We all know that as one year draws to a close, and a new one is on the horizon, it is a great time to stop and check in…. Make sure things are heading in the right direction, the plans are in place to see you ticking off your goals….

Or is it more a case of having the plans in place to make sure you survive? Sure goals are great, but isn’t life so busy and complicated that just getting to the end of each month is an achievement? 

Isn’t it normal to feel totally smashed at the end of the week and want to just curl up under your doona all weekend? Doesn’t everyone have trouble getting a great night’s sleep? Don’t we all drag ourselves out of bed in the morning, straight to the coffee machine? It’s normal to feel a little wound up most of the time, and quickly get annoyed when things don’t quite pan out….. Isn’t it?

In a nutshell - NO! 

Here are 5 alarm bells that start ringing when one of your most basic body functions has become dysfunctional - signs that your health is really suffering. Signs that there is a reason you are so consistently feeling "off your game".

Signs that it is time to dive in and bring in the New Year, with a New You:

1. 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep has become a distant memory

Just actually being in bed for 7-8 hours each night is not enough…. So much critical repair and regeneration happens to ALL our body systems when we are asleep that we simply cannot function well without restorative sleep. I’m talking about the sleep that allows you to wake feeling energised, refreshed, invigorated…. Not the type of sleep that leaves you feeling tired, sluggish, cranky and in desperate need of caffeine. Sleep that is interrupted by toilet visits, water intake, frightening dreams, restless legs and plain old “racing minds” is the type of sleep that is fast-tracking you to not only endless health problems, but also a really crappy existence.

2. You are more like George Costanza than you ever imagined you could be

 How is it possible that as your life gets closer and closer towards “perfect” you seem to be able to actually enjoy it less and less?? You have a job you love (for the most part), a family that you should enjoy being around, but you are always so wound up… the littlest things annoy you, like they never used to. And it seems so hard to actually just be present and relax. Feeling like this is a classic sign that your nervous system is all out of whack - you are constantly in fight-or-flight mode, so that most things appear threatening and challenging. Adrenaline is constantly pumping through your body, sending your brain into overdrive - it is impossible to exist like this and enjoy life as much as you could.

 3. Your fuel gauge is ALWAYS pointing to EMPTY

You keep promising yourself you will go to bed earlier tonight, so you can wake up energised tomorrow…. But it just never works. Feeling full of energy and bounce allows people to live a positive, optimistic life and leaves room to deal with whatever curve balls life throws at everyone. But when you never feel full of beans, the simple things in life become a chore. When a quiet weekend and some healthy food don’t change how you feel overall, it is a sign that something more is going on. Something is stopping your sleep from restoring your body to its prime every night - something is robbing you of making the most of every day.

4. Just keeping up with your children has become hard work….

It wasn’t that long ago that you could smash out an intense session in the gym, or finish a PUMP class with a smile on your face, was it? Maybe clocking up 6km along the beach and a quick swim before breakfast  was more your style…. Feeling like your fitness is slowly but surely slipping away from you, for no real reason, is a classic sign that things aren’t quite right. It is not just a “normal” part of middle-age and having a busy life…. It is a sign that your baseline rhythm has become skewed and needs to be reset. Do you really want to keep hoping that no one suggests a game of touch footy at the next bbq you go to? 

 5. You have accepted that feeling a little bit anxious is “normal”

What would you give to have an entire day where nothing made you feel worried, or anxious? A day where you were able to recall everything you needed to and your focus was laser sharp and red hot? That actually should be every day….. Somewhere in the chaos and madness of the last few years, it has become the norm to operate in a mild state of anxiety….. This is not normal. This is not how you need to live. This baseline state of stress is doing a huge amount of damage to your body and your wellbeing. Let’s talk about how we can turn this around, with no drugs, no 12 month program, and definitely no tree change required.

If any, or all of these alarm bells are actually ringing for you, it’s time to check in and make some changes. There is so much more to get out of life than what you are currently limited to. 

Each of these alarm bells (as well as plenty of others - see here for a bigger list) start firing off when one of our most basic functions strays from the ideal. Which of the human building blocks is responsible for causing all this?? The Breath…… Yes that’s right, that thing we do more than 20,000 times every day. When you think about it, you can probably see why it is a pretty important thing to get right. 

Changing your breathing, can change your life. The BreatheWell Program is here to help you do just that, so you can start the New Year, with a New You!