Down To Earth 🌎
Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 18 seconds
⭐ THE QUICK BITES ⭐
🙌 Wisdom: “When you change your thoughts, remember to also change your world.” - Norman Vincent Peale
🍽️ Recipe: Berry, Chia, and Mint Smoothie
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Hello Everyone!
Welcome to Wednesday's edition. I won't keep you all waiting 😋
Let’s jump in!
- 🚿 Shower Timing Secrets
- 🧠 The Secret Link Between Money and Mind
- 🦠 The Mouthwash Mistake You Never Knew
- 🚽 The Toilet Scroll Trap
🚿 Shower Timing Secrets
Believe it or not, when you shower can actually impact your health and mood.
Morning showers are like a natural espresso shot for your body ☕️.
They stimulate your brain and wake you up by boosting heart rate, circulation, and cortisol (the “get up and go” hormone).
This sensory jolt makes you feel more alert and ready to rock your day, especially if you wake up feeling like a half-charged smartphone.
Bonus: If you add a cold water burst at the end, you’ll get a mood lift with less nervousness and more pride—science says so! 🥶💪
Plus, if you sweat or get oily overnight, a morning rinse helps clear out last night’s sweat, dead skin cells, and any funky odors before you put on fresh clothes. Dermatologists approve! 👍
Night showers, on the other hand, are the ultimate bedtime hack 💤.
Your body needs to cool down by around 1 degree Fahrenheit to signal your brain it’s time for sleep.
A warm shower raises your body temperature, then stepping out makes it drop quickly—like a thermal mic drop that triggers the sleep hormone melatonin.
This process helps you fall asleep faster (about 10 minutes quicker!) and makes you feel relaxed by loosening tight muscles and boosting blood flow to your hands and feet.
Also, washing off dirt, allergens, and pollution before bed keeps your sheets cleaner and your skin happier. Skin and sleep win-win! ✨
What about showering twice a day?
Hold your horses! 🐎 Too much showering can strip your skin of natural oils, leaving it dry and itchy (nobody wants a lizard vibe).
Only consider a rinse after sweating a lot post-workout. Otherwise, pick your shower time based on your daily groove.
Article Link
🧠 The Secret Link Between Money and Mind
They say money can’t buy happiness — but how you handle it just might!
A fascinating new study from the journal Stress and Health reveals that it’s not your income but your financial behavior that impacts your mental health the most.
Specifically: regularly saving money and paying off credit cards on time are linked to lower anxiety and higher life satisfaction.
Here’s the science-y scoop:
- The study followed over 20,000 Aussies for 20 years. That’s like a financial marathon! 🏃♂️💨
- They used the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5) — a fancy, trustworthy tool to measure anxiety and depression levels.
- Every 1% increase in saving habits improved mental health scores by nearly 0.5%.
- Similarly, a 1% increase in on-time credit card payments boosted mental health by about 0.5% too.
Why does this matter? Because the study controlled for income, so it’s not about how much cash you have — it’s about what you do with it.
⚠️ Picture this: two people earning the same, but one’s a financial ninja, the other’s a hot mess with money. Guess who sleeps better at night? Yep, the money ninja wins the chill battle.
What’s the big deal with financial stress?
- It fuels that sneaky, constant background stress called “financial strain” — like a tiny anxiety monster whispering “What if the bills don’t get paid?” 👹
- If you’re stressed about money, you’re less likely to save or invest, which blocks you from future goals.
- Borrowing to cover basics accumulates interest and traps you in a vicious cycle of debt doom.
Article Link
🦠 The Mouthwash Mistake You Never Knew
After a garlicky or onion-packed feast, grabbing a minty mouthwash feels like a total no-brainer.
Minty = fresh breath wins! 😁 But hold on—doing this right after eating or exercising could be messing with your body’s magic! ✨
Here’s the science dish from health journalist Max Lugavere:
Your mouth isn’t just a food tunnel.
It’s a bustling microbial city filled with both good and bad bacteria, aka your oral microbiome.
These tiny residents don’t just chill—they influence your gut health and how you absorb nutrients!
Key fact:
Certain leafy greens contain dietary nitrates (think: spinach, arugula).
These nitrates are crucial because your body converts them into nitric oxide—a superstar molecule that:
- Boosts immune system
- Helps blood flow (hello, healthy heart!) ❤️
- Supports brain function and metabolism
But here’s the kicker:
Humans can’t do the nitrate-to-nitrite conversion on their own.
We rely on special oral bacteria (like a sneaky species called prevotella) to do this conversion.
If you swish with a traditional antiseptic mouthwash, which is basically a bacterial bomb, you wipe out these helpful bacteria.
And that means less nitric oxide gets made.
Even more eyebrow-raising:
Studies have linked frequent antiseptic mouthwash use (like twice a day) to a 50% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. 😳 (No, mouthwash is not a magic sugar shield!)
And after exercise?
Exercise spikes nitric oxide, which helps regulate blood pressure and metabolism.
But mouthwash post-workout blunts that healthy nitric oxide boost by wiping out the oral bacteria that recycle it.
Article Link
🚽 The Toilet Scroll Trap
If you’re one of the 40% of Americans who can’t resist taking your phone to the bathroom—welcome to the club!
But sitting on the toilet for too long while scrolling TikTok or doomscrolling through emails? Not so great for your gut health.
Here’s the scoop 🥄:
Your pelvic floor muscles are like the bouncers of your bathroom party—they help you poop smoothly.
Sitting too long puts them under strain, making it harder to go and leading to constipation, incomplete bowel movements, or that annoying feeling like you still need to push.
Think of it like this:
- These muscles contract and relax to help you poop.
- Sitting excessively (over 10-15 minutes) is like making the bouncers do a marathon instead of a quick sprint—they get strained and tired.
This can cause:
- Pelvic floor dysfunction (hello, constipation and bloating!)
- Changes in your gut microbiome (your gut’s tiny party guests)
- Hemorrhoids (ouch—those swollen veins that cause pain and itching)
- Nerve compression leading to numbness or discomfort in your booty 🍑
Article Link
📚 Ryan's Book Of The Week |
What if your burnout isn’t from doing too much, but from losing touch with rhythm?
Like… maybe your body isn’t built for this non-stop, always-on, go-go-go life. 🧠🔋
This week’s book explores how humans used to live — with seasons, rituals, and natural pauses — and why we desperately need to bring some of that back.
💡 Why read it?
- Learn why modern life messes with your sense of time and energy.
- Discover how rituals (even tiny ones) can reduce stress and create meaning.
- Feel more grounded, intentional, and connected to something bigger.
It's not self-help. It's not productivity. It’s deeper than both — and surprisingly healing.
🚀 If you loved today’s tips… imagine how much your best friend, workout buddy, or health-conscious coworker would, too. Forward them this email and make their day!
Until next time,
Ryan Lehman
Your guide to a balanced, healthy life
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