Wellbeing | How to Get Up Early

Mornings are special in summer. Experiencing the dawn, or simply making the most of the quiet at this time to stretch or catch up on a book, starts your day on a positive note.

There’s something quite exciting about creeping out of bed and padding quietly about the house, guarding your precious time before anyone or anything can disturb you. Kerry Sutton is co-founder of Into the Wilds (intothewilds.co.uk) which organises group microadventures in the early morning and evening around the Bath area. “There’s something about being in the outside world when it’s waking up that’s really special,” she says. “All your senses are heightened because you haven’t yet been exposed to noise and stimulation – the grass and trees looks greener in the dew, the birdsong sounds louder and clearer, and you notice animals that you might not see at other times of the day.” Of course, you don’t need to go outside to enjoy the stillness and opportunity of the early morning. You could curl up in a chair and read a few chapters of a book by an open window, do some yoga or writing as the day slowly awakens. “By getting up early and having this time for yourself, you’re coming into the world and starting the day calmly and on your terms rather than launching straight into the demands of the day,” says Kerry.

How to get out of bed earlier

• Gradually bring your waking up time and going to bed time back by 15 minutes a day.

• Plan to do something you really enjoy and that you’ll want to wake up for.

• Sleep with your curtains open and allow the daylight to wake you naturally.

• Spend a night under canvas or in a hammock and wake up with the sunrise and dawn chorus.

• If you’re really tired, go back to sleep – no pressure!

These ideas are part of our feature ‘The Joy of the 5-9’ by Rebecca Frank, in our June issue. It’s all about making more of the daylight hours at the beginning and end of the day (5-9am and 5-9pm).

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Wellbeing | How To Hang Out

Hanging out is the new meeting up - and it’s good for your wellbeing, too. Here’s how to embrace an easier, unfussier way to connect.

Meeting with friends doesn’t need to require a committee meeting, weeks of planning and great expense. Rather than co-ordinated gatherings, try simply ‘hanging out’. Here are our favourite ideas for ways to hang out without making it a big deal.

1. Takeaway (or homemade) pizzas in the park. Everyone brings their own.

2. Coffee at your kitchen table while you unpack the weekly shop. 

3. A chat over the Sunday papers and a pot of tea.

4. Sharing a bag of chips on the beach.

5. A joint dog walk. 

6. A cuppa over the fence with a neighbour. 

7. Phone a friend while you cook dinner.

8. Invite someone over for a ‘leftovers’ supper.

9. Saturday morning video chat with someone long-distance. 

10. Watch your favourite TV programme with a mate. 

11. Get together to help someone declutter their wardrobe. 

12. Enjoy the sun in a friend’s garden. 

Our ways to hang out are inspired by our feature The Joy of Hanging Out by Frances Ambler in our May issue. You can find it on page 14.

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Listen | ENO Breathe calming playlist

Image: Adobe Stock

Just certain tracks can motivate you to run faster or exercise longer, in the same way, listening to calming music has been proven to decrease our levels of stress hormones. The ENO have a playlist precisely for this. Take a listen on Spotify here.

“These songs are a salve of song,” says Suzi Zumpe, “moments from operas chosen for their soothing, calming atmosphere.” Zumpe is the Creative Director of ENO Breathe, an online programme designed by the English National Opera in partnership with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to tackle post-Covid breathlessness and associated anxiety. 

To find out more about how breathing in the right way can help you feel better, inside and out, see our feature ‘Let it go’ by Johanna Derry-Hall in the May issue of The Simple Things.

ENO Breathe – A calming playlist

Wellbeing | Reads to make you wonder

In our April issue, we met Katherine May, who set out on outings to reawaken her sense of wonder. Here, we’ve collated a few books (including one of Katherine’s own) that might help you do the same…

Enchantment: Reawakening wonder in an exhausted age by Katherine May (Faber)

Exhausted and overwhelmed, Katherine sought out a different ways to be in a more meaningful relationship with the world and rekindle that sense of wonder and play that comes so easily to us as children. Rather than something that is given to us or requires grand adventures, she discovers how it’s something that’s everything – it just requires our small but deliberate attention. Honest and inspiring.

Awe: The transformative power of everyday wonder by Dacher Keltner (Penguin)

A scientific exploration into awe and how finding and experiencing it can help to make us feel happier. Dacher’s extensive research has led him to conclude that this feeling of awe or wonder at something greater than us gives us a sense of worth and belonging and connection with the people and natural environment around us. We can experience every day awe in our own way, says Keltner, whether it’s a panoramic view, meditation, music or the laughter of a loved one, if we just allow ourselves to pause and wonder.

