3 Ways to Cut Back on Caffeine

Caffeine addiction is a hard habit to break; just cutting out 100 milligrams per day (five to eight ounces of coffee, two cans of soda, or two or three cups of tea) may even cause such withdrawal symptoms as headache, irritability, nausea, and depressed mood. 

In fact, caffeine withdrawal is recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the handbook of psychiatric disorders used by mental health professionals.

In addition, drinking too much can cause side effects that are bad for your health and your long-term sobriety. These include: 

• Jitters
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Disrupted heart rhythm 

Caffeine isn’t always bad for you. In moderation, it can have a host of physical and mental benefits, including: 

• Improved cognitive function
• Better mood
• Less fatigue
• Greater athletic performance

If you can’t seem to function without it and find yourself drinking, for instance, three (or more) cups of coffee to just get through your morning, it may be time to consider scaling back. Try these tips to get started: 

Find a replacement ritual. Do you wake up and automatically make yourself a cup of coffee or tea? Try finding a healthier habit. A morning mediation routine, for instance, can help alleviate some of the caffeine withdrawal symptoms and also put you in a positive mindset for the rest of the day. 

Wake up with water. Put down the coffee and pick up some H20. Whether you drink it hot or cold, water can do wonders for your body and mind, including: 

• You’ll feel more refreshed and alert.
• You’ll flush unwanted toxins from your body.
• You’ll wake up your metabolism.
• You’ll fuel your brain. (Fun fact: Your brain is 75 percent water).

Get up and get moving. A few jumping jacks can rev up your energy as much (if not more) than a cup of Joe. And, perhaps the best part, study shows that exercising in the morning will help keep you in a good mood all day long. You don’t need an hour-long sweat session, either. Stretch, do a few yoga poses, go for a walk, perform a plank or some push-ups – just get moving! 

Start Your Day in Southern California

At Haus Recovery, we help you approach each day with renewed energy and a fresh perspective. Let us show you the joys of sober living. To find out more, call today: 888-551-4715.

4 Benefits of Sharing Your Sobriety Story

In a recent article for The Fix, sober journalist, blogger, and graphic designer Beth Leipholtz writes: 

“Coming out of the sobriety closet was something I didn’t think I’d ever do in the beginning. I was ashamed of myself for even being in a situation where I had to get sober, and sharing that with the world was the last thing I wanted to do. But as time progressed, I realized how weighed down I felt by my secret.” 

Whether or not you tell people about your addiction and sobriety, of course, is a personal choice. Some may feel comfortable just telling a few close friends or family members while others may come out to everyone, like Leipholtz who posted it on Facebook. 

For Leipholtz, being honest about her sobriety was a positive experience. People were surprisingly compassionate, understanding and supportive. And sharing her experience actually helped her to remain steadfast in her recovery. Some of the benefits she talks about in the article include:

• Less pressure to drink. “When I went out with friends, no one asked if I wanted a drink or tried to get me to partake in the night’s festivities in that sense. People knew about the choice I had made and were respectful of my decision to remain sober.”

• Lifted burden from hiding the truth: “Carrying a secret is draining. It starts to weigh on you…but once you tell people about your sobriety, it feels as if you can breathe again.”

• Fewer feelings of loneliness: “Once I was open about my sobriety, I found that more people than I would have ever thought had gone through something similar.”

• Ability to give back to others. “Being able to use my own experiences for good and to give back to others has been one of the most rewarding aspects of sobriety. It is also what keeps me sober.”

Ongoing Sobriety Support at Haus Recovery
Leaving the guilt and isolation of addiction behind can open your world up to new experiences, fellowship, and empowerment. At Haus Recovery, we believe sobriety is the beginning of a fun, fulfilling, and lifelong adventure. To learn more about our sober living program, call 888-551-4715.

Making Yoga Part of Your Sober Living Plan

Improved posture. Stronger bones. Better immune function. Greater focus. Seems like every day there’s a new study about the numerous health benefits of yoga. Below we’ve highlighted a few ways this ancient practice can strengthen your mind, body, and spirit and help you better sustain recovery. 

Your body: Yoga is a great workout and can help you burn calories, ward off stress and even become a more conscious eater. This ancient practice has also been shown to promote better sleep — which means you’ll have more energy and be less stressed.

Your emotions: Internal resiliency and mindfulness are two skills cultivated by yoga — and they can both be useful in helping you stay steadfast in your recovery. Yoga can change the area of the brain responsible for self-awareness, compassion, and memory — and it can make you happier, too. One study found that a consistent yoga practice improved depression and led to a significant increase in “feel good” serotonin levels.

Your spirit: Even if you’re not religious, yoga can help you connect to a higher power and find inner strength and peace. And these skills can become invaluable in helping you stay on the sober path.

Your social skills: Especially if you practice yoga in a group or class setting, it can help you meet new people and develop new friendships with those who share similar values. Research shows that group yoga can keep stress at bay, too, by slowing down the mental loops of frustration, regret, anger, and fear.

