Tis the season…to practice self care
Christmas is a million different things all at once – joyful, stressful, restful, rewarding and challenging.
Here are StrokeLine’s top self-care tips this festive season.
It’s ok to ask for help. If you used to do all the cooking, all the driving and all the worrying, put up your hand for help. Delegate desserts to one person, salads to another, roasted vegetables to another. If you are still buying presents, consider pitching in with others, to cut down on the amount of presents you need to buy and the number of crowds you need to tackle. Know your limits and share the responsibility to look after yourself.
Keep up your self-care routine. If you enjoy practicing meditation or mindfulness in the morning, try to continue doing this during the Christmas period. This goes for any other routine that helps your wellbeing. Perhaps you’ll need to do it a bit less often or for shorter periods but try not to drop it altogether. The demands of Christmas may mean you need more not less – in this world, radical and extreme self care is sometimes required.
Remember to take medications. If you know that you will have a busy Christmas period, set yourself reminders. If you are running low, book in to see your GP before Christmas to avoid running out. Speak with your pharmacist if you find yourself in a pickle. Remember taking prescribed medications consistently is key to reducing your risk of another stroke.
Watch out for fatigue. Try to plan for what’s coming up and block out time for yourself. If you are going to spend hours talking and socialising, and you know this can cause fatigue, plan some time for rest. Let people know what’s going on for you - it is okay to excuse yourself for 20 minutes.
Breathe deeply. There is a lot of benefit to practicing deep breathing, especially in situations where you are feeling anxious and need to calm your mind. If you notice yourself breathing shallowly, getting hot-headed, or feel your heart racing, slow down your breathing by taking long slow breaths from your abdomen. It’s great to practice this for five minutes twice a day.
Reach out. We know things don’t always go the way we would like. Sometimes we get overwhelmed by how we feel. If you are feeling anxious or down, isolated or need to talk something through, call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Both these services are available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Take care, and best wishes for the season!
Kath and the StrokeLine team