Twelve Moons: A year under a shared sky by Caro Giles (Harper North)

A beautiful memoir written over the course of a year from the author’s Northumbrian home where she lives with her four young daughters. Structured according to the twelve moons of the lunar calendar, Giles writes honestly about the challenges of single motherhood and how she finds strength and guidance from the natural world beyond her four walls and the ever-present, shimmering influence of the moon.

The Other Side: A Journey into Women, Art and the Spirit World by Jennifer Higgie (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Longing for ‘a kind of re-enchantment’ at a moment of transition in her life, art writer Jennifer turns to often much neglected women artists, such as Hilma af Klimt and Ithell Colquhoun, who tried to explore realms beyond the physical with their work. Their fascinating stories, dating from the 12th century through to today and interwoven with the writer’s own – suggest a myriad of other possibilities and ways of being in this world.

 Read more about Katherine’s outings in search of wonder in our April issue.

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Wellbeing | Feelgood Feet

The Power Stance

The following exercise is recommended by Yamuna Zake, author of The Foot Fix (Watkins). Yamuna has developed an exercise programme to help people prevent and improve problems relating to the feet, and this exercise will help build your arches and align your feet. Use it throughout the day, such as when you’re standing in the kitchen or waiting for a train.

1 Stand with your feet parallel and hip-width apart.

2 Shift your weight into one foot. Line up the outside edge of the foot so it forms a straight line from heel to little toe – a rug or floor tile can help. If any padding from under the foot sticks out, tilt the foot onto the outside edge, bear weight into it, and press outward with your leg and foot. It should look different from the other foot and you should feel you are standing straighter.

3 Move your hip farther to the side so that your weight goes even more into that foot and all the toes except your fifth (little) toe come off the floor.

4 Keeping your weight on the outside edge of the foot, lower your fourth, third, second and big toes one at a time, keeping the knee directly over the middle of your foot and ankle. This will get easier with practice.

5 Once all five toes are on the floor, press them down.

6 Now shift your weight onto the other foot and repeat steps 2–5. 7 Once you’ve placed each toe of the second foot down, shift to standing with equal weight on both feet and all five toes pressing into the floor. 8 Stand this way for a few moments, take some deep breaths, noticing how the breath moves up your body more easily creating a sensation of uplift.

The above exercise is from our feature, ‘Happy Feet’ from our March issue, in which Rebecca Frank explains why looking after your feet can help your entire body and mind feel better.

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Wellbeing | Books to Inspire a Walk

A good walk is good for the soul. Take a hike from the comfort of your armchair with one these great books that will inspire you to put your best foot forward

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (Penguin)

After Winn and her husband Moth lose their home and business, and he receives a terminal diagnosis, the couple decide to walk the South West Coast path – 630 miles from Somerset to Dorset via Devon and Cornwall – carrying all they have on their backs. It’s a tale of coming to terms with grief and the power of nature to heal.

Wild: A Journey From Lost to Found by Cheryl Strayed (Atlantic Books)

Following the death of her mother, Strayed took on the Pacific Crest Trail – 1,100 miles up the US West Coast, including desert, ice and wild animals. Her account not only deals with her physical challenges (losing her toenails) but her emotional reckoning, too. It’s now a film starring Reese Witherspoon.

I Belong Here: A Journey Along The Backbone of Britain by Anita Sethi (Bloomsbury Wildlife)

When Sethi became the victim of racist abuse on a train, it sparked a period of anxiety. Motivated by claustrophobia to find open spaces, and determined that the crime would not stop her travelling, she hiked the Pennines, reclaiming the landscape and her right to be in it.

The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd (Canongate)

Shepherd’s short account of walking in the Cairngorms was written in the 1940s, but she chose not to publish it until 1977. It’s been an influence on nature writers such as Robert Macfarlane.

Windswept: Why Women Walk by Annabel Abbs (Two Roads)

Part memoir, part history, Abbs tells the story of trailblazing women, including Daphne du Maurier and Simone de Beauvoir.

OR TRY THESE NEW TITLES…

Between the Chalk and the Sea: A Journey on Foot into the Past by Gail Simmons (Headline)
This follows a long-lost pilgrim route between Southampton and Canterbury.

Sarn Helen: A Journey Through Wales, Past, Present and Future by Tom Bullough (Granta Books)
An evocative account of a journey along the old Roman road that runs from the south of Wales to the north.

Finding Hildasay: How One Man Walked the UK’s Coastline and Found Hope and Happiness by Christian Lewis (Macmillan)
In a bid to counter depression, Lewis sets off around the coast with £10 and two days’ worth of food.

