Easy ways to boost your mood throughout the week
Starting the week should be energising and uplifting, but the reality is that feeling good on a Monday can be out of reach sometimes. From work anxiety, the pressures of parenting or caring, anguish over world events or just a plain old funk, there's a lot that can weigh on you.
Finding ways to invigorate yourself is important.
Wellness is often linked to how many matching yoga sets you can buy or how long you can devote to making the perfect matcha and while those are lovely treats to give yourself, there are many small but powerful switches you can add into your day or week for free that have the power to boost your mood and calm your nerves.
WellFest, Dublin's fabulous wellness and fitness festival, descended on the beautiful grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham once again this weekend, bringing with it a veritable tidal wave of energy, positivity and activity.
I was invited to check it out, and I busied myself speaking to as many experts as I could about bottling that passion and taking it home with me.
Here are four takeaways from some of Ireland's leading figures in health, wellness and fitness.
Jenny Keane, holistic sex educator: Ask yourself these three questions.
"For me, I really believe wellness is not a destination that we get to but is a state that is always moving, so that means that we don't aim to feel good and then we arrive at feeling good forever. It is a normal part of the human experience to be able to swing between states of connection and disconnection, back to connection again, to move between states of joy and sorrow and exhaustion and overwhelm and back to energy again.
"It's that swing that allows us to experience, I suppose, the humanness of what life is, right? All of the emotions, all of the experiences.
"So when it comes to introducing a wellness practice, I don't believe that it should look [like] the same thing each time. I believe that it's learning how to ask three simple questions often and frequently, over and over and over again.
"Those questions would be:
How do I feel?
What do I need?
Can I give it to myself?
"Because then it looks like you understand whether one day you wake up and you need something like a high intensity, dynamic cardio class, or another time you might realise that what you need is a really gentle, slow yin yoga class, maybe with candle lights.
Jennifer Rock, The Skin Nerd: Treat your skin as you would treat yourself.
"There's a direct correlation between how you look after your skin and how you feel in yourself. I'm going to assume that everyone cleanses and [uses] SPF because that's essentially cleaning the organ that is the skin and protecting it.
"The key ingredients are ascorbic acid, which is the pure form of vitamin C, it helps with colour, collagen, clarity and also is really protecting against the sun. And then retinoid. Retinoids are really the gold standard for truly helping repair the skin at a cellular level.
"Honestly, it can be so easy: it's cleanse, vitamin C, a bit of vitamin A and an SPF.
"After about three to six months, start taking photographs on day one, you will see the difference and you will feel the better for it.
Dave and Stephen Flynn, The Happy Pear: Laughter, joy and friendship are superfoods.
Dave: "One thing I'd recommend someone do to improve their mental health and wellbeing, is do something they love, something that's well, is good for their health, but is something they love, because if you love something, it could be more sustainable.
"It could be dancing, it could be gardening, it could be painting, it could be going to pet a cat, someone's cat or mind a kid for an hour! [Stephen: "That sounds a bit weird."] It's just to do something that you love and make time for it because time passes quickly and you need to be intentional about what you spend it [on]."
