There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, political, economic and environmental. While it’s always important to take care of yourself, self-care can be even more important in times of uncertainty.
I’m always an advocate for physical and emotional self-care, because if you don’t take care of yourself, who will? Self care is not selfish! But self-care isn’t all about chocolate cake and salt baths. The reality is this True self-care can sometimes be… hard. So I want to offer you some food for thought, as well as some self-care tips for creating or improving an overall self-care practice that’s right for you.
Navigating emotional eating and stress
If you fight me “emotional” food or binge eating disorder, anxiety, fear, loneliness, boredom or frustration (and perhaps all of the above) can also make you feel that you are out of control with eating or that you are in immediate danger of becoming
My kind advice is to try feed yourself as best you can. If you need to seek some comfort and emotional self-care from food, and no other coping mechanism will cut it, then do what you have to do and show yourself some compassion too.
However, if you find yourself often Using food as a balm by hitting up your favorite restaurant, getting takeout, or eating a bowl of popcorn on the couch and calling it dinner, it might be time to take a step back and assess the situation. When you frequently use food as a reward to get you through the day, you’re probably not making food choices that support your overall well-being. Possible solutions include:
- Batch cooking when you have the time and energy, or at least rely on leftovers to reduce the number of nights you cook.
- Develop a repertoire of some delicious and nutritious dinners that you can prepare with minimal time or effort.
- Listening to music (or a podcast) you love while cooking.
- Plan a restaurant or takeout at the end of the work week. This gives you something to look forward to, while you can make a more informed – and less impulsive – decision about what to eat.
How sleep and alcohol affect your stress levels
Some people self-medicate with food, others use alcohol to relax, while others use distraction techniques. Often, the “devil” is in the dose.
Some health experts say that some of the observed health benefits of moderate alcohol intake may be due to the fact that it helps people relax (although Current research suggests that alcohol may have no real benefit). But food and alcohol can easily be outlets for more substantial, healthy means of managing stress. When one glass of wine turns into two (for women) or more than two (for men) day after day, you might consider it the proverbial canary in the coal mine.
Staying up late with a good book, movie, or streaming series can take your mind off the stresses of the day (or week, month, or year), but this form of mental self-care can backfire if it comes at the expense of sleep.
Research shows beyond doubt that keeping a consistent sleep schedule — not changing your bedtime and wake-up time by more than an hour — is important for quality sleep. And it’s really about quality, not just quantity. When your sleep is off, it can throw off everything else, including diet, exercise, and stress management. That’s why one of my universal tips for self-care is to find a way to balance evening activities and hobbies that “feed” us with a consistent sleep routine.
Set limits with news and social media
Yes, it is important as a person and a citizen to know what is happening in our country and in the world. However, constantly checking the news can fuel stress and anxiety, while not actually helping you be better informed. Remember that there was a time in the not-so-distant past when we didn’t have news available to us 24-7, and it was still possible to follow news and events.
I strongly recommend not looking for information on social media. At best, other people’s anxiety can fuel your own. At worst, it’s completely inaccurate.
I have a carefully curated Instagram feed that includes many social justice activists, and while I appreciate their content, sometimes after bingeing I can feel my anxiety rising — and I’m not one to struggle with anxiety, in general.
How to Create a Personalized Self-Care Plan (with Examples)
When you are already stressed, rattled or anxious, it is difficult to make self-care decisions that honor your physical and mental health and well-being.
When you don’t already have a self-care plan to help you stay relatively calm and balanced, it can be difficult to get started or even identify what you need to meet your needs. Self-compassion is a place to start.
Even if self-compassion doesn’t come easily to you, you can put your hand over your heart and feel it’s warmth. You can take a breath and say to yourself, “I feel hard” or “Life is hard.” Then you can ask yourself, “What do I need to feel a little better?”
From there, start draw up a personalized self-care plan which you can refer to whenever needed. Maybe some of the ideas in this self-help list will resonate with you:
- Be in nature (this includes your garden)
- Hugging a furry friend
- Hugging a human friend or partner
- Reading, knitting, quilting or crafting
- Watching funny or good movies or shows
- Listening to music that moves or energizes you
- Having deep conversations with your near and dear ones
- Enjoying some quiet, unstructured time
- Enjoy social time in large groups
- Getting enough sleep
- Wearing comfortable clothes
- Meditation or journaling
- Eating foods that nourish your body and taste buds
- Move your body in ways you enjoy
- Pamper yourself with baths, long showers or massages
- Invest in help with some of your chores (house cleaners, grocery delivery)
- Giving back through volunteer work or advocacy
Remember: self-care is not selfish
Consciously or subconsciously, it’s easy to think that self-care is selfish. Is not. When we take care of ourselves, not only is it good for our personal health and well-being, but we are able to show up more effectively in the world. This is good for everyone around us, from those who depend on us to those with whom we interact only briefly during the day. Self-care helps us feel better, be better, do better.
Disclaimer: All information provided here is general in nature and provided for educational purposes only. This information should not be taken as medical or other health advice related to an individual’s specific health or medical condition. You agree that use of this information is at your own risk.
Hi, I’m Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN, a weight that includes registered dietitian, nutritionist and body image consultant. I offer compassionate, personalized care for adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and genders who want to break free from eating disorders, disordered eating or years of dieting. If you need to learn how to management of IBS symptoms with food, or improve your eating and lifestyle habits to help manage a current health concern or just supporting your overall health and wellness, helping people with that too.
Need 1-on-1 help with your nutrition, food or body image concerns? Schedule a free 20-minute Discovery Call let’s talk about how I can help you and explore if we’re a good fit! I am in network with Regence BCBS, FirstChoice Health, Providence of Oregon Health Plan and United Healthcare and can bill Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield insurance in many states. If I don’t get your insurance, I can help you claim compensation yourself. To learn more, explore our insurance and service areas page.
Print this post