In our February issue, we have a feature on walking in company by Duncan Minshull, author of Where My Feet Fall (William Collins). Turn to page 36 to read it.

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Wellbeing | Why Silence is Golden

Why making time for quiet contemplation can help you be more creative

It’s not surprising that when we’re bombarded with a constant stream of information and stimulation, we find it harder to think clearly or come up with ideas. Moshe Bar, a renowned neuroscientist and author of Mindwandering: How It Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity (Bloomsbury Tonic), likens it to an engineering term known as ‘signal-to-noise ratio’ – “Basically, the less noise there is the more salient the signal” and explains why improving your chances of getting a clear signal for your creative thoughts to reach your conscious mind is so important: “Hidden inside the space that is our thoughts are the new ideas, insights, clear decisions and other mental treasures thrown at us from the subconscious,” he says. “And it’s much harder for us to notice them when they’re embedded in cluttering noise.” It’s not only external noise but the internal chatter of our minds. “A quieter mind is clearer in that it lets us see the fruits of our thinking better,” explains Bar, acknowledging that when we suddenly try to do nothing, we often find the mind starts racing – and not necessarily with helpful or positive thoughts. It’s perhaps unsurprising then that people often turn to distracting activities rather than sitting quietly. “So much attention has been paid to ways to unplug from the bustle, but the greater challenge can be freeing ourselves from the distractions within which disrupt our attention and intrude on the quality of our experience even when we are in a perfectly quiet place.”

Enjoy pockets of silence

A bit like being bored, silence is something many of us find uncomfortable and resist by watching TV, playing music or avoiding being on our own. The mind responds to stimulus so if you’re always surrounded by noise, it’ll be harder to focus – try doing some mental arithmetic while loud music is on or in a busy restaurant and see how much longer it takes than when you’re in a quiet environment. Introduce pockets of quiet into your day – you don’t have to be alone, you can spend time with others without talking or watching or listening – perhaps reading a book together or walking together silently.

This blog is an extract from our feature ‘Do Less, Think Better’ by Rebecca Frank, in our January issue. Turn to page 14 to read the rest of the feature. Rebecca is also the editor of our new Bookazine, which we’ve called Flourish. It’s a beautiful, season-by-season guide to nourishing your body, feeding your mind, thinking positively and appreciating the simple joy of rest. You can buy Flourish from our online store, Pics and Ink, now. 

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How to | Connect with a Friend

The last couple of years have really made us think about what our friends mean to us. But when you haven’t seen someone special for a while, or regular meet-ups fall by the wayside it can be hard to reach out. Here are our favourite ten ideas for ways to reconnect with a friend, or simply to remind someone why they are valued and loved. 

1. Send a postcard. You don’t have to be on holiday - a picture postcard from a museum or gallery or simply of the town you live in will make a friend smile. You can even make postcards of your own photos on card-sending websites like Thortful.com and send it online with your own message. 

2. Lend a book. Finished a book you loved? Pop it through your friend’s door and then pencil in a very exclusive book club meet to discuss it. 

3. Organise a road trip. It worked for Thelma and Lousie… until it didn’t. It doesn’t have to be terribly exciting but being told to keep a morning free and then whisked off for a picnic, a coffee and a gallery or just a drive to somewhere beautiful and a long chinwag on the way there is the stuff memories are made of. 

4. Bond over a box set. Are you both Pottery Throwdown nuts or Sewing Bee superfans? If you can’t watch from the same sofa, make an appointment for a phone call from your respective sofas so you can dissect each moment as it happens. 

5. Jog a memory. Dig out an old photo of you both and email it to her, or send her a DVD of a film you watched together a long time ago. 

6. Take up a hobby together. Going to Nordic Walking together or meeting each week before a drawing class means you’re both more likely to show up. And when there’s inevitably someone slightly irritating in the class, you can laugh about it after over a glass of wine. 

7. Make plans. Every journey starts with a single step, and even if it’s a long way off, planning a holiday, a big celebration or simply a special day out is a lovely way to spend a few hours with someone you love. And a good friend will never laugh when you get out your moodboards. 

8. Use the element of surprise. Whether it’s a bunch of flowers, a ticket to an online lecture, or a fancy meal kit, receiving a little treat for no reason at all feels just lovely, and is an excellent way to show someone that they are in your thoughts and that you value their friendship. 

9. Make a mix tape (or a Spotify playlist if you aren’t in the 1980s). It was how we showed our love when we were 13 and we all know there is no friendship as intense as that between two 13 year olds who love the same bands. Include songs you know she likes as well as songs that mean something to both of you. 

