#37: Sofia Anna Dolin
"Allow yourself the state of hibernation. Don’t force actions when your body craves rest."
#37: Sofia Anna Dolin
Welcome to Health Gossip. Today’s guest is Sofia (@sa.dolin), a writer and fashion researcher with a focus on gender stereotypes and the body. She’s in the process of relaunching her blog/newsletter, but has been posting some interesting dispatches on IG… We met at an Abibas film screening in 2023.
Health Gossip with Sofia Anna Dolin
London, UK
Leo/Sagittarius/Scorpio
What does health, or being healthy, mean to you?
Being aware of how I feel mentally and physically, and acting based on my current state.
How would you describe your current lifestyle?
Tough.
I feel it’s important (for me) to mention that the last two to three years have been very stressful. War, experiencing the turmoil of having my home bombed while my family was still there, relocating multiple times, finishing one dissertation, studying hard to get a scholarship, moving again, and writing another dissertation. That’s not even half the story, but it's enough to understand that I’m mentally and physically exhausted.
Since I was mostly immersed in my academic work for the past few years, I had the luxury (a bit thoughtless of me) of not worrying about having a full-time job, thanks to my scholarship. But now, I’m working in a café for the first time in my life, and at the beginning, I was shocked that my body doesn’t belong to me for eight to nine hours a day. I’m trying to find a balance (I don’t like this word) between my current job, looking for a new one, my personal life, and my creative/professional pursuits. I’ve had a few burnouts (couldn’t move once, my body was in total pain) and now I’m experimenting with routines, noticing when I’m high-functioning, and when I’m not. I’m also maintaining a balanced diet (lots of greens, a variety of fruits and vegetables, nuts, proteins), and observing my reactions to see what works best for me (during the day, if I eat salad, protein, and fruit, I feel energy to work, but if I eat pasta, I feel sleepy, basic things, etc).
How do you start and end your days?
Wake up at 5:30-6am, drink warm water with lemon, then stretch and meditate. Before breakfast, I eat a slice of cucumber or a celery stick to soften the "sugar bomb" of oats with goji berries, a mix of seeds, and fruit (my favourite option is oats made with almond milk, pears, and coconut cream instead of butter). After that, I have a glass of water with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), zinc, vitamin D3, optional Omega-3, and complex B. Recently, I’ve also started taking lion’s mane.
If I have time, I write or work on small tasks like sending emails for 20-30 minutes. Then, I try to leave the house as early as possible — first, to avoid the rush of people on the tube (on my way to work, I like to have a seat and read or edit my texts), and secondly, so I can enjoy a nice 20-minute walk through Hyde Park, starting at the Italian Gardens and heading towards Kensington Gardens. I observe people walking their dogs, who run happily. I think about kinaesthesia and the human ability to feel movement when you see it. I look at the strong trees and ochre leaves, breathe in the cool air, and eat a crisp Cox apple. Recently, the sun was so bright and beautifully reflected in the pond, where people were jogging. I had extra time, so I left my heavy backpack, put on my headphones, played Mikey Enwright and danced for five minutes. If I start the day by doing what I love, it’s easier for me to get through the shift, especially when I feel that I don’t belong to myself.
In the evening, I come home and head straight to the kitchen to cook dinner (lately, I’ve been roasting vegetables) and prepare lunch for the next day. If not, I’ll get a £5 meal deal (I once got a compliment from a cashier on my “healthy choice” at Waitrose). I just buy a mixed salad, fruit, and either a smoothie or kefir, and I like the idea of having something for the next day. Usually, I’m so tired that I go straight to bed after I get home. I use the Sleep Cycle app as my alarm (I like the selection of sounds and how it softly wakes me over 30 minutes with gradually increasing volume). However, I have a bad habit of using screens before sleep, often reading on my laptop until VERY late. Although I still don’t get enough sleep, it’s much better than it used to be since I used to struggle with insomnia.
All week, I look forward to Saturday when I go to the farmers' market. If it’s sunny and the skies are blue, I allow myself a strong black coffee (I don’t usually drink coffee because it can make me anxious or too wired, but here I give myself permission). I hop and jump on my way, hugging trees and kissing flowers while listening to ethereal music. I usually buy fruit and vegetables, and sometimes I treat myself to freshly squeezed juice made from apple, beetroot, carrot, and ginger. I also laugh at the prices of organic bread and tomatoes.
Was there a specific moment in life that made you change your approach to health, or become more conscious generally?
Generally, I’ve always considered myself healthy. Growing up, I was never a fan of sweets or junk food. I’m pretty boring — I prefer dark chocolate and hardly ever salt my food, since I get enough salt from vegetables and olive oil. I’m not sure where this comes from, considering my parents don’t exactly follow the healthiest diets. Still, I’ve inherited some good habits! When my dad was a child, he would throw away the borscht my grandmother cooked, slice some white bread, put butter on it, and enjoy it while reading The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food (1939). Similarly, I enjoy making salads and reading about the benefits of ingredients on Healthline (I only use the website for that — it’s quick and easy). I feel actively healthier at these moments!
Now that I’m 30, I feel like I’m at a turning point where I have a chance to reframe some of my thinking (especially my inner critic!) and behaviour patterns while it’s still easier to adjust them. I constantly feel like I’m on unstable ground, with the expectation of another major change approaching, so I need to figure out a flexible, supportive routine. I’m also trying to be aware of the content I consume. Lately, I spend less time on Instagram (I’ve set up a daily limit) and I’m trying not to scroll through the feed or stories, but rather choose what I want to see.