The economy is tanking, people are working longer and harder to make ends meet, and people are stressed. Unfortunately, it's during these stressful times that people have the most trouble taking care of themselves. We all know the adage, "If you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else," and mostly we believe it. But it always seems the time for self-care is tomorrow, when all these other responsibilities have been taken care of. Here are a few tips and resources for coping with these stressful times:
- Take some time each day to mentally and physically relax and reset. It's important to reach a point where your mind is calm and your body is relaxed and tension-free. If you don't reach this state of relaxation on a daily basis, your tension and stress levels continue to build and you're more reactive to stress. Watching television and surfing the net generally don't accomplish this state of relaxation. Try to find an activity in which your mind is calm and still, such as reading, meditating, listening to relaxing music, or gentle exercise such as walking or yoga. A good relaxation CD is:
- Speaking of exercise, please get some! See my blog post on exercise: Good Health To Mind: Exercise.
- Stay connected with family, friends, and your community. Studies consistently show that people who have good social support fare better during times of stress.
- Get plenty of rest and proper nutrition. If you neglect your body, it will catch up with you. For an overview of the restorative properties of sleep, including memory consolidation, see this article: "How Snoozing Makes You Smarter" by Scientific American Mind.
- Take control of your time. If you are over-committed to projects that are not central to your core values, consider dropping those commitments.
- Stay informed and in control of your finances. I know, easier said than done, but losing track of your finances and coping via consumerism will drain you in the long run.
Here's a recent study which explains some of the processes by which stress negatively affects our neurochemical and hormonal balances: Chronic Stress Model Provides New Insights. Take extra care of yourself during these tumultuous times so you can cope effectively with whatever life throws at you.
