Self-care is essential. But sometimes you find that you just don’t have the energy to do anything.
Life can be so demanding between work, family, and life in general that you don’t have enough energy to put into anything else.
But without taking the time to heal and rest, you won’t have the energy to take care of all life requires of you.
We all get the same feeling.
The feeling of grogginess, lack of motivation and irritableness. How do you make time for yourself when there’s not enough time in the day for your regular tasks?
But taking time for yourself is vital to your well-being and everyday life. Without taking the time for self-care, you experience burnout and exhaustion. This can have serious effects on both your mental and physical being; including weight gain, blood pressure, anxiety and depression.
So how do you find the time to make yourself a priority?
You’ll be surprised how easy it is.
There are many small ways you can practice self-care throughout the day. Self-care doesn’t have to be bubble baths and yoga, it can be simple things like making sure you get twenty extra minutes of rest or packing a healthy meal for lunch.
Sleep is probably the most vital step you can take to ensure you are caring for your body.
It can be hard to get enough rest, especially if you are a commuter or a parent, but finding that time to rest and refresh your body is vital. Not getting enough sleep causes irritability, loss of focus, weight gain, depression, and many more factors. We become reliant on caffeinated drinks which oftentimes cause us to crash or become dehydrated.
If you are someone who finds it hard falling asleep at night, try to find an evening routine to aid in making yourself tired. Make sure to turn all devices off an hour before bed. The blue light from these devices keeps you awake.
Taking a hot relaxing bath or reading a book helps you fall asleep. If you are someone who just can’t seem to fall asleep at night, try taking natural aids like melatonin or valerian root. These are natural supplements that are non-habit forming.
Exercising is another vital step in self-care.
Many either hate exercising or believe they don’t have time for it. But even a five-minute walk has tremendous health benefits.
Taking short walks increases your metabolism and aids in the creation of serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters responsible for making you happy. Brief exercise can also help you fall asleep faster and increase the quality of sleep at night.
Finally, changing your diet is a huge step towards caring for your well-being.
If you are someone who is on the go a lot, you probably tend to eat a lot of processed or unhealthy foods. These foods can make you sluggish and tired during the day and lead to prolonged health issues like high cholesterol and diabetes.
Eating whole foods is the best thing you can do for your body. Adding in foods with probiotics is even better. Healthy foods that keep your gut in check help keep the rest of your system in perfect order.
(h/t Better Change Project)