My Missy Mahjong Mental Wellness Routine
My ideal mental health reset includes a morning hike, a 40-minute infrared sauna session and a 40-minute magnesium float. If you’re looking for a way to restore your brain and relax, let me introduce you to my favorite methods.
A morning hike
Did you know that Nashville has some of the most city hiking trails in the country? Inside the city limits we have Radnor State Park, Percy Warner Park system and little hidden gems like Shy’s Hill.
After I drop the kids at school, I try to get in a good hike. After an ankle injury, my running days are limited, so I now I'm hiking the hilly terrain to get my heart rate up.
I can walk with a friend, a podcast or just my own thoughts. I love to spend the morning outside!
The infrared sauna
Okay, okay. If you read about the benefits of infrared saunas on the internet, it sounds like a miracle box. I haven’t done the research myself, but I can tell you I do feel like it makes a difference in my daily well-being. Call me crazy, but I love this little wood box.
I use a Sunlighten® infrared sauna. The company’s website points to studies suggesting infrared saunas may support everything from gut health to heart health. Is it true? You decide for yourself. I'm not totally sold on the scientific research, but I love the experience.
For me, the infrared sauna is about the sweat. Living in the city, I’m exposed to all kinds of environmental toxins, from the air I breathe to the ingredients in my food. Forty minutes of deep sweating just feels so good! If the benefits really do detox my body, i am all for it.
The float tank
After I sweat in the sauna, I rinse off and float in the magnesium bath. Magnesium is believed to have many health benefits, from muscle recovery to better sleep. Again, I have not done the scientific research personally, but I love the experience in the float either way.
The magnesium is probably working its magic, but Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) is the real draw for me. Forty minutes of silent meditation in the float tank is amazing.
When I meditate during the float, I completely isolate myself. I can’t check my phone. I don’t know the time. I don’t feel the energy from other people. During the float, I am isolated and present with myself. It is the best 40 minutes of my day.
I probably have some type of ADHD, and I’m easily distracted in life. In the float, I don’t have any mental stimulation. Some of my best ideas come during or right after the float.
I deserve this wellness routine
I owe it to myself to feel good. My brain and body need to slow down and enjoy this wellness routine. Whether it’s a workout in nature, an unhurried sauna sweat or an isolated floating meditation, my hardworking body deserves a little TLC.
