Many clients that I see who are stressed out, over tired and generally unhappy share some common characteristics - they have forgotten to look after the basics.  Many people forget that their psychological state is directly impacted by their physiological well-being.  The basics of well-being are:-

• Diet
• Exercise
• Sleep
• Relaxation

Diet What you put into your body has a profound effect on your well being.  Many people don't eat regular meals and then find that when they do eat, they eat more than their bodies need and they often make bad choices.  You should aim to eat at least 5 times a day.  Eat little and often.  Combine complex carbohydrates with proteins.  You should avoid sugar and caffeine.  No more than one cup of coffee per day.  Preferably drink green tea or fruit teas or better still water!  Caffeine stimulates hunger pangs, produces adrenalin and can raise blood pressure.  It takes 24 hours for your liver to process one cup of coffee.  Caffeine is a serious drug and the long term effects of it can be extremely unpleasant when people go on to develop panic and anxiety disorders.

Exercise You need to engage in cardiovascular activity for at least 20 minutes 3 times per week.  This means that you need to do something that makes you slightly out of breath to work your heart and lungs.  Brisk walking, swimming, cycling, jogging, playing any kind of activity sports will help you to do this.  It is also important to stretch regularly too.  Many people suffer from lower bank pain because their hamstrings are not stretched enough.  If your budget does not stretch to a personal trainer, you can do some internet research or buy a DVD or book to help you on you way.  You may not think that mobility is important right now but as the years tick by you will notice how important it is.  Make an investment in your future now.

Sleep Getting enough sleep is pivotal to your well-being.  7 - 8 hours a night is a suggested guideline.  So many people in urban areas suffer from sleep deprivation.  The effects of this are far reaching.  They include; diminished cognitive abilities, loss of memory, irritability and depressive states.  Get into the habit of looking forward to your sleep and making sure that you get to bed  at a good time. 

Relaxation Very few people that I see truly understand how to relax and even if they do, very seldom do they do it.  Watching TV or reading are not really relaxing activities as you are putting more information into your sensory receptors and stimulating the brain.  It is important just to 'be'.  You can join a Yoga class, take up Pilate's or pick up one of my relaxation CD's or go and buy a generic one from a book store.  You should take a least 10 minutes each and every day just to be still and peaceful.  The rewards will far outweigh the small time investment needed to achieve this.

Toxins If you smoke you should stop.  I am amazed at how many people tell me how healthy they are, how they eat, go on detox programmes and exercise yet they still smoke!  I am not going to elaborate on this one further, other than to ask you, how valuable is your life?  If you drink each night, you need to stop doing that too as eventually your body will show you the strongest signs of protest to abuse.  Recreational drugs fit into the same bracket as alcohol and as well as putting you at risk of psychosis, heart disease, heart failure and a number of other dangers your psychological well-being is at risk.

Check each of these areas before coming to therapy.  If you have got your house in order with the basics, the rest will be easy.  Ask yourself 'where else will I live if this body is no longer inhabitable?'