Recovery Activities at HAUS Recovery

Yoga is ideal for all ages, all exercise levels and all stages of recovery. At HAUS, we organize group activities and outings every week, including yoga. To learn more about the joys of sober living in Santa Monica, call 888-551-4715.

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Why is Santa Monica Such a Great Place for Early Sobriety?

Contents:

• Los Angeles: The Mecca of Recovery
• Why People Thrive in Recovery in Los Angeles
• LA is Filled With Top Addiction Clinicians
• Creative & Innovative Addiction Practices
• Strong History of Addiction Treatment & Recovery Community
• Seeking Help for Addiction is Perceived Favorably in Los Angeles
• Great Weather and Outdoor Activities
• Santa Monica Is The Best Part of Los Angeles
• HAUS Sober Living Home for Men & Women

The Mecca of Recovery

Southern California is an enormous melting pot of the best addiction treatment practitioners and those who are living in recovery. Southern California, and more specifically the greater LA area (including Orange County), is widely known as the ‘mecca of recovery.' This is due to a confluence of many social, historic, and natural forces. The result is that Los Angeles is simply a great place for someone in his or her first years of recovery.

Why People Thrive in Recovery in Los Angeles

• The Most Innovative Treatment Minds in the Field are Able to Build Strong Rapport to Inspire Change
• The Natural Beauty of Oceans, Mountains, and Forests
• Excellent Weather Year Round allows for Uplifting Outdoor Activities
• Incredible Variety of Fulfilling Physical and Educational Activities
• Social Encouragement for Recovery and the Most Thriving Support Community in the World
• The Area's Creative Spirit Inspires Unique Personal Solutions and Lasting Change

LA is Filled With the Top Addiction Clinicians

This incredible area attracts many of the most prestigious addiction treatment researchers and practitioners. Top minds in treatment gravitate here for the great weather, natural advantages, and professional opportunities. The population of 30 million people and the plethora of treatment centers ensures a strong ongoing demand for the clinician’s services. Some of the nation’s highest per capita neighborhoods are in Los Angeles, and there is a huge industry presence of Film & Television artists and professionals (not to mention that LA is a hub the music industry as well).

Creative and Innovative Addiction Practices

With many research universities like USC and UCLA in the area, much of the cutting edge work on the treatment of addiction is actually being done right here in Los Angeles. LA is known a very creative and open minded setting in the medical community, where innovation and treatment breakthroughs frequently occur.

Strong History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery Community

Some of the most pivotal turning points in the history of addiction treatment have happened in or around Los Angeles. A couple of examples:

• The Betty Ford Clinic Opened in Palm Springs in 1982
• Los Angeles is the Birthplace of Narcotics Anonymous

The AA Community is very strong and supportive in Los Angeles. Many compare the LA 12-step meeting culture more favorably to AA meetings in other parts of the United States, where there is so much less variety in types of meetings.

Even the most popular “alternative to AA” community (Rational Recovery) has its roots and strongest presence in Los Angeles.

Seeking Help for Addiction is Perceived Favorably in Los Angeles

In the last 20 years, there has been a revolution in the medical community’s perception of addiction as it has almost universally been accepted as a disease. As this perception gradually becomes more widely accepted in greater society, Los Angeles is one of the leading areas that displays cultural attitudes that are sympathetic to rather than judgmental of those seeking recovery.

Great Weather and Outdoor Activities

The sunny weather, which has been proven to bolster moods, allows for the entire spectrum of outdoor activities to be enjoyed. Outdoor activities (especially physical activities) really help foster change, by providing new alternatives to using and hastening the restoration of brain chemicals. Just a few of the activities located within walking distance of HAUS include:

• Surfing
• Hiking
• Running
• Yoga

No matter where you are in Los Angeles, you can enjoy the sunset, but if you can get to the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica beach, then the views are even more staggering. Afterward, you can take a walk on the boardwalk and look at the shops and carnival rides on the iconic Santa Monica Pier.

Santa Monica Is The Best Part of Los Angeles

Santa Monica is such a prized location for visitors and local residents because the best of everything you could possibly need is all within Santa Monica. There is such a fun and encouraging spirit in Santa Monica, which is known for its upbeat and healthy culture. Santa Monica is the only part of Los Angeles that really feels like a European city at night, with lots of cafes, coffee shops, and the best restaurants (including at least 10 vegan eateries) open and bustling with people into the later evening.

 It is very easy to navigate the city with public transportation.  Just last year, the metro line, which connects all of Greater LA, expanded into Santa Monica, making literally the entire city within walking distance of Santa Monica.

HAUS Sober Living Home for Men & Women

HAUS is an abstinence based living environment that embodies the creative and empowered spirit of Santa Monica. We provide an impeccable setting and 24 hour support to the men and women who are living here. Haus’s philosophy is to help our residents be present and take it one step at a time. Take a tour of the facility, or contact us if you have questions about the process of admitting to HAUS.