Take care of your Body:
1. Back to basics. Stay Hydrated! Did you know that being dehydrated has been shown to increase anxiety related symptoms? Drink up! Aim for drinking Six- 8ounce glasses of water per day.
2. Good sleep hygiene. Aim for 6-8hrs of sleep per night. Having a nightly routine can help improve your ability to get good rest. Try setting a specific bed time, drink a cup of tea, diffuse essential oils, engage in gentle stretching, try a breathing or meditation app (headspace and insight timer are great) at bedtime to help let your body and mind know its time to wind down.
3. Move your body. Getting physical movement in can help to gain mental clarity, release stress and help to feel improvement in our mental wellbeing. Take a walk, 10 minutes of stretching, dance, do 30 jumping jacks. Point is- do something that feels good and helps you to move!
Take care of your mind:
1. Connect- reach out to loved ones. Write a letter, make a phone call, send a text, set up a walk or coffee date. As humans, we are designed for connection and tend to report increased happiness when we have healthy relationships in our lives.
2. Disconnect- limit your news intake, take time off of social media, and electronics. Get out in nature, read, play an instrument, take time to just be.
3. Journal- take time to “brain dump” on a daily/weekly basis. You can practice gratitude journaling or just allow yourself to write without an agenda.
Take care of your soul:
1. Find a mindfulness practice that works for you. Take a yoga class, practice deep breathing, do something creative, go for a mindful walk. Find a way to slow down and connect with yourself.
2. Try reaching out to likeminded people. Find a group, community or faith-based organization that resonates with you. Volunteer, share thoughts and ideas, make a new connection.
3. Find a therapist. Never been? What are you waiting for? Now is a great time to do a mental health check-in. This year has been hard and we can all use some space to decompress. Mental health is more accessible as many therapists have started offering a hybrid model of in-person and online counseling. It’s time to take care of you. (betterhelpnow.com, psychologytoday.com).
