BUILDING RESILIENCE: TURNING CHALLENGES INTO SUCCESS
Healthy Lifestyle
Being resilient requires mental and physical energy. In order to have the emotional energy to deal with the challenges that life throws your way, it is important to maintain healthy lifestyle practices for optimal functioning.
- Be Physically Active – Regular physical activity is key to overall health and resilience. Regular exercise facilitates information processing and memory functions. Aim for a minimum of 150 minutes a week or 30 minutes most days of the week. It can be broken up into increments as well. Besides biking, running, and sports activities, walking, using stairs, and gardening also serve to burn calories and get your heart rate up.
- Healthy Nutrition- Resilience relies on strong, healthy minds and bodies. What we eat fuels our bodies in order to respond to the demands that come our way, both physically and emotionally. The American Heart Association , American Dietetic Association, and Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation meal choices that control portions and focus on low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, low fat proteins, and whole grains.
- Get Sufficient Sleep – Sleep has been called the "third pillar" of health according to the CDC. Adults usually need between 7-9 hours of sleep to recharge mentally and physically for optimal energy and functioning. Research suggests that sleep is a favored time for many types of restoration and renewal. Sleep heavily influences the prefrontal cortex which is important for innovation, self-control and creativity according to the 2013 Harvard Corporate Sleep Summit. (Learn more about The National Sleep Foundation).
Additional Resources:
- Learn about the Start! Physical Activity Program through Health Plus
- Vanderbilt Health Plus
- Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center
- Vanderbilt Dayani Center for Health and Wellness