Stephen: "I think a really important thing that someone can add to their wellness routine, to their daily life is laughter and joy. We're caught up in a society where wellness can be so righteous and so perfect, whereas I think we're all flawed humans, and I think embracing our flaws and having a laugh, I think these are real superfoods: laughter and joy and friendship."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
28-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
How wellbeing festivals have grown more popular in Ireland
Back in 2009, a California-based festival premiered a new kind of experience, placing a traditional festival setting and health offering side-by-side. Wanderlust, set in North Lake Tahoe, curated a lifestyle which offset hedonistic nights with mind-boosting mornings, a combination instantly lauded as one worth following. Fifteen years later, Wanderlust's founders are still offering wellness benefits to the masses today — in the form of Eudemonia Summit, a three-day festival that hosted some 2,750 people in November. However, in lieu of heading for the sandy plains of northern California, revellers instead filled a gargantuan convention centre in West Palm Beach. There, they witnessed hundreds of speakers extol the virtues of cold plunges, regenerative health, and 'human potential'. This kind of event, one centred around feeling well, is catching on — and for good reason. In a society where headlines centre around healthcare, inflation, and war, true connection is hard to come by; feeling well has become elusive, and, something people are willing to pay for. This alchemy has fuelled the rise of the wellness festival — events and destinations promising the keys to self-actualisation. You don't even have to travel to North America to find them. The view from above of last year's Nourish & Flow RestFest Dublin's Wellfest (weekend tickets €100) celebrated its ninth and most successful year in May, with a myriad of performers: Sexual health expert Jenny Keane, plant-based entrepreneur Deliciouslly Ella, and Kardashian trainer Donamatrix among them — detailing the many ways any of us can be well. Further south, Cahir Wellness Festival (€20 for over 16s) launched its inaugural event early in the month to a 2,000-strong crowd following a 10-week run of advertisement by festival organisers Eddie Kendrick, Aaron Wall, Noelle Mulcahy, Paul Kearney, and county councillor Andy Molony. Kendrick, a psychotherapist who also runs The Heat Retreat Sauna, believes the interest is down to a mindset shift: 'The pub was the centre for everything for so long, and as a result, alcoholism was so normalised. 'Now we have an awareness of what that means, and people don't want to feel crap on their days off. They recognise the benefit of doing things that make you feel good. And that recognition is infectious.' The urge for alternative forms of healing is not new. Once considered in perjorative terms such as quackery and shrinks, the desire to seek new means of health and wellbeing has been accelerated by the difficult nature of feeling healthy today; higher food prices, GP appointment queues, anti-vaccination disinformation, and the rise in loneliness all contribute to a system that is resolutely making us unwell. As such, it can even feel necessary to tend to yourself in covert and unestablished ways. And yet, because of the term's vague and expansive nature, 'wellness' as a noun can be difficult to navigate. According to the National Institute of Health, wellness is 'a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, fuelling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit'. In theory, it encompasses stimulating mind and body work, but can feel co-opted by capitalism to mean anything from juice cleansing to LSD microdosing to skincare to transcendental meditation. Dr Clodagh Campbell. Picture: Brian McEvoy 'For me, wellness is feeling good within ourselves,' Clodagh Campbell, otherwise known as the 'Wellness Psychologist', says. 'It involves methods that make us feel balanced and grounded, like putting boundaries in place, eating food that makes us feel good, or anything that involves protecting our health and peace.' According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness industry is currently valued at $6.3 trillion (€5.4tn), with an expectation that it will increase to $9tn (€7.75tn) by 2028. Figures like that would make anyone cynical, even those calling from inside the house. 'There can be a sense of commercialisation of stuff that is kind of sacred, which had a question mark over it for me,' says Michael Ryan, a men's retreat organiser, and yoga and meditation teacher who regularly works with President Michael D Higgins. 'But the more I think about it, I think the people who attend these events are likely to be seeking deeper connection or meaning in their lives, and these events might be a great way to get a taster of what they're searching for.' 'I think the word is a bit loaded,' agrees Wendy Riordan, founder of retreat experience Nourish and Flow. 'As in, you have to look or eat or be a certain way. 