Everyday Human Essentials

Do you look around at others sometimes and wonder how they can be so happy, energetic, healthy, clear-headed and altogether amazing?

The truth is, getting everything our bodies need to function properly is quite a balancing act. We are all different and so are our needs.

The basic needs of the human according to a biologist would go something like this: food and nutrition, movement, respiration, excretion, sensitivity and responsiveness, growth and reproduction.  According to a psychologist such as Maslow, our needs are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem and self actualisation.

For the purpose of this article, I will mix it up a bit and write (in lay man’s terms) about the eight needs of the human body.

Sleep

Sleep and rest is essential for the body. The amount that you need will depend on a many issues like age for instance. Babies need 9-10 hours at night, plus 3 or more hours of naps. Toddlers require 9-10 hours at night, plus up to 3 hours of naps. School age children will benefit from 9 -11 hours a night and adults need between 7 9 per night.

As well as age, other factors can affect how long you should be sleeping. For example the changes in a woman’s body during pregnancy will increase the need for sleep. As you get older, 65 + you need a little more sleep than before and your sleeping patterns might change. Hence the Nanna Nap.

If you’re sleep deprived, you will need to catch up and if your sleep is frequently interrupted or cut short, you may not be getting quality sleep. The quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity.
Some will tell you they can survive on less sleep but many studies have shown the average who skimps on sleep don’t perform as well.

Nutrition

The food we eat is our fuel and the building blocks of our body and future body. You are what you eat…. ever heard that? Everybody has different ideas about this one but put simply if you stick to unprocessed food and enjoy the others in moderation, you are off to a good start.

Exercise

The benefits of regular exercise are huge. It can improve your mood and ability to concentrate longer. It helps you to process and metabolise the nasties out of your body. It will help you to sleep better and improve your sex life. Wow and this can be free. Exercising just three times a week will provide you with all these benefits and slow premature aging.

Touch

This is an important and often forgotten need. It is necessary for the healthy development of a newborn and the comfort of the elderly. Touching people is a bit of a dying art but do this as often as is appropriate. You’ll feel better about yourself and more connected to those in your life. Touching has a way of healing a rift and can warm even the coldest of hearts.

Water

We are constantly hearing about the importance of drinking two litres of water per day. The amount we require will depend on our body size, metabolism, the weather, our food and our activity levels. It is essential for us to drink fresh water daily as our body cannot store water. We need it to perform virtually every process in our bodies. Even the thought making process will be compromised. Babies and the elderly are vulnerable to the lack of water and dehydration in any one can cause serious health problems.

Clean Air

The air we breathe is 80% nitrogen, 19% oxygen and 1% water, carbon dioxide, ozone, smoke, dust, acid droplets and pollen. While there’s not a whole lot we can do about the air outside our homes except move, we do have control over the quality inside our homes. It is important to allow the exchange of air in your home every day by opening the windows. Fresh air is obviously better than stale and by controlling the dust you have a chance of controlling the dust mites in the home which are responsible for allergies and breathing disorders.

Laughter

Here is another one of those adages for you. “Laughter really is the best medicine”. Did you know laughing, even if it is fake, is credited with boosting your mood, relieving stress, and is even useful in the management of pain. Laughing is healthy. People tend to laugh if others around them are doing it. It is contagious. Laughing is essential we should be doing more of it.

Shelter

Being human, we have so shell like a turtle or hide like a bear so having shelter is fairly important for survival. It doesn’t need to be air-conditioned or sport the latest mod cons, it just has to be protection from the elements. Although some would argue that for a healthy psyche a human does need a place to come home to. Somewhere to sleep soundly, laugh loudly, eat and surround yourself with the loving touch of your family.

Are you getting your dose of that “lovin” feeling?