11 Easy Ways to Make Self-Care a Priority

The Importance of Self-Care

Given today’s busy and hectic schedules, we really need to make self care a priority.  With work, caring for kids, taking our kids to their after school activities and the endless other responsibilities, life can become overwhelming.

For us busy moms who have a tendency to put our kid’s needs first, taking time for self-care may bring up feelings of guilt.  

However, we must learn to sit with these feelings and realize that we are not at our best when we are exhausted.

“Taking good care of yourself means that people in your life receive the best of you rather than what is left of you.”

— Lucille Zimmerman

Here are some simple things you can do every day to make self-care a priority:

1. Before you get out of bed, practice some deep breathing exercises while stretching.

2. Make a little time to go outside and be in nature.

3. Call a friend.

4. Make time to exercise and be realistic with your time.  If you cannot go to the gym, try doing some exercise at home like doing push-ups, walking up and down the stairs, doing some yoga poses and stretches or going for a walk.

5. Take 5 minute breaks throughout the day and practice mindful breathing.  You can repeat a word like “breath” to quiet your mind while breathing.

6. Eat healthy snacks throughout the day and drink plenty of water.

7. Journal for 10 minutes a day, ideally in the morning or afternoon so that you don’t avoid or repress feelings.

8. Meditate once a day for 10 minutes.

9. Have realistic expectations of yourself.

10. Spend quality time with your loved ones with an emphasis of just being together, rather than an emphasis on what needs to get done.

11. Make time to decompress at night, ideally alone, to help your mind and body prepare for sleep.

Ironically, it can initially be stressful to figure out a self-care routine but just take things one step at a time. Pick one strategy to start, whichever one sounds like the easiest for you to implement immediately.

Lastly, another great self-care technique is psychotherapy! If you need a place where someone else is in charge of providing the environment for you to decompress, please contact me today to get started.

10 Tips to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Do you struggle with insomnia? If so, you are not alone. So many people have trouble getting a good night’s rest.

Like exercise and a healthy diet, sleep is an essential component of mental and physical health. A solid night sleep is important for restoring energy, repairing injuries or illness, growth, concentration, memory and mood.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the following hours of sleep are recommended for various age groups:

School age children: 9-11 hours

Teenagers: 8-10 hours

Adults: 7-9 hours

Older adults (65+): 7-8 hours

In order to get a better night’s sleep, it is important to pay attention to improving your sleep habits, known as sleep hygiene (or sleep habits).  Thankfully, there are some proven methods for sleep hygiene that will help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep during the night, and wake up feeling refreshed.

Here are some helpful suggestions for improving your sleep habits:

1. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (even on weekends). The body tends to get used to falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed.

2. Avoid napping during the day. If you do choose to nap, make sure you limit the nap to 20-30 minutes.

3. Exercise during the day, but not within two hours before going to bed.

4. At least one hour before you go to bed, turn off all electronics and practice relaxation techniques such as guided imagery, yoga stretches, meditation, prayer and deep breathing exercises.

5. Avoid caffeine and alcohol 4 to 6 hours before you go to bed.

6. Use comfortable bedding and a good, cool temperature to keep your bedroom well ventilated.

7. Block out all distracting noise and eliminate as much light as possible in your bedroom.

8. Reserve your bed for sleep, sex and sickness only. Habits like reading or checking your phone while in bed will create an association that keeps your mind alert.

9. Try a light snack before bed. Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you feel sleepy.

10. Try not to toss and turn in bed. If you think you’ve been lying in bed awake for more than 30 minutes, get out of bed and do a relaxing activity such as light reading for about 20-30 minutes. Then get back in bed and try again.

As with any habit, these things take practice and consistency so decide that you will implement one of these strategies today.

Happy Z’s!

If you’re looking for mental health support, please contact me to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.

How Exercise Benefits Your Mental Health

Exercise is so important for our body, mind and spirit.  In other words, exercise has many benefits, and this includes making a positive impact on our mental health.

Research shows that the link between exercise and mood is pretty strong.  Some research even shows that you receive a mood enhancement within five minutes of moderate exercise.

Physical exercise is also shown to alleviate long-term depression.

Another study suggests that people who are highly sensitive to anxiety showed significant improvements in anxiety sensitivity after exercise.

It is definitely important to make exercise a priority in your life, but even more so if you struggle with common mental health problems like depression or anxiety.

The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health:

1. Exercise can help boost your self-esteem, especially the feeling of accomplishment.

2. Taking a fitness class or going to a gym surrounds you with other people who are also trying to improve their health and an opportunity to meet like minded people.

3. Physical exercise can help with mild to moderate anxiety and depression.

4. Time spent exercising can help you unplug from the busyness of life and in turn, can help you feel better.

5. Regular exercise can enhance your quality of sleep, which can help you feel more energized and focused during the day.

6. Performing different types of physical activity can actually change how your brain is wired, which can help to improve your mental acuity and overall cognition.

7. Physical exercise can help you feel better and have a better outlook on life.

Exercise can be done anywhere, not just in a gym. So be creative with your time at home or in your neighborhood and make it a priority.