10. Grow your own. We all like receiving homegrown fruit or veg. Go one better and take her a jar of jam or chutney made from your produce and then later in the year, a few seeds from your plants so she can grow something from something you grew yourself! Aw!

We were inspired to think more about our friends this month having read our feature on why we need friends, by theschooloflife.com. You can read all about it in our July issue, on sale now. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

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Wellbeing | Start a Women's Circle

For well over a thousand years, women’s circles have offered a safe space for women to talk, listen and take part in mindful activities. Here’s how to start your own circle of sisterhood

• Decide on a purpose for the circle It might be a general one of connection or manifestation. A circle can also honour a particular passage of life. A mother blessing, for example, is a beautiful alternative to a commercial baby shower. In circle, women could share words of encouragement or remind the mother-to-be of her gifts and strengths.

• Create a comfortable space You can make the circle as beautiful as you like, using natural materials, rugs and flowers. But the most important thing is to create a space where women feel safe, warm and relaxed.

• Try journalling prompts It can help to have a specific question to focus on, such as ‘How am I feeling in this moment?’ or ‘What has triggered me this week?’ These could be connected to a theme. For instance, a new moon circle might be about setting intentions for the month ahead. l Include simple ritual A ritual is just an everyday act done with intention. You could light a candle or use a sage smudge stick to cleanse the space around participants.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of women’s circles and would like to know more, do buy a copy of our June issue, in which Victoria Maw looks at the ancient wisdom of women’s circles and how they can benefit us in a modern world, too. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

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How to | Get a Head for Heights

Be inspired to aim high, even if your stomach doesn’t agree… 

In our April issue, we met three women whose jobs take them high into the sky, including a pilot, stone mason, mountain runner and Isobel Watson (pictured), who is an arborist. Much as she loves her work, she’s the first to admit it can be tough. “Being an arborist can be brutal,” she nods. “Especially when you’re starting out.” Ascending trees, cutting them back and, “as a last resort,” taking them down is physically bruising, and there’s always an element of risk. “You’re suspended in a harness, from a rope, putting all your trust – and weight – on to a branch. You can be up to 100ft off the ground, and of course you’ve got a chainsaw with you.” The flip side is a heady sense of freedom and achievement. “You never go home feeling as if you’ve done nothing, and you never stop learning.”

If you fancy a life in the treetops (or even an afternoon of tree-climbing) but don’t have a head for heights, however, fear not - you may not be ground-bound for ever. 

Fear of heights is called Acoraphobia (not Vertigo, which often seems to confuse people) and there are things you can do to get over it. Anxiety UK says just one of the things you can do is ‘immersion therapy’, that is slowly exposing yourself to the feared situation: “Start by slowly exposing yourself/the person to heights, perhaps start with a first floor balcony or looking over the bannisters of a stair well close to the bottom. Continue by exposing yourself/the person to gradually increasing heights. When you feel ready, perhaps try an experience day, such as a virtual experience… or if you are feeling brave, an Indoor skydiving experience could be a good starting point.”

If you don’t yet feel like facing a fear of heights head on, you could start with other ways to train your brain into accepting situations of discomfort. Try the following ideas from Get Out of Your Comfort Zone: 60 Challenge Cards to Build a Strong Resilient Mindset by Ben Aldridge (Watkins). 

Train your mind to deal with uncomfortable situations 

Take a cold shower This will help you develop a mind-over-matter attitude and it boosts endorphins (the body’s feel-good chemicals). Just turn on the shower, switch it to cold, get in and stay as long as you can, building up the time as you get used to it. Sleep on the floor Spend the night sleeping on the floor without a pillow, mattress or blanket. You’ll have to be strong to tough it out, but it will make you deeply grateful for your bed. Blindfold yourself for an hour. Spending an hour in the dark will enhance your other senses and give you a new set of difficulties to overcome as you try to go about your business (within reason, obviously).

We’ve more ideas for training your brain from Get Out of Your Comfort Zone starting on page 28 of our April issue.

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How to | Get to Sleep More Easily

You are feeling very sleepy… With the clocks going back at the end of each month, we have a chance for an extra hour in bed, and an extra hour’s sleep is never wasted as far as we’re concerned. Make the most of it with rituals that will help you fall asleep quicker and sleep more restfully.