'I think that's another layer of stress that we put on ourselves as a society.' Wendy Riordan, founder of Nourish & Flow RestFest Riordan runs Nourish and Flow RestFest (€450-€549, including meals and glamping), a festival-retreat hybrid in its third year. Taking place in Stradbally, Co Laois, a fortnight before Electric Picnic, the event will see 100 women eat together, attend talks, and sleep under the stars to obtain 'true rest'. Riordan credits a desire for connection with the rise in wellness-centric event attendance. She says: 'Hustle culture means we don't know our neighbours, don't have a third space, and any time spent alone is wracked with guilt. In a group setting, you're far more likely to lighten that guilty load.' Our day to day lives are relatively superficial, Ryan agrees, meaning true connection is hard to come by: 'In older cultures, we would have had elders to pass down information to do with wisdom or emotional intelligence, things we don't really get anywhere else. These are a gateway to getting that, in a world that can feel particularly harsh for so many people.' Campbell says: 'We're living such fast-paced lives that make us so stressed and disconnected that there's a yearning to slow down, connect with others and take a breath. And also a yearning to find someone who can help us do that because it's hard to do alone. I meet people all the time who are looking for help and guidance in that space to help them feel less stressed and anxious. There's a yearning for something different, and essentially to feel better, and less alone. 'Ultimately, people are seeking mental wellbeing. A lot of people I work with struggle with self worth, resulting in us being people pleasers. That, I think, lends itself to the psychology of this shift — it's hard to say no to people, but the resentment of constantly people pleasing is tougher still.' Kendrick agrees: 'I think the rushing we do is symptomatic of something deeper, and wellness is a break from that. Before now, particularly in small Irish towns, the only choice to socialise was the pub. Now, events like these give people a choice.' Last but not least, from a commercial perspective, the logistics of organising a traditional music festival are complex and multi-faceted, with any misstep potentially leading to significant issues. Most of these issues can be eradicated when elements like drugs, alcohol. and high insurance costs are removed, meaning that modern festival organisers and owners of the land they lease from are far more likely to pivot to a less hedonistic clientele. With all roads pointing to wellness, rest-filled weekends in lieu of boozy, muddy ones — should we all be redirecting ourselves towards yoga mats and drum circles? Hilary Rose, The Young Offenders actress, podcaster, and co-host of RestFest, suggests we change our mindset when considering it. 'When I was in my 20s, I loved music festivals,' she says. 'Now, I look for ones that make me feel good as opposed to bad. In many ways, too, music festivals were never about who was on the stage; it was the craic in the campsite or the woods afterwards. These kinds of festivals are much the same. We're looking for a community, more than anything else.' Tickets for RestFest are available now from
Irish Independent
26-06-2025
- Irish Independent
Beauty fix: I want to bring my full skincare routine with me on holidays — can I just decant everything into little bottles?
Surprisingly, the answer to that is no, says Jennifer Rock, The Skin Nerd and founder of Skingredients. 'In principle,' she says, 'decanting your products is beyond genius, but in practice, it's just not a safe way to work with skincare, particularly for anything active. It compromises stability, potency and efficacy of the product. 'You're exposing ingredients to air and oxygen and also, when these products are formulated, they are checked and tested over and over in exactly the packaging it arrives in. We don't know how it will react with your little bottles, so with your actives in particular, like vitamin C, retinol, even your moisturiser, no.' You can decant away with your less ingredient-led stuff, such as shampoo, body wash, 'maybe your cleanser', Rock says. I'm going carry-on luggage and can't bring the bathroom cabinet, what are the must-haves? Carry-on luggage rules, when it comes to toiletries, skincare and make-up, mean that we can bring a single (approximately 20 x 20cm) plastic bag of liquids, gels and pastes into the cabin of the plane. As we all know, this little bag fills up fast, but it's worth noting that liquid, gel or paste medications can go into a separate bag with a prescription or doctor's letter. Also, these are the rules laid out by Dublin Airport and may differ in other countries and airports. Rock says she is the opposite of whittled-down when it comes to travelling with her toiletries, but her top advice is to prioritise your active skincare products – acids, serums, antioxidants, retinol – and, if you're going somewhere sunny, keep sun protection as your core concern. Does vitamin C really help with sun protection? 'Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and a natural photo [light] protector,' says Rock. 'So putting it on in the morning under your SPF helps to boost the resilience of your skin against excessive light. 'Antioxidants are crucial,' she says. 'The sun is beautiful and I'm not anti it, but it's the most oxidising piece we are exposed to, particularly on holiday.' Sun exposure causes oxidative stress, which damages skin cells and drives ageing and sometimes disease of those cells. Antioxidants create a protective barrier to stressors like UV rays before they can cause damage. Vitamin C is the antioxidant we hear about most and it's a key bit of your sun-holiday kit. Look for a 10-20pc level of vitamin C in your serum, she says, for good effectiveness. Some other antioxidants to look out for are vitamin E, niacinamide or ferulic acid. If retinol makes skin sensitive to sun, should I leave mine at home? Retinol is brilliant for diminishing the signs of sun damage, but because it promotes cell turnover, the new skin cells can be more sun sensitive. However, this does not mean you can't use your retinol on a sun holiday. It just means you have to be extra careful with sun protection. She advises against bringing too many acids on holiday, because they can be irritating in heat and sun, but Rock says she uses both vitamin C and retinol at night on holiday. This is harmless because she trusts herself to use her SPF and use it properly. So sun protection is the must-pack? 