Everyone wants to be a cool cat, right? But what about being a cozy cat? We would do well to embrace more of a feline approach to life. Like cats, relish your moments of solitude and nurture your independence. Practice self-care unapologetically. Bask in the sunshine. Approach each day with a playful spirit and find joy in the simple things. Above all, take strategic cat-naps when you need to re-energize.
And now that “Cozy Cardio” is the latest TikTok trend to go viral (see the first story below), being a cozy cat makes you a cool cat too! I hope you enjoy these stories on being a cozy cat, as well as the simple recipes I’ve provided for a day’s worth of carbo-licious Cozy Comfort Food.
This month in Dishing It Up on Being a Cozy Cat …
- ‘Cozy Cardio’—Plus Everything You Need To Get Started
- The 56 Best Cozy Gifts
- Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality risk than sleep duration
- Nutritionists reveal the 5 best (and worst) foods for sleep
- A carbo-licious day of Cozy Comfort Food
Read on for a bite-sized summary and links for each story …
‘Cozy Cardio’—Plus Everything You Need To Get Started
“Cozy Cardio is not your average sweat-drenched session spent laboring away on a bike or treadmill. In fact, it’s the exact opposite—think candles, your favorite TV show and a pair of fuzzy socks.”
Read more …
The 56 Best Cozy Gifts For Staying In, Chilling Out, Winding Down, and Resting Up
“The weather is cooling down, the sun is setting earlier, and you just want to feel cozy. That might look a little different for everyone. Maybe they want to spend more time nourishing your soul with a soothing night in, or paying extra care to their overworked and underappreciated body …. the practice of hygge—the Danish concept centered on creating “a feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down”—has proven emotional, physical, and social benefits. In other words, a cozy lifestyle is good for your health.”
Read more …
Sleep regularity is a stronger predictor of mortality risk than sleep duration
In this recently published prospective cohort study, very irregular sleep patterns were associated with an increased risk of death from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. This finding was independent of sleep duration. So prioritize your sleep regularity (i.e. the day-to-day consistency of sleep-wake timing). If you’ve had a night of poor sleep, it is better to wake at your regular time in the morning and catch a cat-nap later to make up any shortfall in sleep duration.
Read the study …
Nutritionists reveal the 5 best (and worst) foods for sleep — it’s good news for carb lovers
Several of these are complex carbs. “Carbs might have a bad reputation in certain circles, but they can actually help us sleep better. This is because they increase the availability of tryptophan in the brain, an amino acid that produces melatonin — the sleepy hormone. Opt for complex carbs such as brown rice, wholegrains or starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes, to avoid spiking your blood sugar and making you feel wired.”
Read more …
A carbo-licious day of Cozy Comfort Food
This menu of Cozy Comfort Food focuses on complex carbs such as steel cut oats, lentils and rice, as well as chicken, which is very high in tryptophan. And don’t forget a night-cap. A warm beverage is always good for soothing you into a snooze, as long as it doesn’t contain caffeine or alcohol. This previous post of mine offers links to recipes for winter herbal latte mixes from Wholehearted Eats. My fave is the Ayurvedic Sleepy-Time Mix. They make great gifts too!
View the recipes …
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