Take Care of Your Body
It can be easy to bypass our basic needs in a busy world but our body and minds are not separate systems, they work together. When we don’t take care of these aspects, they become vulnerability factors which make us more susceptible to our emotions. Pick an area or two to focus on over the next week:
•Physical Illness
If you are physically ill or injured, address this with a doctor and/or give yourself the rest you need. Take medications as prescribed. Nobody is at their best when sick!
•Balanced Eating
Eating too much, not eating enough and not eating the nutrients your body needs all have negative impacts on our mental state. I’m not asking you to overhaul your entire diet in a day, rather begin to notice your hunger cues and how foods make you feel. Assess what might be contributing to skipping meals or to over-eating at night. Consider choosing one meal or snack to focus on. For example, if you typically skip breakfast and feel Hangry by lunch, pick up something easy for the mornings such as yogurt and fruit and keep snacks higher in protein nearby.
•Mood Altering Substances
It’s common to turn to substances to decrease uncomfortable and unwanted feelings. It makes sense as it typically works, and pretty quick at that. However, our bodies are constantly after a state of homeostasis. Take alcohol for example. Have you ever noticed your anxiety increased a few hours later once you stopped drinking or you woke up with more intense anxiety than usual? That’s in part because alcohol is a depressant and your body releases stress hormones in order to get back to homeostasis. Substances can provide short-term relief but negative consequences in the long run and with consistent use, it doesn’t allow us to face the root of what’s causing the distress.
•Sleep
Some of us may be more sensitive and susceptible to impacts from our sleep than others but at the end of the day we all need it. Set yourself up for a more restful night of sleep by minimizing screen time 1 hour before bed, not eating heavy meals and having a routine in place that cues your body it’s time to wind down. You may consider reading, doing yoga or stretching or engaging in a skin care routine to start. If you find anxious thoughts often keep you from falling asleep, try writing down your worries and a few possible solutions or plans to address them a few hours before bed. This way when anxious thoughts pop up, you can remind yourself you’ve already addressed it (or know when you’re going to address it). Finally, if you find yourself tossing and turning and feel yourself getting frustrated or worried, get up and out of bed. Sit in a quiet area with dim light and engage in a relaxing activity until you feel sleepy again.
•Exercise
Love it or hate it, it’s shown time and time again to be extremely beneficial not only for our physical health but our mental and emotional health as well. Exercise releases endorphins, increases energy and helps to foster feelings of accomplishment, strength and motivation. You don’t need to go sign up for a gym membership today, especially if you hate the gym! It’s important to find some sort of movement that you enjoy, at least for the most part. Going for a walk, dancing, free YouTube workouts, yoga or participating in a class or sport are some great ways to get started.