The Importance of Self-Care
Yesterday I
was suddenly aware that my neck and shoulders were really tense and were
triggering a headache that really got me down. Luckily after a quick google, I
found a massage therapist who had space this morning. Since the massage I’ve
been feeling like I’m floating, the headache’s gone and my shoulders aren’t up
by my ears anymore! I hadn’t noticed these issues creeping up because I’ve been
busy lately, but it’s got me thinking about how we should all put a little more
emphasis on self-care (myself included!)
There’s a
fair amount of hype in the health and wellness community about ‘self-care’ and
what it means to different people. My take on it as an Osteopath and Naturopath
is taking the time to check in with ourselves, see how we’re feeling and take
measures to prevent our busy, and often stressful, lifestyles from causing
niggling problems that we ignore until we’re suffering from things like
headaches… and the people around us are suffering from our grumpiness!
You don’t
have to take up a daily yoga practice, or start meditating every morning
(although, they are great practices!) Think about what area in your body stress
and tension manifests, then choose something simple that you enjoy to
incorporate into your life more to counteract this. So for me, I’m going to
take three minutes each day to do some simple neck and shoulder stretches and
breathing exercises to stop any neck problems returning. I’m also going to get
a massage every six weeks or so, rather than just when I’m experiencing pain.
For patients
who suffer with low back pain frequently, I would recommend regular low back
stretches, a cushion at the base of your spine when sitting for long periods or
driving, plus scheduling in a regular session with your Osteopath to keep any
issues in check and adjust the exercises as needed.
For someone
who is frequently straining muscles and injuring themselves in the gym, perhaps
by getting competitive with others or even themselves, I’d recommend being a
little more kind to yourself and taking it down a notch! Do the same exercises
but with a lower weight and higher repetition, then gradually increase the
weight as you find it comfortable. For cardio exercise like cycling,
cross-trainer and treadmill, decrease the resistance or incline to a
comfortable amount, then slowly increase it over the period of a few weeks to
increase your fitness without risking injury.
For someone
spending a lot of time at a desk, they should do neck and shoulder stretches,
ensure their desk layout is correct and get up and walk around as often as
possible. Why not walk around while on the phone? Or pop to someone’s desk and
speak face-to-face, rather than email. Keep a small glass of water on your desk
so you have to top up more regularly and have an excuse to get moving.
It’s all
about looking at what you need, then adjusting your day to help yourself. There
are lots of changes you can make to improve both your physical and emotional
health. Take a look at my suggestions and try incorporating a few each week.
You can swap them around to keep your interest too.
- For tense muscles, use a tennis ball against a wall and then press into it to massage the area (I think I look like a bear rubbing against a tree, but it definitely works!)
- Drink more water! How easy is that? Take a bottle of water out with you to keep yourself hydrated, improve your energy, reduce headaches, improve your skin and digestion… the benefits are endless.
- Use ice or heat on painful areas of the body.
- Add more fruit and veg to your diet.
- Commit to a fitness class that you enjoy. If you have to pay upfront for a series of sessions, it means you’re more likely to keep up with it.
- Go for a five-minute power walk or jog at lunchtime.
- Take advantage of days the sun decides to appear and get outside for five minutes. In the UK our vitamin D levels are often low because of the lack of sun, which can leave you feeling tired and achey.
- Find
a hobby you love and start blocking out some time in your diary each week for
this.
- Don’t
check your emails or social media until after you’re out of bed, dressed and
have had breakfast… that can be a tough one!
- Keep
a ‘to-do’ list. If it’s on paper, it’s less pressure on your mind, plus you can
easily prioritise tasks and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
- Note
down three simple things each day that have made you smile. Before you know it,
you’ll notice all the small things we normally overlook in our busy days and
walk with a spring in your step. Your smile may even be the thing that brightens
someone else’s day.
- Use
scents like aromatherapy oils in a bath or on your bedding to promote
relaxation. My favourites are lavender, frankincense and geranium.
- Go
for a walk in the fresh air.
- Before
you go to sleep, lie down and focus on your breathing, trying to make each
breath slower and deeper. This will help relax your body and mind, improving
your sleep and you should wake up feeling more rested too.
- Dance
your heart out! Put your favourite song on, get up and get moving! Dancing is
great for the body, but even better for the soul.
- Take
a 20-minute nap.
- Walk
barefooted in the garden, especially on grass.
Perhaps the
simplest way to help yourself is to take five minutes each day, somewhere quiet
on your own and switch off all distractions like phones and computers. It’s
amazing how long five minutes feels when it’s just you and your thoughts! Take
the time to sit comfortably, focus on your breathing, and then bring your
attention to each part of your body. How is it feeling? Is there any pain or
tension? Take the time to sit with that feeling and try to relax the area and
breathe any discomfort away. Even just being aware of sensations in your body
can help relieve them. If you flag anything up that doesn’t settle with this
breath exercise or with stretches, book to see your Osteopath before they
manifest into larger problems.
Let me know
how you get on, does this strike a chord with you? Take the time to be gentle
with yourself and with me putting this out into the internet, I promise to
follow my own advice and do the same! Feel free to
add your own self-care activities in the comments below.
If
you really need help to take two minutes out when you’re at your computer, try
this! ;) http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com
Practicing in Howe, near Norwich (01508 558373)
and Burston, near Diss, Norfolk (07543 557746).
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