Remember that you can start out slowly, especially if it has been a long time since you had a regular exercise routine. Evaluate your schedule and identify a time of day that you can commit to exercising, even if it is just for 10-15 minutes.

Make your exercise practice one that is enjoyable and easy to follow. You will see the improvements impacting every area of your life, including your mental health.

If you’re looking for support, please contact me to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.

Being Grateful Makes You Happy: It’s Science

What is gratitude?  My favorite explanation of gratitude is “a feeling of happiness that comes from appreciation.” According to the leading expert on gratitude, Robert Emmons, gratitude is “an affirmation of goodness while the sources of goodness are outside of ourselves.”  

Hundreds of studies in the past 10 years have documented the many benefits of gratitude. According to Mr. Emmons, these scientific benefits affect every area of our lives- psychological, physical and social.

The scientific benefits of gratitude include:

1. Practicing gratitude has proven to be one of the most reliable methods for increasing happiness and life satisfaction.

2. Gratitude enhances empathy.  Research indicates that grateful people are more likely to practice more appropriate social behaviors.

3. Gratitude reduces depression, anxiety and stress.

4. Being grateful is very good for schools.  Studies indicate that teachers feel more satisfied and less emotionally exhausted.  Also, research shows that students feel better about their schools.

5. Grateful people sleep better.  It is recommended to write in a gratitude journal every night before you go to sleep.

6. Gratitude makes us more resilient. Focusing on what we are grateful for in life, especially during challenging times, helps foster a sense of resiliency.

7. Being grateful strengthens relationships since it helps us feel more committed and closer to our loved ones.

8. Practicing gratitude is good for kids.  Studies show that kids between the ages of 10-19 who practice gratitude report a greater life satisfaction and more positive emotions.

9. Being grateful promotes forgiveness.

10. Gratitude improves physical health.  It strengthens the immune system, reduces symptoms of illness and lowers blood pressure.

The best part about practicing gratitude? It is 100% free!

This is a strategy you can implement hundreds of times without spending a dime, and often in less than one minute.

How to Implement a Gratitude Practice

The most simple way to practice gratitude is to write down 3 things for which you are thankful each morning or evening. This is a great exercise to add to a relaxation routine before going to bed, or to a mindfulness or meditation practice during the day.

You can also try practicing gratitude with your children.

Make it a habit to review 3 things for which you are all thankful while in the car on the way to school, on the way home in the afternoon, or while eating dinner together.

There is really no wrong way to practice gratitude so take a minute right now and identify 3 things for which you are grateful. I’ll bet you are feeling better already.

If you’re looking for support, please contact me to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.

Using Mindfulness: How to Practice Mindful Breathing

You’ve probably heard the term “mindfulness” before but may not know exactly what it means or, more importantly, how to implement mindfulness practices in your everyday life.

Mindfulness is the ability to pay careful attention to what you’re thinking, feeling, and sensing in the present moment without judging those thoughts and feelings as good or bad.  

Countless studies link mindfulness to better health, lower anxiety, and greater resilience to stress. So it is worth creating time in your schedule to take a few mindful minutes a couple of times a day to help bring you back to the here and now.

Mindful Breathing

One aspect of mindfulness that is easy to learn and practice right away is mindful breathing.

The most basic way to do mindful breathing is simply to focus your attention on your breath, then inhale and exhale.

Here are some quick tips on setting yourself up for success with your mindful breathing:

• Ideally you want to be sitting, or even lying in a comfortable position.

• It is best to close your eyes, since it usually helps to maintain your focus.

• It is helpful if you can set aside certain times during the day for this exercise.

Now that you are comfortable and able to focus on the task, here are the steps for practicing mindful breathing:

1. Start by taking some exaggerated breaths: A deep inhale through your nostrils (3 seconds), hold your breath (2 seconds), and a long exhale through your mouth (4 seconds). Try and focus on the rise and fall of your belly.

   Quick Tips if This Is Your First Time Practicing Mindfulness:

   It’s very common that your mind will wander as it is distracted by thoughts about the past or the future. That’s ok!

   Just notice that this is happening and gently bring your attention back to your breath. When your mind wanders, you can say “thinking” or “wandering” in your head softly. Just gently redirect your attention right back to the breath.

   Notice and try to relax your body. Focus on your senses while you are breathing. Tune into your breath and notice where the breath is in your body. See if you can feel the sensation of breath, one breath at a time.

2. Stay in your comfortable position, breathing for five to seven minutes. Notice your breath, in silence. From time to time, you’ll get lost in thought so return to your breath.

3. After a your 5-7 minutes is up, once again notice your body seated here. Let yourself relax a little more deeply. Appreciate yourself for doing this practice today.

The more you practice mindful breathing, the more it helps, especially during difficult situations. Start today and try it out each day this week.

If you are still struggling to focus and relax after consistently trying a mindfulness strategy, consider setting up a free phone consultation and we can discuss whether or not counseling may be helpful.