Collaborative Post¦ We can often prioritize bad habits over our health, which is of course detrimental. It can be easy to let bad habits slide and focus on what makes us feel good for a small amount of time over what actually can impact our health. If you often feel out of touch with your health or feel you should and could take better care of yourself, then here are some top tips.
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Ask for advice
Checking in with yourself does not mean you have to do it alone. If there has been a health concern weighing you down for a long time, you should speak about it with a loved one or a doctor.
For instance, you may have back pain that has been there for some time and you have let it slip to the bottom of your to-do list. If it is persistent pain, then you should speak to someone about it. Letting it slide and not getting a concern seen to could cause the condition to worsen over time and cause further complications, which could be prevented by seeking advice sooner rather than later. If you are looking for scoliosis doctors due to symptoms or concerns, then there are plenty of places to look online and find help. The great thing about being connected online means you can find local doctors and attend virtual appointments, so you can get your concern seen or heard quickly. This is beneficial for your mind and your body as it will put your mind at ease and prevent any further damage from being done. On the other hand, if you’ve been worrying about your oral health — don’t hesitate to get fillings done by oral surgeon massapequa ny.
Pamper evenings
Self-care is something many of us do not get enough of. Doing a face mask whilst multi-tasking and making dinner is not proper self-care. You should ensure you set aside time each week, or whenever you get a chance, to really sit down and take care of yourself. It does not have to be something physical like a face mask, massage, or relaxing hobby. You could even sit down for 20 minutes once a week and think. Or, you could use the time to meditate or journal. This time will let you think about how you are really feeling and helps you prioritize yourself for once. For a really indulgent pamper session, treat yourself to a professional facial at home or other relaxing beauty treatment.
Journaling has so many mental-health benefits, so it’s not surprising that it’s a way to check in with yourself. It is almost as powerful as talking to a mental health professional. We can let things out, share, and read what we write in the third person. This practice allows us to process and find solutions to some problems.
In comparison, meditation increases our ability to concentrate, relax, and create new connections in our brains. Mindfulness is also an excellent way to check in because we are looking for feelings that we have throughout the day.
The evenings are often the best time to get a pamper session in. After you have switched off from work, cooked a nice meal, and attended to your chores, allow yourself some time to do what makes you feel good.
Be more mindful
Being more mindful of others is a whole different deal than being mindful of yourself. Mindfulness is being present. We can become so absorbed in our thoughts and our subsequent reactions to them that we do not observe what is actually happening. We spend an enormous amount of time anticipating or dreading the future or dwelling in the past that we do not pay attention to what we actually experience in the here and now.
Being non-judgemental is also a good way to be more mindful. We often experience something and our reaction is so entangled and feel so automatic we are unable to unlink them. We can hop from an experience of missing the bus to judging ourselves and drawing parallels with past failures. Mindfulness asks us to observe without assessing or judging. It gives us a space to be.
We have to consciously and gently redirect our minds to be mindful. It takes effort to gently redirect ourselves to what is happening in the here and now and move out of autopilot. How often have you been driving in your car and reached your destination and realized you could not recount any significant detail of your journey because you have been so absorbed in an inner monologue? In the short term, this doesn’t seem damaging but unless we are purposeful we can spend huge swathes of our lives on autopilot.
By cutting down on the mental noise of judgment, stop ruminating, and being present we can start to notice what is actually happening. We begin to pay attention to the full range of our experiences. The prickle of sunshine on your face. The rapid tempo of our thoughts before an interview. The sharp pleasure of biting into a raspberry. Mundane tasks such as making the bed take on an extra level of meaning when we open our awareness up and start noticing our thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Being aware of all these sensations makes up the rich tapestry of what it means to be human.
Listen to your gut
A healthy gut equals a healthy you. There are so many benefits of taking good care of your gut. How exactly do you take care of it (you may ask)? Well, it mostly comes down to food. Eating wholesome balanced meals full of essential nutrients will ensure you get enough vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy body. Eating enough protein, fiber, fats, and carbohydrates will provide your mind and your body with the energy it needs to be active and healthy.
Some days your gut may need a different type of food, something more delicious and fulfilling, and that’s okay. You need to give yourself balance with everything in life, even your diet. Restricting yourself from treats may cause you to be low in energy or mood, which can impact your routines, productivity, and cognitive function. Listen to what your body needs and feed your gut to ensure it is always happy, vibrant, and healthy.
The food we eat has the potential to either keep us healthy or contribute to weight gain or diseases such as diabetes, but it can also keep our minds working and alert. Eating the right foods can help prevent short-term memory loss and inflammation, both of which can have long-term effects on the brain and, in turn, the rest of the body. Some of the most amazing self-care foods include fatty fish, blueberries, nuts, green leafy veggies, and brassicas, like broccoli.
Say no more
Learning to say no is really hard; many of us feel obligated to say yes when someone asks for our time or energy. However, if you’re already stressed or overworked, saying yes to loved ones or coworkers can lead to burnout, anxiety, and irritability. It may take a little practice, but once you learn how to politely say no, you’ll start to feel more self-confident, and you’ll have more time for your self-care.
With these tips in mind, you should now understand how and why to check in with yourself on a regular basis. You are the only person in control of your time and your health (and happiness), so be in control and ensure you get enough downtime, eat well, and check-in with yourself to make sure you are feeling good inside and out. Even if it is as simple as making more time for sleep or getting more water, do whatever you need to do to make your mind, body, and self happier and healthier.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.