uncomfortable emotions or look for ways to dull them down—such as by seeking comfort in food or numbing out with alcohol. The more we do this, the more pressure we put on our body and our health. You will also build your emotional resilience by letting whatever is present be okay. The more you let yourself feel whatever it is you’re feeling, the more you’ll begin to see that uncomfortable emotions aren’t as scary as our mind makes them out to be. They can also help us take action that supports others and the planet. You will realise that you can have your heart shattered into a million pieces and still be okay. And if you’re not okay, acknowledging this can allow you to reach out and get the support you need. If you are dealing with trauma, please seek support.

Look for other ways to reduce stress response activation

One of the best ways you can support your nervous system is by looking for ways to reduce other sources of stress in your life. Your nervous system responds to ALL potentially stressful stimulus so if you know that something in your life is adding more stress, look for ways you can reduce other sources. One way to do this is to reduce your intake of caffeine during periods of more stress as caffeine triggers the production of stress hormones. Another way is to introduce other strategies known to calm the nervous system such as via diaphragmatic breathing.

Look for the beauty within the situation

When disaster strikes, it’s easy to feel helpless and hopeless—and it’s okay to feel this way too. But there’s always something beautiful for us to see if only we look for it. What’s struck me about the fires is the outpouring of grief and support that is coming in from around the world. These kinds of experiences have a way of bringing us together and shining a light on the beauty of humanity. Let yourself see and feel that as well as the devastation and you’ll find that it diminishes that sense of hopelessness. There is immense strength in unity.

Whether you’re directly affected by what’s happening in Australia or just a loving human who cares deeply about what’s going on, I hope that you find in here some small antidote to the stress you’re currently experiencing. Take such good care of your precious selves—and each other and our Home.

When the festive season adds to your invisible load

December 19, 2019 by Dr Libby Weaver

The Christmas period can be a time of joy and celebration—yet for many people it also becomes a time of increased pressure and responsibility. Whether it’s juggling children on school holidays, organising family get-togethers or never seeming to get to the end of a long mental list, there’s no doubt that there is plenty to think about and get done.

But busy doesn’t have to mean stressful. Your day might be full but that doesn’t have to equate to stress.

We create the stress for ourselves by placing ourselves under immense pressure.

Pressure to have everything perfect, to ensure everyone is happy, to buy the right gifts, to do everything ourselves, to go to that event even if we don’t feel like it…

It wouldn’t matter if you didn’t have everything perfect, or if you chose to stay in over attending that event. It’s the caring about how others might see us that can increase our invisible load—particularly over the holiday season.

There’s a saying that comes to mind right now:

Where attention goes, energy flows.

So, what if, instead of getting caught up in the mayhem of Christmas, you focused your attention on the joyous aspects of the season? How lovely it is to spend such precious quality time with those you love. The wonder and enchantment that captures a child’s heart. The changes in the trees and the landscape as a new season unfolds.

Refocusing our attention as well as being clear on our values and priorities, can entirely change our response to a situation—and in situations like this, where we can often create stress and pressure for ourselves—there’s no better solution to reducing the weight of your invisible load.

5 nourishing breakfast ideas to start the day

October 2, 2019September 30, 2019 by Dr Libby Weaver

1. Have a green smoothie

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend a liquid breakfast every day, as chewing our food triggers stomach acid production which encourages optimal digestion, however, you can’t get much more efficient than throwing a few ingredients into a blender and blitzing them up. It’s also a great way to get some greens into your morning as many people wouldn’t start eating vegetables until later in the day. Ideally you would have around 2-3 serves of vegetables such as spinach, kale, zucchini or cucumber and ½-1 serve of fruit such as banana or berries. To make the smoothie more satiating, add a handful of nuts and/or some avocado, both good sources of whole food fat and full of other helpful nutrients. You might like to try this berry energy smoothie.

2. Make a frittata

One of the great things about a frittata is that you make a whole batch which you can then eat over a few days. Eggs are a wonderful source of protein and many other important nutrients such as B-group vitamins, choline, vitamin A and vitamin E, plus they contain some iron. Eating eggs in the morning can help sustain you for longer and if you add some nourishing greens to the mix you’ve got a clear breakfast winner when it comes to nutrient-density! Try this Extra Green Frittata from my Real Food Chef cookbook and video series. It provides about 6-8 serves. Have more mouths to feed? Just double the recipe.

3. Eggs and avo on (good quality) toast

Staying on the eggs train for a little longer, eggs take around 3-6 minutes to cook so even if you were to make them each morning, they’re not a time-consuming meal. If you prefer something a little more ‘breakfasty’, two poached eggs on a good quality piece of organic sourdough or gluten free toast with some avocado is a delicious and nourishing choice. Add a handful of baby spinach for a greens hit.

4. Dinner leftovers

Who says you need to have ‘breakfasty’ things for breakfast? In Japan, for example, they have foods like rice, miso, pickled vegetables and fish for breakfast—things that are very similar to what they eat at other meals as well. If nourishment is the priority, it doesn’t matter if what you choose for your meals is a little out of the box. Dinner leftovers can be an easy reheat and high in nourishment to start your day.

5. Chia pudding

Homemade chia pudding can be a good alternative to packaged cereals or store-bought muesli if you’re looking for a less savoury breakfast option. A great option if you are short on time in the mornings – take a couple of minutes to mix one up at night before bed, pop it in the fridge and it will be ready to eat in the morning! Chia seeds are an excellent source of fibre, and they also contain nourishing omega-3 fats and some protein. Mixed with liquid, they take on a jelly-like consistency as they set, not dissimilar to rice pudding. You can use water or a milk of your choice, such as unsweetened rice, almond, coconut or oat milk. Add a spoonful of good quality unsweetened dairy or coconut yoghurt, a handful of nuts and seeds and a serve of fruit (such as berries) and you’ve got a delicious yet nourishing start to the day.

Cortisol: the chronic stress hormone

September 5, 2019 by Dr Libby Weaver

The human body makes two dominant stress hormones. They are adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol is our chronic stress hormone. In other words, we tend to make too much of it when we are stressed for a long time. It also has other important duties in the body which you can read more about here.

Historically, the only long term stress humans had were floods, famines and wars; all sceanrios where food may have been scarce. Today our long term stress tends to come from relationship or financial worries, or health or weight concerns.

However, because cortisol was designed to save your life when food was scarce, even though food may be abundant for you today, cortisol sends a message to every cell in your body that your metabolism needs to be slowed down so that those precious fat stores can keep you going until the food supply returns.

Cortisol has a distinct fat deposition pattern. It lays fat down around your middle, on the back of your arms and you grow what I lovingly call a back verandah. Most people’s response to fat accumulation around their tummies is to go on a diet, which means eating less food. This only confirms to your body what cortisol has driven your body to believe is true, when in fact the opposite is true and food is likely to be abundant for you.

When you restrict your food intake on your “diet” you slow your metabolism even further, making it feel like you only have to look at food for weight to go on! If cortisol is a contributing factor to your weight gain, going on a calorie restricted diet is not your answer, sorting out your cortisol is. And there are numerous stress busting methods that you can use to do this.

Use your breath to alter your stress response. The way you breathe is key, even though that sounds too simple to make a difference. Start the day with 20 long slow breaths before you get out of bed or alternatively, breathe and move your diaphragm while you wait for the kettle to boil (to make your lemon and warm water of course!) or while you sit at traffic lights. When you breathe in this way, you communicate to every cell in your body that you are safe, as breathing is shallow when your life is literally in danger. Nothing lowers stress hormones faster than diaphragmatic breathing.

Make simple swaps. Consider whether you are using caffeine to amp yourself up and wine to wind down. Simply swap caffeine for green tea and wine for sparkling water to give your nervous system a break, which can have a huge influence on fat burning and appetite.

Gratitude. It is impossible to feel overwhelmed or stressed when you feel grateful. Volunteer, give thanks to those who have passed before us or for the beautiful nature that surrounds us in this country, or recite positive affirmations, what ever works for you. Always take time to slow down. Live, breathe, and learn. Take a look around you and be grateful for all that you are and all that you have.

The importance of fostering more alone time

September 5, 2019 by Dr Libby Weaver

With our busy lives, it can feel as though there isn’t space for us to create any time for solitude. Having a young family in particular can make it feel as though none of our time is our own and, when coupled with work commitments, it can quickly begin to feel overwhelming and as though there is no space for anything else. And we don’t have to have young children to feel the pressure to fit more and more into our days. Yet, research clearly demonstrates the benefits of solitude for strengthening our relationships, improving our creativity not to mention that—for those who identify as introverts—it can be key for happiness.

A common phrase I hear from people is “I don’t have time”. I’m too busy to prepare my own meals, too busy to have a proper lunch break, too busy to take any time to myself—the list of things we, as a culture, don’t have time for is nearly endless.

Yet, with the advents of technology and the flourishing of social media, many of us squander opportunities for quality solitude by connecting in the digital world and foregoing the opportunity to take time out. MIT researcher and founder of the Initiative on Technology and Self Sherry Turkle calls it “social snacking” and like ‘junk food’, it can be harmful to our health.

While it might feel as though flicking through social media feeds is relaxing, research suggests that the personal use of smartphones to scroll through social networking ‘news’ is linked to anxiety and increased stress levels. In fact, the more regularly people use their smartphones to access the web for personal reasons, the greater the anxiety. Additionally, in a world that already inundates our minds with information, we further overstimulate ourselves when we engage in this kind of ‘downtime’ practice.

It wasn’t all that long ago that we were unreachable from the time we left the house in the morning to the moment we arrived at our next destination. We had no emails to check at traffic lights or while waiting for public transport, and no phone or social media catch-ups to make between our destinations. While these modern advancements certainly make for convenience, even those moments that were naturally a suspension of time where we could perhaps just take in the world around us or read a paperback have been swallowed by our smartphones.

Perhaps we’ve simply forgotten how to enjoy solitude. We’ve become so conditioned to be on the go from sun up to sun down (or beyond), that when the moments present themselves we don’t know what to do with ourselves. In fact, I often hear from clients that they feel guilty about ‘doing nothing’ or not using their time productively. Then, of course, there are times when we feel as though being alone will cultivate feelings of loneliness. We are social creatures by nature and we need to feel a sense of belonging and community so there will naturally be moments where we feel energised by social interactions. The problem lies in our constant busyness and when we begin to feel as though people are putting pressures on our time that we’d rather be spending elsewhere.

Our bodies need time and space to cope with the pace of modern living. Never before in human history have we lived at such a relentless pace and it’s having a significant impact on our biochemistry. We need downtime, outside of sleep, to allow our bodies and minds time to recalibrate and rest. And solitude can help us foster that. For many, the only time they can truly feel as though they don’t have to ‘be’ or ‘do’ anything for anyone else is when they are alone. Solitude creates space for us to reflect on our priorities and needs, rather than those of others. It’s an opportunity for us to replenish both our body and our mind at the same time.

So schedule some alone time weekly, or daily. It might be that you take a full hour for your lunchbreak each day where you leave your mobile at your desk so you don’t have the temptation of social media or emails. You might ask your partner to look after the kids for half an hour while you go for a walk around the block. You might like to build it up to an entire day. Get into nature, open that book you’ve been meaning to read for months or draw yourself a bath. Whatever feels like it will revitalise you the most.