Good Health in Smaller Doses: Incorporating Manageable Health Strategies
It’s human nature to wish for a major improvement in our health and lifestyle and to try and attain it in one big leap; to see ourselves as suddenly thin, not overweight or as moderate, not excessive. Yet significant personal change is almost always hard and requires patience and self-discipline, qualities that are hard to come by for many people. Why not incorporate health strategies that accomplish more than weight loss and body toning?
You also need time for mental relaxation and pampering, important considerations when so much of your time is taken up with eight or more hours of intense activity at work every week. Try making personal wellness an objective that involves all your senses and rewards you for those long hours of dedication and stressful work.
Simple stress relief
Ultimately, de-stressing should be about relaxation. It may seem stress-relieving to do 100 bench presses, but if you’re intent on achieving that number, you could end up getting stressed out all over by forcing yourself to make it happen. Or worse, you could fall short and feel disappointed that you failed. Save exercise for exercise time and make a point of just relaxing by doing something restful that you really enjoy. Queue up your favorite music, watch a movie you never get tired of, crack open a good book, or take a long, hot shower. Whatever you enjoy, make time to indulge yourself. If time is a factor, even 15 minutes a day doing something relaxing can make a difference, leaving you feeling refreshed and re-energized.
‘You’ time
Making time just for yourself is an essential part of self-care – those things you do to maintain a healthy sense of well-being. Pour your favorite hot drink and enjoy an at-home spa day by giving yourself a hot rock massage, a manicure/pedicure and a relaxing skincare treatment amid the scent of essential oils with soothing music playing in the background.
Move up your bedtime
Many people regard sleep as something they’ll get around to as soon as they have time. But it’s a dangerous thing to do, because sleep deprivation can undermine your mental and physical health, doing damage to organs and your ability to fend off illness. Consistently failing to get at least seven hours of sleep every night increases the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, and puts you at increased risk for cancer. Try going to bed earlier each night and stick to a regular bedtime routine so your body gets used to the rhythm of sleeping and waking, which will make it easier to get the restful sleep you need.
Dietary changes
Sometimes, small healthful changes in your diet prove easier than just deciding you’re going to lose 20 pounds in one month only to drive yourself crazy trying to get there. Instead, why not choose something that’s easily done such as removing salt from your diet? Salt is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure and can contribute to stroke and heart problems. Getting it out of your life may make it easier to lose weight and eat healthier. If you’re determined to have your seasoning, substitute garlic, red pepper, lime juice or herbs to dress up those soups vegetable dishes.
Remember, the aim of healthful self-care should be to relax and rejuvenate. Save the goal-oriented activities for work and exercise and just focus on unwinding and feeling better for a while.
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Self-Care Tips for Improving Your Well-Being and Reducing Stress
Self-care looks different on everyone. For some, it could mean getting healthier. For others, it could mean pampering or treating yourself to indulgences. For everyone, it should mean prioritizing your needs and saying “yes” to yourself in some way. Self-care is beneficial to your mental health. When you practice self-care, you increase your positivity, relationship with yourself, productivity and motivation, and engagement levels. Caring for yourself also reduces fatigue and stress. Below are some self-care practices to improve your well-being and reduce stress.
Health
It all starts with diet and exercise. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind and a longer life. You don’t need a weight-loss goal to take care of your health and fitness. In fact, if you’ve never had a problem with your weight, you could be considered skinny fat and more out of shape because you don’t have weight loss as a motivator. This means you should be treating your body better because you might be causing unseen damage inside. Having a high metabolism might mean that you can eat whatever you want without gaining weight, but it doesn’t mean you’re in good shape.
Adopt a solid nutrition plan like the DASH or Mediterranean diets, which have been ranked high by US News. Also, start a fitness program that gets you moving each day. A healthy lifestyle could lead to weight loss, higher energy, more strength, and better muscle definition. Since we’re talking about self-care, don’t forget to treat yourself on occasion. A strict diet is hard to maintain, so a little cheat treat every now and then will help you stay on track most of the time.
De-Stress
Yoga is one of the most popular exercises today, and with it can come meditation. You don’t need to practice yoga in order to meditate, but why not check off the fitness box while you meditate? Meditation involves breathing techniques, focus, and clearing the mind. A mindfulness meditation session will leave you feeling calm and centered, as well as help you sleep better at night. Meditation is easy to practice at home. All you need is a relaxing, uncluttered space free of distractions. Design a room or space that feels calming to you and doesn’t remind you of work or other stressors in life.
