A different kind of advent calendar! After such an unusual year, we can all take some time to look after our own wellbeing this holiday.
Follow our 12 days of winter wellbeing advent calendar for some great ideas to give yourself a physical and mental boost this festive season. With options every day for mind & soul, body and lifestyle from our Health & Wellbeing Team.
Day 1
Mind and soul
Listen to a relaxation and guided meditation with our wellbeing expert Kiran, and let her help you achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.
Body
Charlotte Bourke, Personal Trainer, takes you through a gentle pilates class to help your wellbeing. This class is perfect for beginners who want to build a solid foundation.
Lifestyle
Get organised! Make a to-do list including any household chores, personal errands and study deadlines for the next 12 days.
Day 2
Mind and soul
Listen to an uplifting & inspiring podcast such as Happy Place with Fearne Cotton.
Body
Michelle, Group Exercise Instructor, takes you through some upbeat cardio exercises from the P90X exercise programme to get your heart beating!
Lifestyle
Read our blog on how to boost your positivity and wellbeing this holiday.
Day 3
Mind and soul
Personal trainer, Charlotte, takes you through some relaxation and breathing techniques to help you through this difficult time.
Relaxation and guided breathing video
Body
Lucy Alderman, Exercise Referral Instructor, goes through a full-body workout which just uses the weight of your body to help strengthen and tone muscles.
Lifestyle
Tick something off your to do list that you have been putting off for a while.
Day 4
Mind and soul
Personal trainer, Charlotte Bourke, takes you through some simple stretches to help you relax and get a better sleep.
Pre-bed stretches guided video
Body
Get out for a walk! A living advent calendar is popping up across Chapel Allerton with 2 new festive window displays unveiled every day until Christmas Eve.
Lifestyle
Feeling stressed or anxious? Here are our top 7 ways to help manage this.
Day 5
Mind and soul
Resident wellbeing expert Kiran leads you through a 10-minute meditation that will leave you feeling happy and content.
Body
Group Exercise Instructor, Gerry, leads you through a Hatha yoga flow to improve flexibility and wellbeing. Repeat as many times as you like.
Lifestyle
As it is the season of goodwill, why not line up a volunteering opportunity for 2021? Volunteering is a great way to expand your skills, broaden your horizons, meet new people and give something back. Check out volunteering opportunities across the city with Leeds Sport and the Universities dedicated volunteering hub!
Day 6
Mind and soul
Get creative and make an origami Gryphon or two (ok, it’s a crane) for your Chistmas tree!
Body
Leeds has enough parks and trails to keep you busy this Christmas and they’re all beautifully unique! From waterways to woodland, we’ve got you covered. None of the routes require you to have a car – they are all accessible on foot from campus or Leeds City Centre.
Lifestyle
You might find you’ve overindulged a little on the mince pies but don’t worry we have got some healthy recipe ideas from our wellbeing team to get you back on track!
Day 7
Mind and soul
Take a listen to the Sleep Matters podcast from Dreams which covers everything you need to know about how to get a great night’s sleep and why it matters so much. In this podcast series, Dreams Sleep Expert Dr Pixie McKenna chats with a wide range of experts on all things sleep. From setting up the perfect bedtime routine to making your bedroom the perfect place for a snooze… this is the podcast that gives you the answers for all of your Sleep Matters.
Body
This is the second part of Charlotte’s gentle pilates class. This kind of pilates can really help with your wellbeing and is perfect for beginners who want to build a solid foundation.
Lifestyle
Don’t forget to connect! Staying connected with others is a little harder than usual. Be the first to pick up the phone and catch up with a friend.
Day 8
Mind and soul
Find your local little free library and pick up some new reading materials.
Body
Fran, Exercise Referral Instructor in the Health and Wellbeing Team, leads you through some postural exercises to stretch and strengthen your upper body including your head, neck, shoulders, chest, arms and wrists.
Lifestyle
Why not try another new recipe from our website? Christmas gingerbread biscuits make a great festive gift!
Day 9
Mind and soul
Go for a mindful walk. Avoid listening to music, instead focus on your surroundings using all your senses: thinking about what you can see, hear, feel and smell.
Body
Whether you want to explore the parks nearby to campus or venture a bit further afield; Leeds has so many beautiful parks tucked away in the urban landscape. We’ve rounded up a helpful guide of 10 must-see parks in Leeds to make your decision a bit easier when you’re looking for that green escape.
Lifestyle
Send a card or letter to a friend or family member (you could stop by a post box / office whilst you’re getting your 10,000 steps in!)
Day 10
Mind and soul
The days may be shorter but you can be sure of some beautiful sunrises and sunsets at this time of year. Get out early to see a Yorkshire sunrise, or from 3.30pm onwards on a clear day to witness the sunset. Share your pictures with us on our Instagram.
Body
Group exercise instructor Michelle takes you through a full body HIIT circuit workout to work your muscles and get your blood flowing.
Lifestyle
Have you completed your to do list? What else can you get ticked off today before the year ends?
Day 11
Mind and soul
Listen to a new podcast – we can recommend The High Performance Podcast, The Food Medic & Fit and Fearless.
Body
The final installation of our three part Pilates series with Charlotte.
Lifestyle
Make a list of your goals for the new year and any new year’s resolutions.
Day 12
Mind and soul, Body and Lifestyle
Rest! Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year from the Sport and Physical Activity team!