Avoid bedtime procrastination

Do you keep finding things to do rather than going to bed? Whether it’s faffing around doing jobs or watching another episode on Netflix, bedtime procrastination is a common barrier to good sleep according to the Sleep Foundation. And because our self control is at its weakest at night-time, if you don’t make a concerted effort to combat it, it can cost you valuable sleep time. They advise keeping a regular bedtime, switching off devices for at least half an hour – ideally longer – before bed, and having a set routine that becomes automatic to reduce the impulse to stay up later.

Read a story

Reading in the evening can help you wind down but if it’s close to bedtime it’s best to choose fiction over non fiction as it doesn’t require as much brainpower and tends to be more relaxing. It’s also better to read from a paper book than a device because of the blue light exposure. If you prefer electronic however, go for a Kindle as they emit less blue light than a phone or tablet, or get a blue light filter.

Listen carefully

Play some music, download an app for a guided meditation (try Ten Percent Happier), listen to a bedtime story (Audible has night-time stories), or some soothing podcasts, sound baths or ASMR (ASMR – Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response – refers to the tingling feeling you might experience when listening to certain sounds like folding towels or nails tapping, pouring water and whispering. It’s very subjective – some people find it really relaxing while others find it irritating or feel nothing at all). The right music can also help you wind down – try to choose something with a slower tempo (experts say around 60-80 BPM is ideal for relaxation and sleep as it corresponds with your resting heart rate) and go for low volume on speakers rather than earbuds or headphones. Spotify and YouTube both have playlists with tracks of 60-80 BPM.

Have a cuddle

Human contact will trigger the release of oxytocin (the hormone that makes you feel connected) and reduce levels of cortisol so that you’ll feel instantly less stressed. Sex has also been shown to boost oestrogen levels in women, which improves sleep quality. If you’re not in the mood, it’s worth bearing in mind that the better you sleep, the higher your sex drive will be, so it’s a win-win situation!

Sign off the day

Before you close your eyes, imagine forgiving yourself completely. The goals you didn’t reach. The mistakes you made. Instead of locking those flaws inside to define and repeat yourself, imagine letting your past float through your present and away like air through a window, freshening a room.

Advice from Matt Haig, author of The Comfort Book (Cannongate Books). This advice is part of our feature The Remains of the Day, from our November issue, in which we look at bedtime rituals. You can read it from page 76.

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Micro yoga | Kitchen Counter Downward Dog

Yoga you can do in a few spare moments in your day

This dreamy pose (not the one above, we hasten to add) can be done whilst the kettle boils. Stand facing the kitchen counter and place your hands on its surface, shoulder distance apart. Feet are hip distance apart. Hold onto the counter or table top and start to walk the feet backwards until your body is in an L shape, hinged from the hips. Keep some softness in the knees. If you’ve done yoga before, this is basically a standing Downward Dog variation. Keep the neck long, remembering it’s an extension of the spine. Hold for a few deep breaths, seeing if you can find length along the sides of the body. When ready, slowly walk the few steps back towards the counter and stand up.

If you’re inspired to do more micro yoga, you can read more about it from page 62 of our September issue.

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How to | Daydream well

Take a seat, stare into the middle distance, and let your mind wander with purpose

We’re programmed to see daydreaming as something we shouldn’t do. Hands up if you were told off for ‘daydreaming’ in class at school… We thought so. But perhaps day dreaming is something that should be encouraged. 

Obviously it’s not to be encouraged while driving a forklift truck or during an exam; there’s a time and a place for everything, isn’t there? But simply sitting with the purpose of doing nothing but allowing your mind to go on a journey can be a very useful exercise. Day dreaming has been shown to lower stress and anxiety, help you solve problems, increase your creativity and use parts of your brain that don’t often get any exercise. 

Srini Pillay, author of Tinker, Dabble, doodle, Try says “What you want to aim for is called positive constructive daydreaming (PCD). These sessions of unfocusing can be spontaneous or planned, and they will ultimately make you feel more self-aware, more creative, and far less bored. When you engage in PCD, you give your focused attention a break and allow yourself to plan and rehearse what’s to come. In other words, if you allow yourself to constructively daydream, you are likely to realise things about the future that you would miss otherwise.”

Here’s how to really make the most of daydreaming. 

Choose the right time

Putting a slot in your diary isn’t really in the spirit of the thing so don’t ‘plan’ to do it but maybe have a think about a few times in your week that might allow for it: the half hour between finishing work and picking the children up, last thing before bed instead of checking your emails or watching TV, the empty half hour while dinner is in the oven. Then when the moment arises you can seize it. A w ord of advice though - try to only daydream when you’re feeling happy and relaxed, otherwise a daydream can turn into a bit of a worry session.

