The Best Things in Life Are Free, And They Might Just Save Your Health!

Have you ever felt like your health and well-being were slipping through your fingers, no matter how many wellness apps you downloaded or how many sleep podcasts you tried to listen to before collapsing into bed?

As a teacher, your days are packed. Your energy goes to everyone else, your students, your team, your family… and you’re often left running on empty. You tell yourself you’ll focus on your health “later.” But later never really comes.

I’ve found that the most powerful shifts in my well-being didn’t come from expensive programmes, fancy tech, or overcomplicated routines. They came from the free stuff.
The kind of things we overlook because they seem too simple. But they’re not just “nice-to-haves”, they’re vital.

-       Sunlight

-       Movement

-       Connection

-       Time in nature

These are the real prescriptions that support our energy, mood, sleep, immunity, and long-term health, especially as teachers and educators.

Research tells us that…

• Just 15 minutes of sunlight in the morning can lift your mood, align your circadian rhythm, and reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.

• A 10-minute nature walk can lower your cortisol levels and increase your ability to focus.

• Teachers who regularly take mindful movement breaks report better energy, stronger immune systems, and fewer signs of burnout.

• Real connection, even just one genuine conversation a day, supports resilience and emotional regulation, both in and out of the classroom.

What’s most encouraging? These aren’t massive changes. They’re tiny habits that are already available to you, at no cost.

I remember this one day last year. It had been one of those teaching days, five periods back-to-back, emails piling up, and I was running on caffeine and not much else. It got to lunchtime and instead of pushing through my usual to-do list, I went for a walk outside. Just 10 minutes. No phone. No distractions. Just the sun, the trees, and the quiet.

By the time I returned, something had shifted. I wasn’t "fixed" but I felt calmer. Clearer. I’d remembered how to breathe again. That’s when it clicked: these simple acts weren’t luxuries; they were lifestyle medicine.

Today I want to show you how to build health and energy from the inside out, starting with what’s already around you.

Let this be your new daily prescription:

• 10 minutes of morning sunlight

• A short walk at lunch, even if it’s just around the block

• One real conversation with someone you trust

• 5 deep breaths with your feet in the grass

You don’t need to overhaul your life. You just need to return to what’s free and foundational. Because these things don’t just support health, they protect it. You've got this!