By Jack Sharpen

New Year’s Tricks

It’s been less than a month and I’ve already broken the sacred oath. Two casual sips into an IPA and dry January, one of my few new year’s resolutions, was over without realising. These promises we swear to ourselves every solar cycle are often inspiring, motivating and (on my part) downright ostentatious. Mine lasted 4 days.

As we’ve kicked into 2021 the same old, same old is very much new (the L and C words will be avoided in this post). With this ongoing, support services are supplying their own sorties. For a scatter-brain like me, sometimes it’s hard to fully access all available. 

In a new year’s wellbeing mantra, it can be counted down from Manchester’s Six ways, NHS’ five steps and now Hive’s four humours. Don’t worry, this isn’t venereal, and the only thing you’ll catch is some basic, lighthearted tricks that help my wellbeing tick. Its humour-ous, right? 

These four humours might seem obvious to many, but often in times of stress, breaking down and the, err, (C-L),  this perfect balance of wellbeing humours are usually the first to go. Let’s humour ourselves by checking out this fantastic four:

1. Sustenance

Healthy food is a happy mood: a bunch of studies have linked a bunch of bananas to, well, not going too bananas. It can be that much more tempting to scroll through your favourite takeout cuisines, and cheat meals are a needed creature comfort. Yet we’ve all had that lethargic lull after indulging, including the caffeine dip and dreaded hangover. 

Making sure the right flavonoids, foods and fluids are circling in your humors is important for the body. This includes any medications or doctor’s orders (something said writer is a sucker for forgetting). A good balance is key to lifting weights off your shoulders, from hummus to hamburgers, and remember that treats are always good for the soul (if not the arteries).

2. ExerciSe

You either love it or you hate it. Unlike marmite, it is a must for good wellbeing (although for me, marmite = sustenance). New meta-analytical studies have shown that the average dose of 30-40 minutes daily exercise not only does the necessary deed, but can promote a longer lifespan. 

The sticking point (as always) is time and the fillip to start. Even with the bank of health benefits, this Catch-22 loop is a tough ‘un to break. As with every task or hobby, starting with small steps is the way forward (literally); Couch to 5k, yay or nay?

For this labour of love, crack out your walking shoes, strap on the bike helmet, or if weather not permitting (Storm Christoph’s in full flow outside), squeeze into the lycra and start that stretching. If you’re having difficulty choosing which (exer-)Size suits you, check out UoM’s Active Anywhere classes as well the weekly UoM Yoga sessions.

3. Stimulation

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. For reals. Taking time away from studies is essential for things that make you tick and buzz. This can be as simple as reading for fun, playing games, or catching up on TV. 

Why not creep into the creative crux by picking up that dusty instrument or crochet needle and stimulate yourself outside of work? Or – as every 2020 health article has reminded – really do start that new hobby that’s been on the back burners and try to go full Bill Bailey. There’s a plethora of options to pick, such as pedagogy if teaching is your thing (Hive-promotion alert)

Some covid-sage socialising (darn I said the C word!) is also crux to any complete stimulus. From popping out the zoom parties, facetiming families and simply being Among Us, staying connected is a sure way to keep smiling. 

A small chunk of this can be found for PGRs, with the up-coming DAGS game night (February 3rd); have a gander at their page for more.   

4. Sleep

This might seem the most axiomatic but for me, a good kip is usually the first thing skipped. The old saying of 7-9 hours sleep still survives scrutiny, but is often superseded by the stress and struggle of a post-grad world. 

Sleep is the most important humour of them all, affecting and being supported by the previous three. Getting too much or too little is one sure way to throw you off kilter and will most likely lead to a humourless cycle in the long run; if only a certain undergraduate understood that!

A regular pattern is the buzzz for a snooze. If you’re not sure whether you’re optimising these snooze hours, it’s worth checking out the sleep onset latency. This old spoon and tray trick will be a guide to how sleep deprived you are inside – it’s a real opener (well, eye-closer).

Being Humouralistic 

These tricks might seem a tad too trouble-free, but in this ever-changing, drama-filled current climate it is crucial to keep a good grounding. Maintaining these few easy goals and staying New Year’s fit, fun and fabulous is resolution we can all fit in one one hand.

Finally, fitting in the four wellbeing humors for your well-meaning humour is one step forward to saying it’s alright.