Find the right location

Sitting in the window or lying on your bed are both good places to start but if you find home life just too busy to be able to daydream properly, take yourself off for a walk and find somewhere quiet to sit unobtrusively. A bench in a park or just a coffee alone in a cafe work well. Train journeys are great daydreaming spots, too. 

Do something mindless

Unlike meditation, you don’t need to empty your mind or control it by bringing it back to a mantra or a place of relaxation. So doodle if it helps, knit, polish your cutlery - whatever feels low pressure and doesn’t require any real thought. If you prefer, you can do nothing at all but it’s not a must. 

Pick a daydream topic

As we said, this isn’t about emptying your mind. Daydreaming is a chance to indulge your thoughts. Where are they taking you? Pick a fun place to start (dreaming about a trip or holiday, or what you’d do with a lottery win) and then just let your mind wander. A couple of good places to start are either dreaming back to the past and remembering a happy event you remember or dreaming into the future, thinking about things you hope to one day do. 

Don’t be shy

Role play is a common way to daydream, but no one can see your daydreams, don’t forget. If you want to rescue 400 puppies from a burning building and then graciously receive an award for bravery presented by Princess Anne, that’s absolutely fine. Ditto Salman Rushdie presenting you with the Booker prize for a novel you’ve not yet written. One of the reasons why daydreaming is good for us is the positive effect of happy thoughts on our brains. Just try not to accept your Booker prize out loud or you’ll give yourself away. 

Know what you want to achieve from your daydream

That might simply be a pleasant half hour spent staring at the clouds and daydreaming of nothing much at all, but you can also use daydreaming to more productive effect, such as plotting that Booker Prize winning novel, or planning how you might redecorate a room. Feel free to plot world domination if you like, but that’s probably not in the daydreaming spirit of the thing. Whatever your plans, have a pen and paper to hand so you can write down anything particularly brilliant. 

If you’re choosing to daydream on a bench like the one above, you might like to first read our feature on why we love a bench in our August issue.

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Wellbeing | cold water therapy

Plunging into something a little chilly brings benefits that go far beyond a thorough wake-up call

In our March issue, we’ve looked at the rise in popularity of cold water immersion and some of the benefits it can bring to both mind and body.

You don’t even need a lake or river to swim in; these days, folk are getting wet and wintry in barrels and baths in their garden, and even just dipping their toe into cold water immersion with a quick blast at the end of a morning shower. 

You can read more about it all from page 74 of our March issue. In the meantime, here are a few tips to help you get started on your cold water journey. <Passes you a Thermos and a warm towel>

Ready to take the plunge? Some good preparation will help 

1 Let yourself acclimatise to cold water by slowly increasing the time you spend in it and if you’re swimming outdoors, starting when the water is warmer in the summer and autumn. 

2 Stay warm as long as you can before you go in. Wrap up warm if you’re outside or have a warm shower before you turn the temperature down. 

3 Practise some breathwork to help you keep calm when you get in. Visit wimhofmethod.com for tips. 

4 Take your time getting in, splashing water onto your legs, torso, arms and shoulders before immersing yourself. 

5 You’ll be at your coldest 10 minutes after you come out, so get out while you’re still feeling good, dry off then layer up and keep moving. 

6 Don’t be too brave. If you prefer to wear a wetsuit, then wear one. 

7 If you don’t fancy going the whole hog, try immersing your face in cold water for a few seconds (more than just a splash!). 

8 Have fun! Experiment with water butts, barrels and icy baths, and play music and dance about to distract you from the cold.

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Create | a mental health shelf

Why a small corner dedicated to your happiness is a vital part of any home

The art of curating is comforting and grounding. Gathering things together that go with each other or work with each other is calming and comforting, and it’s lovely to just remember a few of your favourite things, whether they’re raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, or a few treasured books and CDs.

For a mental health shelf, you gather together your favourite things that bring you comfort and joy, so that on a down day or in a blue moment, you have a little stash of things to lift you. They might be books you return to again and again, comfort DVDs best enjoyed with a roaring fire and a cup of tea, a picture that makes your heart sing, yarn and needles or colouring pencils and a notebook to lift you out of the doldrums, or simply a favourite old threadbare teddy. 

It doesn’t even need to be a shelf; a bag or box will do just as well. Heck, you can even create a mental health shelf in your mind, where size and reality are no barrier; who said you can’t have dragons and elephants on an imaginary mental health shelf if they make you happy?

