Self Care
13 February 2024
Why I put YOU first
I think we often underrate self-care.
It is a popular buzzword that seems to at times, get met with an eye roll.
Self-care, however, is vital. When we do not take care of ourselves, things start to go wrong physically and/or mentally.
As an Osteopath, I am primarily talking about/working with the physical body. However, as a mental health first aider, I also see the effects of the mind when it needs some attention and is in a state of distress.
It can feel like a never-ending list of things to do to “properly” take care of yourself – with so many people telling us that we need to do this many steps, drink this much water, eat this, don’t eat that, sleep this many hours, meditate, read, journal, be mindful, (I could go on).
I often see the pressure and worry this can put on people. This is why I seek to simplify this with the books I review and recommend – they guide you into looking after all of you in a way that works for you, purposefully and gently.
Let us briefly consider the mind. We are bombarded with so much information - usually from screens – from the moment we wake up.
We probably haven’t even moved our bodies before opening the phone, scrolling, or maybe checking some emails.
Your mind is off. I am not an expert in mental illness. However, I do have an understanding of them and a massive appreciation of how they affect us.
We all have a stress container, which can overflow when it does not have healthy outlets.
Our tolerance for stress/stressors is reduced, which can manifest mentally and physically. (See below for my top 3 healthy outlets).
We live busy lives with commitments and schedules. But if we stop and think just for a moment about how much our physical body does for us daily (without us telling it to), self-care and appreciation would skyrocket.
Our muscles move us, our heart keeps pumping, our organs are busy doing their individual jobs, the blood is busy delivering oxygen and messages via the hormones that it carries around, amongst many other roles, and our brain – well, this fantastic organ is constantly at work – it takes 20% of our daily energy to keep it running.
When we are out of balance in the body and/or the mind, we will eventually feel it.
If we exercise without stretching (I see this constantly), our muscles will get too tight.
If we know we are stressed, this can manifest in the physical body, from headaches to breathing, to name a few effects of stress.
Three things that I find help both the physical and mental body are:
- Stretching - is excellent for the body and the mind – when we stretch, we thank our muscles and joints for moving us about and facilitating what our brain asks us to do. We also stop and breathe deeply and allow the body (physical and mental) just to be, not do.
- Exercise - is excellent for the body and the mind – by now, you know my mantra of ‘movement is medicine’. Going out for a walk seems so simple, but it is incredible physical exercise as it challenges balance, works your muscles, loads your joints, and if you walk with pace, you are then exercising your cardiovascular system (see my review on the fantastic book by Annabel Streets, 52 Ways to Walk)
- Be with people who bring you joy – this is a crucial way to empty your stress container. Never devalue the importance of healthy friendships. If you are in a space where you’re feeling lonely, maybe start that class you were thinking about joining or attending a local group. This well-being walk is a great option locally.
We understand the importance of the annual MOT for our cars. So why not MOT you?
It always amazes me just how long people sadly put up with symptoms, accepting it is what it is.
If you know something is out of balance in your physical or mental house, reach out and realign the scales in your favour.
I guess my challenge to you is to put YOU first. It isn’t selfish, and it is self-care.