How Self-Care Puts You On Top Mentally.

This guest post from blog Self Caring wants you to be your best self, without the burn-out.

Depression and anxiety: these conditions could await you if you don’t take care of yourself.

It’s scary stuff, and yet so many put their mental health on the line every day to stay longer at the office, finish that project and earn that promotion. Work is often to blame for the worst stresses of modern life, and when you throw social pressure into the mix, it makes for a nasty recipe. The good news is that you don’t have to take it.

That doesn’t mean quitting your job to live in a commune in the woods, but devoting some time to well-being through self-care. It’s no miracle cure, but results in monumental changes in how you feel and view the world.

Less Stress

When the pressure mounts, that sets off your fight-or-flight response, resulting in a faster heart rate and higher blood pressure. That may have proved useful in the past when your ancestors were hunters and at risk of being eaten by wild animals, but it’s harmful in today’s world. Self-care can help you shut it off and find a sense of peace.

A Sense of Calm

This is what results from turning off your fight-or-flight response and seeing those stressors in your daily life for what they are: minor problems that need to be dealt with. Obviously, that’s much easier when the thought of confronting a colleague doesn’t send you into a panic. Equanimity serves your interests much better.

A Positive Mindset

You’ll become more empowered in your career when you start to see what once seemed like insurmountable obstacles become just things to check off on your to-do list. Suddenly, the possibility of moving forward and making progress on long-term goals is no longer a dream as the future becomes bright rather than a vision fraught with uncertainty.

New Perspectives

Equanimity is a pillar of Buddhist tradition and linked linguistically with “standing in the middle.” You’re not torn in different directions by your passions, and so you see clearly all around. Think of it as standing on a mountain and looking for the best way to navigate the terrain rather than being mired in a swamp or forest.

How do you get into this wonderful headspace? All you need to do is make a few changes to your habits and daily regimen.

Say ‘No’

Self-care takes time, and you won’t have that if you don’t refuse requests from your colleagues and friends that you can’t fulfill without investing too much of your own hours and energy. Think of your needs and how to meet them, take action, and some of that stress will start to melt away.

Eat Properly

Studies in nutrition have revealed the importance of the microbiome in your gut, where bifidobacterium and akkermansia bacteria play a crucial role in the breakdown of food and in controlling the spread of their harmful brethren. This, in turn, promotes a healthy gut-brain axis, which is the link between your digestive and nervous systems.

Learning more about this microbiome helps you make healthier food choices and decide what supplements would help promote overall gut health. To start with, a nutritionist writing for MindBodyGreen recommends reducing the consumption of dairy, soy and gluten while packing in fermented foods along with nuts and seeds.

Go Outside

Get some nature therapy. A hike in the woods or walk by the beach brings you peace of mind while restoring your energy and lifting your spirits. It’ll even help you concentrate and improve your memory. Just be sure to wear environmentally-friendly sunscreen to keep your skin protected, even in the winter.

Get Enough Sleep

This is crucial to restoring energy and functioning in full form, according to the National Sleep Foundation, which adds that improvements to your bedroom environment aid in falling asleep. You could also prepare yourself mentally through evening rituals like taking a hot bath or reading a book.

These are just a few changes you can incorporate into your lifestyle, and each will have a big payoff on your overall wellness. Set off on this journey of self-care, and you’ll never turn back.

For more self-care tips, visit http://selfcaring.info/.

Image via Pexels.

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