You might already have something like this at home. If not, we hope we’ve inspired you to make one. The above is a picture of our editor at large, Iona’s mental health shelf. It includesbooks - Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, Alan Bennett’s letters and the complete Mapp and Lucia novels; some childhood favourite DVDs (Moondial and The Box of Delights) to transport one back to Sunday afternoons with tea and crumpets and BBC1; some illustrated jazz musicians, a candle that smells of the sea (to complement the shells from the East Sussex coast) a copy of her favourite comfort-read magazine (of course) and a snail (because we all need a surprising snail now and then). 

But we’d love to see yours, too. Take a photo and send it to us at thesimplethings@icebergpress.co.uk with a short note about what you keep on your shelf and why. We hope to share them in a future issue. 

From our November issue…

More balm for your soul…

Wellbeing | ways to feel better without a hug

We’ve all missed human touch over the last few months but take heart, there are lots of ways to feel the joy of touch without it - until we hug again

Our theme for our September issue is ‘touch’ but there are so many ways in we can enjoy and interpret that. On page 34, Rebecca Frank looks at how we can compemnsate for a lack of cuddles currently. Here are a few simple ideas:

• Take a long shower or a bath and notice the sensation of the water against your skin.

• Rub some oil into your body after your bath or shower and give yourself a face massage whilst cleansing your skin.

• Do things with your hands like baking or gardening and go barefoot.

• Talk to people face to face if possible, or on the phone rather than emailing or texting.

• Listen to music that makes you feel uplifted or relaxed, depending on your mood.

• Make sure you do something meaningful and enjoyable for yourself every day.

• Make conversation with people you meet while you’re out walking or shopping.

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More from our September issue…

More ways to feel well…

How to: go it alone (briefly)

The art of enjoying your own company is one well worth acquiring

Jean-Paul Sartre wrote: “If you feel lonely when you’re alone then you’re in bad company.” Sartre was not renowned for his gregarious nature (or gentle words), so try not to take this to heart if you, like many of us, find being alone a little, well, lonely.

But there’s definitely truth in what he says and learning to love your own company is something that can enrich all our lives, whether we are alone regularly or very seldom.

In our May issue, we have a feature by Ella Foote, a keen wild swimmer who set off solo in a campervan to discover the wilder parts of Scotland. Her description of her break with herself made us all want to down tools immediately and enjoy some time alone:

“While I love the company of others, and I would describe myself as extrovert, I have learnt in recent years the joy of solitary exploring. There is a magical thing that happens over time spent alone, particularly when travelling. The first few days are a whirlwind as you begin the journey, excited, discovering and moving. Then, as you settle into routine, you make space for your fears and worries to visit. They can sit at the table while you drink wine and eat shellfish on the Amalfi Coast, or lie on the hot stone with you while you enjoy the lick of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. I have found there isn’t much to do other than to pull out the chair and let them join you. Facing them rather than numbing them, like we do in our day-to-day lives, gives you a chance to understand and accept them. This is followed by the best bit of travelling alone: you create a huge opening for the new. You see, hear, smell, taste and dream bigger than you remember you are capable of.”

If you like the idea of some time spent in your own company, here are a few tips on how to make the most of it:

Being alone at home:

1. Enjoy the freedom of not having to put on a face for anyone. In your own home, you can sit in your underwear and eat beans out of the tin if you want to. No one will judge you because no one will see! That said, there’s also something wonderful about cooking yourself your favourite meal, choosing the best ingredients from your favourite shop, spending a relaxing afternoon cooking and then enjoying your meal on your favourite crockery. Because you’re worth it.

2. Take up a new hobby. If you’re worried about boredom in your time alone, use the opportunity to learn a new skill - it could be a craft you haven’t tried, or learning a language online. What it is matters less than the chance to do something to stretch yourself without having to worry about the pace you go at or whether anyone else is enjoying themselves.

3. Be creative. Most of us grown-ups don’t get to spend time painting a picture or writing a poem very often. When you’re alone, you have space to let your mind wander and be as creative as you wish without fear of judgement. Heck, you can make up an interpretive dance routine if you like. Just close the curtains if you’d rather not get a standing ovation from the neighbours.

Appreciating going solo out and about:

1. Be a flaneur. Take a leaf out of Walter Benjamin’s book and wander with only the purpose of strolling about, observing and experiencing life going by. If easier, pretend you are wandering the streets of Paris in the 19th century, but any town will do.

2. Get close to nature. When you’re in company it’s so easy to miss what’s all around you. Head to a park or forest, where you’ll hear the birdsong you would miss if you were chatting to a companion, notice the small changes in season that would otherwise pass you by and stop whenever you want to look more closely at the natural world, all at your own pace.

