9 self-care practices for challenging times
The potential risk to our health, wellness and happiness is high and the fear, tension, anxiety and stress that many are experiencing right now – not just as a result of the threat of the Covid, but of the effect it is having on our society and economy – is rising and very real.
Despite the negative impact COVID-19 is having on our global community, one thing that is positive is how seriously we’re currently taking our health and happiness.
Now, while we don’t have any answers about how our immune systems will hold up and combat Covid, one thing is true: we all stand a better chance if we have good underlying health and good resilience to stressful situations, and if we do a few simple but healthy things for ourselves.
1.Essential oils
Essential oils are amazing! They possess many therapeutic properties that support the healthy functioning of our mind, body, spirit and emotions.
The great thing about essential oils is that they are easy to obtain, inexpensive, and when you follow the general safety advice, they are easy to use at home!
You can sit and inhale them, put them on a tissue or handkerchief, put them in your oil burner or diffuser, or make some simple skincare products.
If there ever was a time to reach for essential oils, it is now.
Essential oils such as tea tree, lavender, chamomile, geranium, eucalyptus and frankincense can support your every need.
From skincare concerns, cold and flu-like symptoms and respiratory complaints, to digestive discomfort and general immunity, the benefits are amazing.
They are also very effective at combating stress and anxiety, improving our mood, lifting our spirits and helping us to have a more positive, calm and grounded disposition.
2. Herbs, vitamins and supplements
There are many herbs, vitamins, supplements and remedies that may support you during this time and help to boost general immunity. They could be really valuable aids right now to help us all stay well, healthy and happy and perhaps the solutions you find right now will support you for many years to come.
3. Diet and nutrition
We all know how important a good diet is, right!? But how much attention do we really pay to the things we eat and drink?
Now more than ever, it is important to ensure that we are well hydrated by drinking plenty of water and herbal teas. Now more than ever it is important to ensure we’re eating foods that don’t just fill the gap and reduce our hunger, but also support our body, mind and soul.
The cliche is fruit and vegetables aplenty, and while this may not be too far from the truth, there is more to it than that.
A balanced diet is different for everyone, and while we probably all understand which foods we should eat, and which we should avoid or limit, it could be a good idea to seek out some good recipes, make some wise dietary choices and perhaps find someone who can help us plan it all out well.
4. Yoga and Pilates or Qi Gong
Yoga, Pilates, and Qi Gong are all wonderful sources of exercise and support for mind, body and spirit.
Learning to move our body in ways that are conscious and in tune with our breath helps to quieten the mind and enables us to more easily connect with ourselves and our surroundings, feel grounded and connected, as well as stay calm and centered.
Each of these three practices not only give us a good physical workout, but they all help to improve our breathing, circulation and sense of happiness and wellbeing, and reduce tension, stress, anxiety, fear and worry.
5. Mindfulness, meditation and breathwork
Practicing mindfulness, meditation and breathwork all help your body’s autonomic nervous system move from ‘sympathetic’ mode, which is our fight-flight-freeze response, to ‘parasympathetic’ mode, which is our rest-and-digest response.
Our bodies are designed to experience a sympathetic nervous system response as a reaction to immediate, short-term danger. Imagine being chased by a tiger and you get the idea! It’s short, sharp, and dangerous.
Our bodies save us by increasing our heart rate (so we can run away quickly, or flight the danger), diverting blood from our digestive tract and slowing growth (as they are not essential in an emergency), among many other physiological responses.
This is all amazing, and vital – but only in the short-term.
When we are exposed to long-term stress, as many of us were even before COVID-19 came into our lives, the constant influx of stress hormones can be toxic for our systems. One major aspect of this is a lowering in the effectiveness of our immune system response.
The great and empowering news is that we can do something about it! By practicing mindfulness, meditation and breathwork, we can help our bodies move into parasympathetic mode. Parasympathetic mode is associated with normal bodily function, digestion and healing. It also strengthens our immune system response. It restores our bodies to a calm and composed state.
Mindfulness, meditation and breathwork enable us to develop a greater sense of self awareness, facilitate recovery from illness or injury or emotional trauma, improve general health, boost emotional and spiritual health and help us to build greater resilience.
6. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also known as Tapping
tapping while focusing on the difficult emotions can release emotional issues incredibly quickly. Studies have shown that it calms the parts of the brain that control the fight-flight-freeze response and enables you to think more calmly and objectively.
During this time, it can help with issues such as fear of the virus or lockdown situation, obsessive thinking and worry about vulnerable loved ones, feelings of isolation or cabin fever or anything with an emotional charge.
7. Exercise and fresh air
If you are able to go for walks in nature, along coastal paths, through forests and across the moors, over rolling hills, do take the opportunity to do that!
These places are often less inhabited by other people and are wonderful for revitalizing the mind, body, emotions and senses.
8. Create your own luxury at-home spa experience!
We all love a luxury spa experience, don’t we?!
There is something about being pampered and treated kindly by others who know what they are doing that makes us feel fabulous.
It is a calming environment, with lovely aromas, low lighting, purifying waters, lovely treatment options, and more.
9. Do anything that makes your heart sing
anything that makes you happy, gets your body moving, gets blood pumping around the body, makes you smile, helps you to feel alive or calm is worth doing as much as you can! Singing, dancing, listening to your favorite music, playing an instrument – even learning that instrument that’s been lying around for ages gathering dust.