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Did you catch yesterday’s post with essential stress management tips? Here is Part Two of some of my favorite recommendations:
Sleep: Are You Getting What You REALLY Need?
Increasing sleep can dramatically improve our sense of well-being. It is one of the single most important factors in decreasing stress, boosting our immune systems and enhancing our moods. Some people claim to do fine on 5 or 6 hours a night, but I find this isn’t enough to feel my best. How many hours a night are you sleeping right now? How many hours of sleep do you require to feel good? I encourage you to make your sleep a priority and find creative ways to boost your hours so your body can truly rejuvenate.
Nourish Your Body
Nourishing ourselves from the inside out with healthy, supportive food is one of the easiest, most overlooked keys to feeling our best. Obviously we eat something every day, but what? When I’m stressed and tired, I crave refined carbohydrates, sweets and fats. Anything that comes wrapped in a convenient package and doesn’t require any processing is a time saver, but has the unwanted effect of filling me with empty calories.
Even if you are careful about eating healthy foods, you may have adopted my unfortunate tendency to skip meals in an effort to save time and push through lengthy to-do lists. Please make a point of feeding yourself at least as well (and as regularly) as the people you are taking care of. You will reap the rewards of greater health and increased energy.
Write Your Stress Away
I count on journaling as a way to release stress at the end of long days. The only requirement is to give yourself permission to write with complete honesty. While much of your writing may be about the challenges of your day, I encourage you to include at least three things that you are grateful for every day. In addition to feeling a sense of relief at getting things off your chest, you are likely to feel renewed hope for the following day.
I invite you to share YOUR favorite stress reducing techniques with other parents by commenting on this post!
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Postpartum Survival Strategies: Help for New Dads We know that many new moms become depressed in the weeks and months after the arrival of their babies, or experience the so-called "baby blues." Growing evidence is mounting that points to the fact that new dads also experience a similar type of postpartum depression and feel a sense of...... -
The Mother's Dilemma: Should You Take Time for Yourself? You may think it's more important to tend constantly to the needs of other people rather than yourself. This appears at first glance to be the selfless, even saintly, way to behave. Aren't mothers supposed to put the needs of their family first? The truth of the matter...... -
'Tis the Season for Seasonal Affective Disorder: Part Two Did you catch Part One yesterday? If so, I bet you're eager to learn proven ways to alleviate the low energy and depressed mood associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Here's what works: Light therapy, psychotherapy and antidepressants have all been proven effective in treating SAD. Light therapy (otherwise known as phototherapy) involves...... -
Elizabeth Pantley Solves Your Sleep Problems A mom wrote in today during The Mommy-Muse Is In: Empowering Your Journey into Motherhood with this question: "My six month old son currently co-sleeps (as of last week). Prior to that, due to a two week growth spurt, he would fall asleep while nursing on his nursing pillow....... -
Energy Medicine and Kids - Part Two Guest blogger Peter Hanfileti, MD, of Principles for Parents website and Blog has been trained in both traditional Western and alternative medicine. As he proclaimed on Part One of Energy Medicine and Kids, "The energy medicine system is real, useful, ubiquitous and valuable as an educational tool and as a treatment strategy." ......
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