Posts by Thea O'Connor

Interoception has a greater impact on everyday functioning than many of us realise. When you are working under pressure – which let’s face it, is most days –  listening to your body might be the last thing on your mind.  You may, however, want to bump it up your priority list given the latest  research…

You’ve probably worked out by now that the coronavirus isn’t going away next week – it’s predicted to take months to play out and it’ll be 18 months before a vaccine is available. Putting in place some medium term strategies to help strengthen our body’s defences, therefore makes good sense.  That’s where self-care comes in…

At some point those who have survived natural disasters, such as the fires currently ravaging eastern Australia,  begin to return to their former jobs. When every other aspect of life is chaotic, returning to work can provide a sense of order, normality and familiarity.  But it’s rarely an easy transition. “People suffering from significant loss…

Do you ever have times when your brain feels hazy and it’s a real struggle to think clearly? Or even remember what you are meant to be working on? You might experience brain fog due to high levels of stress, sleep loss, grieving or the hormonal changes that occur during menopause and pregnancy. While brain…

Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation recommends that we switch off all screens one to two hours before bed.  That’s to stop the stimulation provided by our devices, including the blue light emitted from screens that suppresses melatonin, from interfering with the most critical health behaviour of all: sleep. No-one I know actually does this.  My own…

Body intelligence involves the ability to notice the messages from our body, listen to them then respond in a way that supports the body to work well. In many situations, it’s pretty clear what a body-intelligent response involves: Eat when hungry, rest when tired, move when stagnant and pause when you feel pain. However, there…

Do you ever tell yourself that you could cut down on your coffee, cigarettes or drinking tomorrow if you really wanted to.  They’re only habits after all.  But try to nudge them out of your life and you might find that even the most innocent of habits is more deeply rooted than you think. Behind…

A nap as brief as 10 minutes can improve your mood and productivity, alleviate tiredness, increase alertness and reduce errors made at work.  In other words it’s one of the best productivity boosters around. Simple, effective, effortless  and brief –napping seems like the easy answer to daytime tiredness.  But it’s not so easy for some.  If…

  Some green recipes and something naturally sweet – all yummy and quick to make.   Pea and Basil Soup This one takes no more than 10 minutes to make and gives you a delicious dose of greens.  You can vary the vegetables (by using broccoli or baby spinach), according to taste. Ingredients 1kg frozen…