Obviously this is normally an important topic, but I’ve found that it’s been particularly key lately to ensure your body has the support it needs when it may not be feeling its best.
Your current stressors of late may be more than you’re used to dealing with. You may not even be conscious of it if you haven’t been hit particularly hard with all that came with covid.
What I’m seeing though, is that bodies are struggling.
It may look like restless and un-refreshing sleep.
It may look like more overwhelm and anxiety.
It may look like more stomach upset, bloating and comfort eating.
It may look like having no energy by the end of the workday (or long before this).
I want you to check in right now, to see how your physical body is feeling. How are your energy levels? How’s your digestion? How’s your skin doing? How do you feel like you’re coping and managing with everything going on…IN YOUR PHYSICAL BODY? How are your pain levels? Any headaches? PMS?
If you’ve found yourself struggling in any particular area (or a lot of them), it’s worth tuning in a bit closer to try to see if there’s something else your body needs right now.
Here are the things I’ve found most helpful for patients:
MOVE YOUR BODY
This definitely doesn’t mean I want you doing crazy strenuous workouts. What it does mean though, is that I want you to check in with how you feel and adjust your workout to what your body needs. If you’re having a good day and want to push, that’s fantastic. But if your energy levels are feeling low and you’re having to push way more than normal, take it down a bunch and do something more supportive of overall movement. Consider something like a restorative yoga video on youtube or a walk with your family around a local park. Movement is good, but pushing your body to somehow find more energy for an intense workout when you’re already pushed to the limit is a recipe for disaster.
EAT REGULARLY
Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do when you’re feeling exhausted, stressed and worn out. You may need a comfort meal or something to get you by when things are really feeling down, and that’s fine. Don’t feel guilty about this. When you are feeling super stressed or body overwhelmed, try your best to have a meal with all 3 aspects to it…
1. Make sure it’s got some protein
2. Make sure it’s got some fat
3. Make sure it’s got some veggies
This combo will ensure that you’re encouraging balanced blood sugar levels so that you aren’t crashing an hour or two after your meal, will keep your energy levels better supported and provide some good fiber and nutrients to keep your body as happy as you can even during crazy times.
MAKE TIME FOR ENOUGH SLEEP
YOU CANNOT SKIP SLEEP WHEN YOU’RE OVERWHELMED. Sleep is so important for so many things in the body, including your immune system (which is extra important these days). Whatever you do, don’t cut into your sleep time. Although you may FEEL like you can manage on 6 hours of sleep, your body will compensate by eating more calories the next day AND you won’t be as sharp or productive to get anything accomplished. Aim for a MINIMUM of 7.5 hours of sleep (but ideally 8 if you can manage it). Sleep is free and an easy addition that will hugely support an overwhelmed body (and mind).
SET TIME ASIDE FOR TRUE RELAXATION
True relaxation definitely doesn’t mean crashing on your couch at the end of the day to mindlessly watch TV or Netflix until you fall asleep on the couch and eventually drag yourself to bed. True relaxation is very individual though and what works for someone else may not work for you. There are SO many options, so it’s good to play with a bunch and see what feels best in your body. A bubble bath, guided meditation, restorative yoga or yoga nidra, journaling, coloring, knitting, reading a good book (but not one that’s stressful or stimulating) are some examples of things you could try.
It also doesn’t need to be hours of this daily. Even sitting down to do one of these things for 10-15 minutes can really help.
CHECK IN IF YOU NEED MORE SUPPORT
If you’ve tried these things without avail, you may need some additional support. I’d be happy to dig deeper with you to see where things are getting stuck and what would be beneficial to support in your body to get you back to feeling like you can cope and manage with all the craziness going on in the world and your life. You can book in for a visit here.