3. Eat alone. The idea of a restaurant meal without company terrifies most of us but once you’ve done it a few times there’s nothing that feels quite so serene as a meal with oneself. You can watch the world go by, smirk inwardly at the couples bickering and the groups of friends dividing a bill with difficulty, while enjoying your meal in your own marvellous company - and no one can steal your chips!

If you’re inspired to spend some time enjoying your own company, you might like this video by The School of Life on how to eat alone.

You can read more from Ella Foote in this month’s The Simple Things, which is in shops now.

More from our May issue…

More wellbeing advice to soothe your soul…

Small acts of kindness

We’re marking National Random Acts of Kindness Day today. We all need to look out for each other. Here are a few little things that can make somebody’s day.

• Phone someone for a chat

• Remember birthdays and don’t just text, send a card

• Leave a note, even when you’ve not much to say

• Set an extra place at the table for someone on their own

• Give a homegrown bag of veg or posy of flowers...

• ...or simply offer your time and a slice of cake

What would you add? Tell us at over on Facebook or Twitter or in the comments below.

This blog was first published in June 2017 but we’ve shared it again for National Random Acts of Kindness Day.

More from the February issue:

More thoughtful ideas:

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View the sampler here.

Hanger: the struggle is real

Do thoughts of delicious food bring out the hulk in you when hungry?

If you know someone who suffers from ‘hanger’ (the condition of becoming particularly irritable when hungry), it might be time to cut them some slack. Or perhaps just cut them a slice of cake. It may sound like an excuse to either fly off the handle, or snack at will for the sake of peace, but scientists say ‘hanger’ is a genuine phenomenon.

Sophie Medlin, lecturer in nutrition and dietetics at King’s College, London, told Radio Four’s Woman’s Hour recently: “We’ve long recognised that hunger leads to irritability, but the wonderful world of social media has merged the two words and we now know it as ‘hanger’.”

And (here comes the science bit) “When our blood sugars drop, cortisol and adrenaline rise up in our bodies - our fight or flight hormones.” These then cause the release of neuropeptides, which affect the way the brain works. “The ones that trigger for hunger are the same ones that trigger for anger and rage. So that’s why you get that sort of same response,” she explains.

So now you know.

And if all that has made you hungry, well, we wouldn’t want you to leave in a bad mood. Please enjoy this recipe for Crunchy Indian Spiced Chickpeas (pictured above), which appears in our November issue and is taken from Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, Sound: A New Way to Cook by Sybil Kapoor, (Pavilion) with photography by Keiko Oikawa.

Crunchy Indian Spiced Chickpeas

Makes 2 bowls

1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained  and rinsed

¼ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp chilli powder

¼ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp amchoor powder (dried sour mango), optional

1 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

1 tbsp cold-pressed sunflower oil

½ tsp lemon juice, or to taste

1. At least 30 mins before cooking, rinse, drain and pat dry the chickpeas on paper towels. Spread them out in a single layer on a plate.

2. Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6. Mix the spices and salt in a small bowl.

3. Place the chickpeas and oil in a separate bowl and mix well, before adding the spice mixture. Toss until completely coated, then tip onto  a non-stick baking sheet and spread the chickpeas into a single layer.

4. Bake for 35 mins, giving the tray the odd shake. If you prefer your chickpeas floury inside, remove after 35 mins. If you prefer them crunchy throughout, turn the oven off after 35 mins and leave inside for a further 15 mins.

5. Once done, leave the chickpeas in their roasting pan and season with the lemon juice. Leave until cold, then serve as needed.

These make a great snack for a chilly November evening. We recommend serving them with friends and your choice of drink, and our November Playlist, all about food, on in the background. Feeling calmer yet?... Good.

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More food to comfort and cheer…

More from the November issue…

September horoscopes | Virgo

The start of a new season is a natural time of transition, where we pause to reflect and plan for the next phase of the year. Astrologer Donna Taylor looks at the coming season in your star sign and offers her guidance on how to find balance and contentment in the months ahead

Virgo

23 August – 22 September

“If you’re not happy at home, you’re not happy anywhere else,” said actress, Angie Harmon. Your domestic life may have been a theme for some time now, from your home to your family ties. This year is likely to have seen a lessening of difficulties but the real turning point comes in November when a much happier phase begins. Why is this important? Because the more happy and secure you feel in your foundations, the more able you’ll be to go out into the world and shine your light. This autumn is about new beginnings after which you’ll find it easier to make progress.

Turn to page 125 of September's The Simple Things for the other twelve star signs.

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View the sampler here

More from the September issue:

More starry inspiration: