By Jennifer McShane
24th Oct 2015
24th Oct 2015
It’s official: The end of summer is nigh. We’re saying hello to longer, colder, darker evenings for the next few months, which doesn’t sound great, but on the plus side we gain an extra hour tomorrow as the clocks go backwards. It may just be an hour, but you can use this to your advantage; catch up on sleep, spend extra time with a loved one, or treat yourself to that delicious brunch you said you would weeks ago. It may be a chiller season ahead, but it doesn’t mean you can’t go into it with vigor and make the most of the remainder of the year. To start off, here are seven ways you could spend that extra hour tomorrow:
Stay In Bed
Firstly, take your mind out of the gutter, we don’t necessarily mean like that (although whatever floats your boat), in this instance we mean for you to catch up on those extra zzzs. We are constantly being told that we need more sleep. Even a new study by the National Sleep Foundation is sleep-shaming us into believing we need seven to 10 hours per night while further figures say that on average we tend to get about six to seven (a healthy average is eight, FYI). Getting those crucial hours of sleep has been consistently linked to overall wellbeing, better performances at work and sound mental health, so take that 60 minutes of shuteye if you need it.
Go For A Tasty Brunch
There are endless tasty brunch options in our fine capital. We love these in particular. The choice is yours and remember, we can start the diet on Tuesday.
Start Your Winter Fitness Plan
That fitness routine you keep putting on the back burner? The extra hour could be the ideal time to start a winter walk/run/jog timetable. Or how about the one you can do in bed? Maybe you’ve been itching to give mindfulness a go? Seize the moment and start now – you’ll be amazed at how even a brisk 20-minute walk can revive your senses and make you feel great.
Meet A Friend You Haven’t Seen In Ages
Never have our lives been busier than they are today. Our hours are limited, our days hectic and invariably we tend to lose touch with good friends as real-life takes over. If we were to do a survey of what people want more of in life (asides from the obvious), we’re betting it would be what is impossible to gain (obviously not counting tomorrow morning): time. Use this bit of extra time to pick up the phone and arrange to meet that person you haven’t seen in a year. You’ll both be all the better for it.
Take A Walk Through The Leaves
Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons in the calendar, and simply watching nature transition into a bevy of fallen leaves and change her colour palette equates to a soothing form of mindfulness all in itself. Couple that with the satisfying crunch of the leaves beneath your feet on a crisp Sunday morning, and you’ve got yourself an hour well spent.
Try Some Baking/Cooking
Baking is a combination of all things relaxing and creative (tasty too), and we’ve posted some truly delicious recipes on IMAGE.ie over the past few weeks. Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars? Delicious Pesto Chicken? Or scrumptious Mini Doughnuts to assuage that sweet tooth? We tell you how to do all these and more. Simply click on the ?Recipe? tab under ?Food & Drink? in our Life section and browse and bake away to your hearts content.
Give Yourself Some Beauty TLC
Winter can wreak havoc on the skin if you’re not careful, so treat it with extra TLC. Why not look into double cleansing the skin to start the day, treat yourself to a new moisturiser for the colder season and covet that new foundation you’ve had your eye on? You deserve it, and your skin will thank you for it too.
How will you be spending your extra hour?
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