'SPF is the non-negotiable for the skin cancer stats, and also from the point of view of accelerating lines, wrinkles, redness and pigmentation,' Rock says, 'and the key thing to emphasise is the importance of reapplication and that's how much and how often. 'The average adult-size body needs 33ml of SPF for proper coverage and that's reapplied at most every two hours, or more often if you're swimming or sweating a lot. So if you think about 33ml each time, you're going to use more than one 100ml bottle on a week's holiday.' Remember, you can always buy big bottles of SPF at your destination, and the same goes for items like cleanser, body wash or deodorant. Skingredients 15% Vit C, E + Tri-Mushroom Brightening Anti-Ageing Booster 30ml, €45, and pharmacies nationwide This latest launch from the trailblazing Irish skincare brand contains antioxidant vitamins E and C – with the latter at an impressive concentration – but with the addition of reishi, chaga and cordyceps mushroom extracts. These are also antioxidants, as well as helping to reduce inflammation. Heliocare 360˚ Pigment Solution Fluid SPF50+ 50ml, €32.24, Boots, selected pharmacies This is an excellent sun-care brand, with a huge range of products for all ages, skin types and SPF needs. This product offers broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, but also has antioxidants, including niacinamide, an ingredient that is good for dark spots, with a lightly tinted, non-oily finish. Aveeno Calm + Restore Gentle PHA Exfoliating Cleanser, RRP€12.99, available nationwide Layering on the SPF can lead to a slightly congested skin, so a lightly exfoliating cleanser can be a holiday godsend. Some acids are a bit too strong in sun-drenched situations, but PHA (polyhydroxy acid) is gentle but effective in clearing dead skin cells without irritation. This is also a brand you can find easily anywhere in Europe or America.
Irish Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Survey details shock attitude shift in 18-24 year olds when it comes to health
A survey has identified a huge shift in attitudes towards health and fitness among those within the 18-24 age group. Gym chain FLYEFit carried out the poll ahead of the recent WellFest weekend at Royal Hospital Kilmainham - and they found that a whopping 92 percent of respondents in that key demographic preferred early morning exercise over a late-night out partying. And 93 percent of people would choose to cut out partying for an entire month rather than giving up the gym. The results suggest that Ireland's fitness culture is thriving, with people prioritising health and wellbeing over late-night escapades. This was the headline response to the survey, which also asked what people wanted to gain from their gym experience. As far as motivations go, 58 percent of respondents go to the gym primarily to get stronger, followed by 26 percent who focus on improving their mental health. When it comes to trends, it's no surprise that HYROX features high up on people's wishlists. But while 55 percent of those quizzed would love to take part in a HYROX competition, only 4 percent have actually done one, showing a clear gap between interest and participation. Another favourite workout is reformer pilates, with 38 percent of respondents expressing an eagerness to try out the popular routine. FLYEFit also probed people on gym etiquette - and found that there are a few behaviours that gym-goers just can't stand. Hogging a machine while on the phone is top of the charts, with 32 percent of respondents describing that as their number one annoyance. If you are going for a new PB on the bench press, try to keep the noises to a minimum, as 22 percent of people don't like fellow gym-users yelling or grunting while lifting weights. One respondent even called out the barefoot gymgoers who ditch their shoes for everything except squats or deadlifts. Another topic in this wide-ranging survey was favourite gym jams. For workout music, 36 percent of people say they listen to pop hits the most in the gym, proving that upbeat, catchy tunes are the perfect companion to any workout session. Surprisingly, the findings also show that many people listen to sad music in the gym, as it helps them to tap into their emotional side and fuel their energy. Something Fitter Happier has been increasingly turning to for workout inspiration and new ideas is the world of fitness influencers. The right workout suggestion or tip can really freshen up your outlook. It turns out that 43 percent of people surveyed are also turning to influencers for their workout inspiration. Whether it's TikTok dance challenges or Instagram fitness hacks, social media is undeniably shaping how we get our fitness fixes. Participants were also asked who their favourite Irish celebrity gym partner would be. The winner by a long shot is Paul Mescal, which is hardly surprising given the work he put in to get into shape for his role in Gladiator. For more information, visit
