I planned to get this out before Christmas, but better late than never! Here are some great gift ideas, perhaps for yourself, from yourself. Haha! I personally use all of these, so that’s why I’m recommending them! I cover tools that can help with sleep, exercise, and stress management. Which all help to have you feeling Optimal!

First up, we have a temperature-controlled mattress cover designed to optimize your sleep and recovery. This feature is especially beneficial during warm months, as the ideal sleep temperature is approximately 17 degrees Celsius. I have mine set to 18 degrees and have noticed a significant improvement in my sleep quality. I wake up feeling more refreshed and restored compared to nights when I don't use it.

One thing to note is that it does not perform as effectively in a hot room; for instance, when my air conditioning unit failed during a 40-degree day a week ago, I really noticed the decline in sleep quality. My observations are based solely on their cheapest model; perhaps the more expensive, newer models are more powerful and do not encounter this issue.

Strength Training Like Neck Massage — **Iron Neck** - https://www.iron-neck.com/

Up next, we have the Iron Neck, a strength training device specifically designed for the neck muscles. As I always say, movement is the best medicine for muscles, and loaded movement, in particular, recruits more individual muscle fibers, making it a more effective approach. If you visit their website and browse through the Google reviews, you’ll be impressed by the feedback from customers who have faced serious neck issues—some even requiring surgery—and how this device has significantly reduced their pain.

I recently purchased one and am still developing the habit of using it; however, I've quickly noticed a greater range of motion, especially the ability to look behind myself when reversing the car, among other benefits. It's enjoyable to use, and I appreciate the different angles and loads that I can apply to my neck while using it.

70 Year old woman squat — **Gym Membership or Home Gym** 70 Year Old - Ellen Stein - Squatting 175kg at 60kg bodyweight

Full range of motion loaded movement is the best way to keep your body and muscles healthy and happy. Weights allow you to gradually overload everyday movements at a level you're comfortable with and at a rate you can handle. Think of training movements, not muscles. You can also think of it as a deeper form of stretching. Here’s a quick primer on common everyday movements and their corresponding lifts in strength training:

Deadlift - Picking up bags of groceries off the ground.
Squat - Getting up out of a seat.
Bench Press - Pushing yourself up off the ground.
Overhead Press - Lifting a bag into the overhead luggage compartment.
Pull-up - Climbing up onto the roof (slow down – grandma!).
Row - Playing tug-of-war with your dog.

The body adapts to stress, and it’s quite difficult to challenge your body in the same way that heavy weights can. The precision with which you can incrementally overload those weights and movements is what sets strength training apart from other forms of exercise.

When a strong stimulus or stress is placed on your bones and muscles, it sends a signal to the body to adapt and grow. This process results in increased bone mineral density, and stronger muscles and increased muscle mass. Even people with osteoporosis can benefit and reverse their condition!

Yoga, to me, is more of a life skill. There's often an emphasis placed on being present in your body without judgment, allowing everything to be as it is. This is a skill that can be applied to every moment in your life. Learning to live life at the pace of your breath and discovering how to use your breath to return to the present moment is essential. This practice shifts your attention from the external world—focusing on your job, family, and various pursuits or mental concerns—back within your body, increasing awareness of how you feel and where tension may be held unconsciously, and then being at peace with it.

Additionally, there is the physical aspect of yoga, which involves a gentle way of moving your body through full ranges of motion in various planes. Movement is medicine; however, in yoga, this movement is calm and mindful compared to the more explosive style of strength training that i mentioned above.

There are numerous options available to you. You can explore a wealth of free videos on YouTube by searching for specific terms that align with your needs, such as ‘lower back’ or ‘restorative’ if relaxation is your goal. Additionally, local studios in Wagga like Sangha offer great classes. There are also affordable apps, like Down Dog, where you can customize your practice duration and focus areas. One potential drawback of this app is that it uses AI-generated sessions, which may come across as a bit sterile; however, it does not bother me and is my proffered source of yoga instruction.

Think of this as your own portable elbow—like a massage therapist's elbow. This technique is particularly effective for releasing sore muscles in areas like the hips, glutes, and shoulders. All you need to do is place the ball between yourself and the wall or the floor. Find a spot that feels uncomfortable or sensitive, and allow yourself to rest in that discomfort. Apply pressure at an intensity that feels right for you, maintaining a level where you can relax and breathe. With time, the discomfort will gradually dissipate, much like the relief you experience during a remedial massage session.

There are many options, with the cheapest probably being at Kmart. I personally run a set from Tune Up Fitness, that comes with a book on how to use the balls if you purchase it in a package.

**Inversion Table** (They actually go completely upside down, I couldn’t find a picture on the internet of that happening tho😂 )

It's nice to apply the opposite quality of something that you experience often, similar to resting after activity; hanging upside down feels refreshing after being slowly compressed by gravity throughout the day! I've been told it can also help with lower back pain by a friend who first got me interested in buying an inversion table. Not because I had back pain, but because I enjoy all tools related to health and wellness! He told me he had been going to a massage therapist for years to work on his lower back, and it wasn't until he started using an inversion table that his back pain went away.

Inversion tables are not suited for everyone though, as they can cause your heartbeat to slow down and your blood pressure to rise. You'll feel the pressure in your eyes go up. Because of these effects, they're risky if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma or any other eye disease, heart disease, a history of strokes, hiatal hernia, inner ear problems, or are pregnant. If you have knee or hip arthritis, using an inversion table may put you at risk for a joint injury. Check with your doctor before you use one. Be sure that this therapy is safe for you.

I personally use a Teeter inversion table, which seem to be common these days.

A near-infrared sauna is indeed one of the ultimate wellness tools outside of exercise; nothing beats exercise. There are multiple therapeutic aspects to this sauna, including:

Heat Shock: This improves muscle recovery and enhances endurance through the release of heat shock proteins.
Detoxification: Sweating aids in detoxification, flushing out toxins and impurities from the body.
Mood Enhancement: The release of endorphins during sessions promotes relaxation and boosts mood.
Immune System Support: Regular use can help boost your immune system, making you more resilient to illness.
Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Sauna use has been linked to better insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
Skin Health: Sweating promotes improved circulation and skin health, resulting in a healthier glow.

However, with a near-infrared sauna (NOT far-infrared), you also gain the advantages of near-infrared light, which in the scientific literature is known as low-level laser therapy or photobiomodulation. These are fancy terms that indicate that light has a positive effect on cells. Which have too many positive effects to list but are covered in this article.

Another benefit of this type of sauna is that it operates at a much cooler temperature than traditional saunas, which I could only tolerate for ten minutes. With this sauna, I can comfortably stay in for up to an hour! I find that after sitting in the sauna for about ten to fifteen minutes, my parasympathetic nervous system activates—the rest-and-digest aspect—compared to the fight-or-flight mode of the nervous system. As a result, I come out feeling very relaxed and energized!

You can either make one yourself from these free sauna plans, like I have, or buy one from another company. The only one I really know of is Sauna.Space, which has basically copied the free sauna plans found above but made it quite attractive.

**Last but not least!** - A gift certificate you can purchase online or in person

So there you go, a wonderful list of different things to buy and do for the new year. How exciting! What an excellent start. May we become and feel a little bit better each day this year! Compound those 1% improvements ;)

Optimal Gift Ideas (For Yourself)