It’s summer! It may not be a normal summer, but it’s summer all the same, and here on the Eastern Seaboard, we’re making the best of the warmest months by lounging on our rooftops and terraces (and fire escapes), slathering on sunscreen, going for long walks, listening to our favorite tunes with all the windows open and the sun pouring in from the street, and tending to our houseplants like our lives depend on it.
We’re also adjusting our morning routines, because in the hotter months, we find we need different things—and because we want to have as much energy as possible, so as to soak up all the rays of summer. Read on to learn our favorite ways to take care of ourselves right now.
1. Exercise
It’s definitely easier to get out of bed when there’s a fun workout waiting for you. Did you laugh when you read that sentence? Yeah, we feel you, but seriously—if you find a fitness instructor you really love who walks you through the paces of a fun way to move your body, you might even find yourself looking forward to it before you fall asleep at night.
Pre-pandemic, one of our go-tos was Pilates (specifically, for at least one of us, New York Pilates), but we’ve found we need different things while being cooped up in our homes all day, every day. For some of us (me!), we need cardio, and we also need to switch it up from day to day. We’ve zeroed in on a few online platforms that do the trick, and we’re back to getting excited the night before our favorite instructors teach. Seriously.
2. Take an adaptogen
Adaptogens stormed the wellness sphere a few years ago, though they’ve been around for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine—and for good reason. They’re basically little miracle workers, supporting the immune system and reducing stress within the body.
We’ve gotten into popping a little bit of Clean’s Harmonize ashwagandha root powder into our smoothies in the morning, which is known for increasing energy, endurance, and longevity. We like Clean’s organic, fermented ashwagandha, which is also said to moderate hormone cycles, reduce anxiety, and aid in increasing memory and cognitive function. Plus, it’s fun to add a little something-something to our smoothies in the morning—it makes us feel like magicians!*
Are you sick of hearing people tell you to meditate? We are too. But! We’re saying it anyway, because it really is that helpful. Our semi-consistent practice has helped us to sit down, shut up, and go within, which maybe in the moment might feel pointless, but on the grand scale gives us a lot of clarity.
Meditation has even given us the power to pause in the moment and take a deep breath before reacting, which is a true shock. We wouldn’t believe it either—if we hadn’t seen it for ourselves. If you’re having trouble getting started, try a guided medi from Tara Brach, the patron saint of meditation. She could make a meditator out of anyone.
It sounds deceptively simple—so simple, in fact, that you might be planning on skipping over this one. Don’t skip it! Don’t roll your eyes on down to the fifth suggestion! Here’s why: We all know water is good for you. It’ll make your skin clearer, your digestion better, and your intentions purer or whatever. But it’s so hard to drink enough water every day.
How much water is that, you ask? Well, you’ve probably heard eight eight-ounce glasses a day. But actually that’s a lie. The Mayo Clinic recommends eleven and a half glasses of water a day for the average woman. According to experts over at Good Housekeeping, to find the optimal amount of water in ounces you should drink each day, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2; multiply that number by 40 if you’re younger than 30, by 35 if you’re between 30 and 55, or by 30 if you’re older than 55; divide that by 28.3, and voilà. If your head is spinning, just…drink more water.
We all breathe, all the time. But do you ever breathe intentionally? We’ve found that breathing exercises really do all they say—slow down our heart rate, chill out our anxiety, bring us a level of serenity and clearheadedness. They’re also a great transition between a Zoom call and another Zoom call as you go about your workday, since a quick round can take five minutes or even just a minute or two.
If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’ve probably tried a pranayama, or breathing exercise. One of our favorites is kapalabhati, which at first glance is just breathing in and out really fast. But it’s much more than that. For starters, kapalabhati means “skull shining” in Sanskrit, which refers to the idea that you’re cleansing your brain when you practice it. Are you really? Well, who can say, but we like to think so. And anything that’s designed to invigorate your mind, body, and spirit is fine by us.
Photo: Shot on site at 6 Columbus, a Sixty Hotel. On Jonelle: Pajamas, Morgan Lane; Rings, Catbird; Hair, Angela Soto; Makeup, Andriani.
*Sponsored by Clean
Want more stories like this?
Ear Seeding Is Our New Go-To Wellness Routine
What It’s Like to Be a New or Expecting Mom Right Now
31 Black Beauty and Wellness Influencers to Know—and Follow Now
We’ve gotten into popping a little bit of Clean’s Harmonize ashwagandha root powder into our smoothies in the morning, which is known for increasing energy, endurance, and longevity. We like Clean’s organic, fermented ashwagandha, which is also said to moderate hormone cycles, reduce anxiety, and aid in increasing memory and cognitive function. Plus, it’s fun to add a little something-something to our smoothies in the morning—it makes us feel like magicians!*
3. Meditate
Are you sick of hearing people tell you to meditate? We are too. But! We’re saying it anyway, because it really is that helpful. Our semi-consistent practice has helped us to sit down, shut up, and go within, which maybe in the moment might feel pointless, but on the grand scale gives us a lot of clarity.
Meditation has even given us the power to pause in the moment and take a deep breath before reacting, which is a true shock. We wouldn’t believe it either—if we hadn’t seen it for ourselves. If you’re having trouble getting started, try a guided medi from Tara Brach, the patron saint of meditation. She could make a meditator out of anyone.
4. Drink more water
It sounds deceptively simple—so simple, in fact, that you might be planning on skipping over this one. Don’t skip it! Don’t roll your eyes on down to the fifth suggestion! Here’s why: We all know water is good for you. It’ll make your skin clearer, your digestion better, and your intentions purer or whatever. But it’s so hard to drink enough water every day.
How much water is that, you ask? Well, you’ve probably heard eight eight-ounce glasses a day. But actually that’s a lie. The Mayo Clinic recommends eleven and a half glasses of water a day for the average woman. According to experts over at Good Housekeeping, to find the optimal amount of water in ounces you should drink each day, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2; multiply that number by 40 if you’re younger than 30, by 35 if you’re between 30 and 55, or by 30 if you’re older than 55; divide that by 28.3, and voilà. If your head is spinning, just…drink more water.
5. Try some breathing exercises
We all breathe, all the time. But do you ever breathe intentionally? We’ve found that breathing exercises really do all they say—slow down our heart rate, chill out our anxiety, bring us a level of serenity and clearheadedness. They’re also a great transition between a Zoom call and another Zoom call as you go about your workday, since a quick round can take five minutes or even just a minute or two.
If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’ve probably tried a pranayama, or breathing exercise. One of our favorites is kapalabhati, which at first glance is just breathing in and out really fast. But it’s much more than that. For starters, kapalabhati means “skull shining” in Sanskrit, which refers to the idea that you’re cleansing your brain when you practice it. Are you really? Well, who can say, but we like to think so. And anything that’s designed to invigorate your mind, body, and spirit is fine by us.
Photo: Shot on site at 6 Columbus, a Sixty Hotel. On Jonelle: Pajamas, Morgan Lane; Rings, Catbird; Hair, Angela Soto; Makeup, Andriani.
*Sponsored by Clean
Want more stories like this?
Ear Seeding Is Our New Go-To Wellness Routine
What It’s Like to Be a New or Expecting Mom Right Now
31 Black Beauty and Wellness Influencers to Know—and Follow Now