Transformation Journey: Your Body – How you can take better care of your body in a world that has normalised an unhealthy lifestyle and nourish what gives you life

Caring for Your Body: Areas of Focus

Caring for the body is a foundational aspect of psychological and emotional wellbeing. Contemporary research consistently shows that physical regulation, daily rhythms, and mindful self-care practices directly influence nervous system balance, emotional resilience, and mental health. The following areas offer a compassionate framework for supporting the body in sustainable and accessible ways.

Protection and Boundaries

Protecting your body involves reducing exposure to substances and habits that place unnecessary strain on your physical and nervous systems. Research shows that excessive sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and environmental toxins are associated with increased inflammation, sleep disruption, mood instability, and stress reactivity (Lopresti, Hood, & Drummond, 2013; Wang et al., 2020).

Setting gentle boundaries around consumption is not about restriction, but about supporting the body’s capacity to regulate itself. Small, consistent adjustments can significantly improve energy levels and emotional stability over time.

One small change to try: replace sugary drinks with water infused with fruit or vegetables.

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep plays a central role in emotional regulation, memory consolidation, immune functioning, and stress recovery. Studies in sleep science show that irregular sleep schedules and evening screen exposure disrupt circadian rhythms and increase symptoms of anxiety and depression (Walker, 2017; Hale & Guan, 2015).

Healthy sleep hygiene includes maintaining consistent bed and wake times, sleeping in a calm, low-stimulation environment, and establishing a predictable wind-down routine. Even brief reductions in evening screen time have been shown to improve sleep quality and next-day mood.

One small change to try: go to sleep 30 minutes earlier than you usually do.

Movement

Regular movement supports both physical health and psychological wellbeing by reducing stress hormones and increasing neurotransmitters associated with mood and motivation, such as serotonin and dopamine (Ratey & Loehr, 2011). Importantly, research emphasizes that gentle, non-competitive movement can be just as beneficial as structured exercise, particularly during periods of stress or recovery (Stubbs et al., 2018).

Walking, stretching, dancing, or moving intuitively allows the body to release tension and restore a sense of safety and embodiment. The goal is consistency rather than intensity.

One small change to try: take a walk three times a week and stretch your body briefly in the morning.

Food and Eating

Nutrition research increasingly highlights the connection between diet, gut health, and mental wellbeing. Diets rich in whole, minimally processed foods are associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety, while highly processed diets are linked to increased psychological distress (Jacka et al., 2017; Marx et al., 2021).

Eating with awareness supports interoceptive awareness — the ability to sense internal bodily signals — which is strongly associated with emotional regulation and self-trust. Approaching food with curiosity and gratitude, rather than rules or pressure, fosters a healthier relationship with eating.

One small change to try: brainstorm a list of nourishing foods you would like to add to your diet.

Breathwork

Breathing practices are one of the most direct ways to influence the autonomic nervous system. Slow, controlled breathing has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing heart rate, cortisol levels, and perceived stress (Zaccaro et al., 2018).

Simple breathwork, meditation, or moments of intentional stillness help re-establish a sense of safety in the body, particularly during periods of emotional overwhelm or disconnection.

One small change to try: take five slow, deep breaths every morning.

Rest and Recovery

The body is biologically designed to move between periods of activation and rest. Chronic stress without adequate recovery has been linked to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and physical illness (McEwen & Akil, 2020). Rest does not always mean inactivity; restorative activities are those that slow breathing, reduce muscle tension, and engage creativity or play.

Research shows that creative activities such as drawing, journaling, or gentle movement can lower stress markers and support emotional processing (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010).

One small change to try: buy an adult colouring or painting book, or draw a small sketch in your journal each day.

References  

Hale, L., & Guan, S. (2015). Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: A systematic literature review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 21, 50–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.07.007

Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R., Itsiopoulos, C., Cotton, S., Mohebbi, M., … Berk, M. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the SMILES trial). BMC Medicine, 15(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y

Lopresti, A. L., Hood, S. D., & Drummond, P. D. (2013). A review of lifestyle factors that contribute to important pathways associated with major depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 148(1), 12–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.01.014

Marx, W., Moseley, G., Berk, M., & Jacka, F. (2021). Nutritional psychiatry: The present state of the evidence. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 80(4), 427–436. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665120006926

McEwen, B. S., & Akil, H. (2020). Revisiting the stress concept: Implications for affective disorders. Journal of Neuroscience, 40(1), 12–21. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0733-19.2019

Ratey, J. J., & Loehr, J. E. (2011). The positive impact of physical activity on cognition during adulthood: A review of underlying mechanisms, evidence, and recommendations. Reviews in the Neurosciences, 22(2), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.1515/RNS.2011.017

Stubbs, B., Koyanagi, A., Hallgren, M., Firth, J., Richards, J., Schuch, F., … Vancampfort, D. (2018). Physical activity and anxiety: A perspective from the World Health Survey. Journal of Affective Disorders, 234, 100–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.02.039

Stuckey, H. L., & Nobel, J. (2010). The connection between art, healing, and public health: A review of current literature. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 254–263. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2008.156497

Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. Scribner.

Wang, X., Ouyang, Y., Liu, J., Zhu, M., Zhao, G., Bao, W., & Hu, F. B. (2020). Fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: Systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. BMJ, 349, g4490. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g4490

Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psychophysiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353