Wellness Hacks You Can Do At Home
Two of the major criticisms, honestly, the ones I hear most often, about wellness:
1) it’s expensive
2) it’s time-consuming
And it totally can be. There are so many treatments and devices and it feels like there’s a new wellness trend popping up daily promising some sort of lifechanging results. And on top of that, the feel good factor of wellness activities can make them addictive, adding up the expenses.
But wellness doesn’t have to drain your wallet or eat up your time. It’s all about making it work for you, even with limited resources.
As an entrepreneur, I understand what it’s like to be constrained with both time and financially. Startups demand a lot of time, and since 2015, I haven’t had a steady income. Despite being single without kids, I do have a very needy pit bull who demands a good amount of my time.
But making wellness a part of my routine has always been a priority. Taking care of ourselves is essential to showing up at our best, whether that’s in our personal or professional life. That's why I've developed hacks to make wellness manageable on a tight schedule and budget.
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Here are some of my favorites, all either free or very affordable and taking anywhere from 5-30 minutes. Plus, they’re all doable at home, which saves you time as opposed to driving somewhere.
Magnesium Baths
This is my favorite way to wind down before bed if I don’t sauna. The magnesium flakes enhance the whole bath experience because they seep into your skin and help you relax. I like to work up a good sweat in the bath and follow it up with a cold shower for at home contrast therapy. I also recommend getting this bath filter to make sure the water you’re soaking in is clean. Depending on how much you use, the magnesium flakes end up being about $5/bath, and the whole hot bath / cold shower takes me about 30 minutes.
Cold Showers
I’m obsessed with cold showers. I pretty much end every shower I take with a few minutes on cold. They really wake you up, and other than minimal water costs, they’re basically free. Plus, you can do them anywhere you have a shower, which is super convenient, especially while traveling.
While they’re not as effective as the cold plunge, they definitely still give you that endorphin rush and are more accessible. Combine your cold shower with a magnesium bath for at home contrast therapy. I always recommend using a shower filter so you know your shower water is clean, and hang a fresh thing of eucalyptus from your shower head. It gives a nice aesthetic to your bathroom and smells really nice.
Open Your Windows
Here’s another simple and totally free hack that can make a huge difference in the air quality in your environment.
Without proper air flow, CO2 levels can rise and can cause issues like headaches, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, fatigue, and other cognitive issues. In fact, one study even showed “workers were able to work up to 60% faster in lower CO2 concentrations”. To improve air circulation, keep your windows open as much as possible. This is especially important while cooking. And if you want to monitor CO2 levels wherever you are, I recommend using this CO2 monitor.
Sunlight
Completely free and so so effective. Sun exposure at specific times of the day can majorly impact your hormone levels, energy, sleep patterns, mood, vitamin D levels and so much more.
You want to make sure you’re getting at least 30 minutes of sun first thing in the morning, without sunscreen, contacts, or glasses. This supports your body’s natural hormone production cycle. And a fun fact I just learned: midday sunlight actually converts cholesterol to vitamin D in your body, so it’s beneficial to get out in the middle of the day as well. Highly recommend downloading the dminder app, which tells you the most ideal times to be outside to get vitamin D.
After sunset, you should wear blue blockers or red light glasses (10% off with code: camille10) if exposing your eyes to any blue light like a computer screen. I also use red light bulbs (10% off with code: camille10) or blue blocking light bulbs throughout my house. Blue light interferes with melatonin production, so doing this will help you sleep better.
Wearing my Gabriel + Simone Viper Blue Blockers in Gold (linked above), which are so chic and block blue light
Breathwork
Here’s a totally free and accessible hack you can do anywhere. You don’t need an app to do breathwork. I used to think I did, but honestly now all I do is sit quietly and do a few rounds of Wim Hof breathing. I typically take 15 deep breaths - in through my nose, out through my mouth - hold the out for as long as I can, then inhale and hold for 20 seconds before starting another round. 3 rounds takes me less than 10 minutes, but it's super effective
I would recommend trying the Wim Hof method (here, for free) so you get the basics, then just find a pattern that works for you.
Lymphatic Drainage
Instead of paying for a lymphatic drainage massage somewhere (which, honestly I’ve never found to be super worth it), do these hacks:
Dry brush (I use this one daily, it literally takes 2 minutes)
Legs up the wall, do for 10-15 minutes before bed
Trampolines are also great tools for lymphatic drainage! I use the one my mom bought for my niece and nephew all the time.
Follow @lymphloveclub on IG, she has the best at home lymphatic massage tutorials
Meditation
Just set a timer on your phone and sit in silence! Another super accessible wellness practice that doesn’t require an app or any money. I like to do this under my red light therapy device to save time.
See, wellness doesn’t always have to be an hour long meditation, an expensive massage, or a session in the cold plunge & sauna. Those are all great tools when you have the time and money, but sometimes all you need is a few minutes of breathwork, a hot bath, or a walk in the sunlight.