Other ways to de-stress include taking baths, squeezing a stress ball, journaling, going for a walk, coloring, listening to music, and getting a massage. Try this seven-minute technique for relaxation and de-stressing.
Happiness
Find what makes you happy and seek it out. If music soothes your soul, attend concerts — you might even extend your life by doing so. If you love dogs, visit an adoption center to get your doggie time in. Who knows? You might even take home a new best friend. If you like the ocean, then have a beach day or go snorkeling with the fishes. You just need to find the thing that triggers your endorphins and relaxes you. There is no single solution to happiness, but saying “yes” to positivity and “no” to negativity will help you find it more often.
Rest
Take care of both your mind and body by getting enough sleep each night and relaxing during your time off. Sleep and relaxation are important for recharging so that you’re not wearing yourself thin all day. It might be tempting to skip sleep for other methods of self-care, such as exercise or a night out with friends, but sleep is still the better option. More sleep means better performance and recovery from workouts, a stronger immune system, and mental clarity. You don’t always have to be moving, shaking, and making waves. You deserve to chill out and do nothing for a while.
Most of us find it difficult to take care of ourselves because we feel guilty, selfish, or lazy for doing it. But who says that self-care means only caring about yourself? All it means is saying to yourself, “This is what I need in order to be happy and whole” — and then doing it. Do one thing to care for yourself today, and then do it again tomorrow and every day after that.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
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How to Talk to Someone Who Is at Risk of Suicide
People who are experiencing suicidal thoughts often feel disconnected and alienated from the world around them. They benefit greatly from talking to someone who really cares and who acknowledges and understands what they are going through. On the other hand, the wrong approach to this difficult conversation could lead to further feelings of alienation. There’s no one “right” way to do this, and every person and situation are different. However, most people having thoughts of suicide will respond positively to the approaches laid out below.
Warning Signs
First of all, you should be aware of some warning signs of suicide. Often these are broken into three categories—talk, behavior, and mood. Those at risk may talk about being a burden to others, feeling helpless or trapped, being in pain, or feeling like they have no reason to live. Behaviorally, they may withdraw or isolate themselves from others, act more impulsively, or begin getting their affairs in order, such as their will. In terms of their mood, they may seem depressed, anxious, irritable, or desperate. If they trust you and you have a close relationship, you can even ask, “Are you having thoughts about suicide?”
Empathize—Don’t Judge
Empathy is helpful, judgement is not. Even if they say something highly negative or objectively incorrect (e.g., “Nobody loves me,” “I’m useless”), don’t argue the point. If this is how they feel, saying that they are wrong could increase their feeling of alienation. Agree that what they are going through is hard, and say you are sorry they feel that way. Don’t tell them they have reasons to live, do not use tough-love strategies, and do not try to shame them out of their state. Your goal is not to pull them out of this dark place, it’s to join them in it and make them feel understood.
Active Listening
Active listening means giving your full focus to the other person and using communication strategies to show that you are truly listening. Use conversation prompts like “Mmm-hmm,” “I see,” and “And?” to encourage them to speak. Then restate or summarize what they said in your own words: “Let me see if I’ve got this right….” Give them time to finish speaking, and don’t interrupt or try to finish their sentences. You can also try to name emotions, especially if they might not be aware they are feeling them: “I’m sensing that you feel trapped, is that right?”
Ask Open Questions
Ask open questions to try to draw out deeper information about their experience. Open questions need more than a yes/no answer and require the other person to think about their experience. For example, “How do you feel?” is better than “Do you feel depressed?” The latter will shut down the conversation thread and may indicate a lack of understanding if that is not how they feel. The former will move the conversation forward and give them space to express themselves.
Talking about addiction
If the person you are concerned about also has alcohol or drug abuse problems, they are at greater risk, especially if their use has increased recently. It can be useful to talk to them about their addiction. Tell them that you recognize the signs of addiction in their behavior, but be careful not to be judgemental or angry with them. Tell them you understand that addiction is a disease and that you are angry at the disease, not at them. Say you will stand by them as they move toward rehabilitation and recovery.
Being supportive, empathetic, and caring can go a long way to help people who are having suicidal thoughts, but it’s not a problem you should tackle alone. Encourage them to seek help, either through a therapist, doctor, or a suicide hotline. If you think they are at immediate risk of attempting suicide, do not leave them alone, and seek emergency medical help right away.
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