Do you feel like you’re not taking care of yourself a bit? Many things can get in the way of self-care, including family care responsibilities, work, social commitments, and more.
But ultimately, when we take care of ourselves and our needs, that’s when we show up best to all the other people and responsibilities in our lives.
“Self-care is not selfish,” explains Christine Carter, PhD, a sociologist and senior fellow at the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Focusing on what gives us a sense of nourishment and meaning is part of alleviating feelings of stress and anxiety and gives us a stronger foundation, she says.
After more than a year and a half, it is abundantly clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the way we live, from our work arrangements to our recreational activities to our social lives. This new reality presents unique sets of challenges for all of us.
Practicing self-care is more important than ever when it comes to taking care of our emotional health and well-being in the midst of these changes, Carter says.
Best App for Self-Care
There are various things that can be moved. Journy App can be used as a coordinator in building habits such as taking pills reliably, exercising, or following a diet. It can additionally be used as an accomplice for people who are struggling with memory problems. When it comes to your obscenities, Journy can be a significant goal-tracking tool or a savvy notebook to help you kick vices like nail-biting and drinking alcohol and shockingly develop your dating skills.
Journy feels like a game where you fight yourself. The goal is to achieve a long descent that you can handle by covering your goals. It should be as wide as possible. It takes a few months to fully implement another daily practice and also not to give up – it takes courage and if you are consistent it will work; whether it requires two or three businesses.
Journey App Download Links:
1. Prioritize sleep – your mood and immune system count on it
When it comes to taking care of your health and well-being, sleep is almost always part of the answer. Getting enough quality sleep keeps your immune system working at its best to fight off infections like the one caused by the new coronavirus. Fact: There are parts of the body’s immune response that only occur during sleep. Scientists know that sleep is also one of the best ways we can help keep stress under control, as lack of sleep can make us more sensitive to the effects of stress, increasing our reactions (or overreactions). Finally, the brain needs sleep to function; without it, you will be less patient and focused, make poor decisions, and be more moody, irritable, and emotional.
2. Know your personal signs of stress
Sometimes self-care is about knowing when you’re overwhelmed or overwhelmed and responding with micro-habits that prevent total burnout, says Cynthia Ackrill, MD, a wellness and leadership coach based in Asheville, North Carolina.
3. Work. It. Out.
Just because you spend a lot more time at home doesn’t mean you’re going to be a couch potato. Staying active keeps your body physically healthy, reduces your risk of chronic health problems, and lowers your chances of getting an acute illness like COVID-19. It also enhances your sense of well-being.
4. Try a workout you’ve never done before
When it comes to fitness, people tend to stick with what they know, says Kourtney Thomas, CSCS, a strength and conditioning coach in St. Louis. But it might be the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone — while you’re actually still in the comfort of your own home. This way, you can feel less awkward or like a newbie while enjoying the benefits of joining a new online class.
5. Downward Dog Like You You mean it
Are you a yogi or have you considered taking up yoga? Now is the time. Yoga offers a list of health benefits, from stress relief to stretching inactive muscles to strength building to a burst of physical activity (depending on the type you do). Why might yoga be an especially helpful tool to add to your coping arsenal right now? It connects movement with breath.
6. Skip, jump and be silly
Basically, if you feel like a child and a little silly, it can be a mood booster. Play in any form can trigger a cascade of positive neurochemicals like serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine, says Loretta Graziano Breuning, Ph.D., author of Habits of a Happy Brain, who is based in Oakland, California.
7. Take a forest bath
The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” simply means walking in an area of trees and breathing deeply in the air. Trees release certain chemicals, such as terpenes, that have been linked to activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which sends your body into a “chill-out” de-stress mode.
8. Play the game
Monopoly as an anti-stress strategy? A survey by game developer RealNetworks found that 64 percent of respondents cited playing games as a way to relax, while 53 percent played to relieve stress. While part of the appeal is playing with friends and family in person, there are also plenty of virtual options like Words With Friends, or getting your friends together and picking a game from Houseparty to play in real-time.
9. Avoid mindless snacks; Instead, eat intuitively
Do you now spend your days at your fingertips or within reach of your snack drawer? Rather than making strict rules about which foods are off-limits, try intuitive eating. It’s not so much a diet as a way of eating that’s all about giving your body what it needs when it needs it. Intuitive Eating doesn’t restrict any specific foods or force you to count calories. It’s a practice where you listen to your body and pay attention to what you need at that moment.
10. Replace one coffee with a decaf
Caffeine is one of the most researched substances, with more than 10,000 studies to date, according to a review published in November 2017 in Food and Chemical Toxicology. Not surprisingly, this led to a wide range of conclusions, but one that is fairly consistent is that too much can lead to less-than-ideal effects, the researchers conclude. They note that consuming more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day can affect your central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, sleep quality and Self-Care.
