February is the month of Showing the LOVE at Breakaway Physical Therapy. And this should be true for you too!
It got me to thinking about self-care and how that can fall to the wayside as things get busy…
Why is it important to take care of you too??
The best analogy that my good friend always says is…If you don’t put on your oxygen mask first, how will you be able to put it on for your kids/ family??
This could not be more true in that we MUST take care of ourself! I know that you are thinking that you don’t have time to take care of yourself most days, but its not about having the time.
It’s about MAKING the TIME! Making the time because YOU are just as important and your kids, spouse, family and friends!!
What are the ways that you can take care of yourself this month and every month?!
Sleep - this could not be more important for your body to rest and recover
- Make a sleep schedule in terms of a time that you stick to, to get in bed by each night
- Pick a time to wake up in the morning and be as consistent as possible (within 30 minutes is the best)
- Our bodies are creatures of habit and work best when we stick to our habits
- We all know how much our body can get out of whack when we stay up toooo late or wake up too early compared to our norm
- Be consistent within reason and it will be easier to fall asleep and wake up each morning
- Think about what helps you relax and fall asleep to have a short bed-time routine that tells your body it’s time for bed
- My favorite is a hot cup of tea in the evenings
- It may be reading or just relaxing in bed before you go to sleep
- Limit screen time as much as possible just before bed as that can make it difficult to fall asleep and get a restful night sleep
Pillows - always an important component to sleep and we stand by Pillowise Pillows as our favorite!
- The best support for your neck, spine, posture and position as you sleep at night
- Made of memory foam with a cushion for you neck that you can move the pillow to a different angle based on if you are sleeping on your side or back
- Check out this blog for more Pillowise Pillow info
- https://www.breakawaypt.com/your-best-night-sleep/
- Ask us about upcoming pillow specials that we have going on in the office
- Do you love your pillow and need it for traveling? We keep the travel size versions stocked and ready for you to drop by the office and pick up when you have your next trip!
Water - I love talking about water and if you have met me, you know how serious I am about drinking enough water each day
- You need ½ your body weight in ounces of water EACH day
- If you are not a fan of plain water- try to put some frozen fruit in it to give it some flavor
- Use your lemon or lime squeezer to add some zest to your water
- Essential oils (that are safe to consume) can be another option to consider
Exercise - your body needs to MOVE, every day at some point!
- We sleep and function so much better when we get some exercise
- It doesn’t have to be crazy amounts or super intense, even a walk around the block will get your muscles and blood pumping
- Exercise releases endorphins, our bodies natural pain killers (so its impossible to feel horrible after a workout, unless you overdo it)
- If you have no idea where to start an exercise program, just call us at 410-721-6333 for a FREE consultation so that we can get you started moving and being more active
- Physical therapy is a great option to start your body moving where you will be guided by a movement expert to make sure that you are doing the BEST exercises for YOUR body!
Massage - we all need time for our body to recover, stretch and relax
- This is a great option to loosen those tight muscles and ease some aches and pains
- Massage can include active stretching to keep your muscles long and loose
- Check out this for more information about the type of massage that we offer
- https://www.breakawaypt.com/massage-the-new-year/
- And if you want to try it out and make sure we are the right fit, send us an email at getbetter@breakawaypt.com to get you scheduled for a FREE 15 minute taster massage
Food - what an important topic and something that can be easily overlooked
- What we put into our bodies helps fuel our muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons
- Food helps provide energy for our body
- What are the best foods? Whole foods meaning they don’t have a nutritional label or have only real foods listed in the nutritional label
- Fruits and vegetables are a great start
- Protein in whatever source that you chose- meat, seafood, beans, eggs, nuts and more
- Make sure to check the label!! You wouldn’t think that there is sugar or preservatives in a pack of sausages or hot dogs…think again
- Reading nutritional labels will help you so much in this area of your life
- If you don’t understand what the ingredient is, then you probably shouldn’t be buying it
- One of the beautiful things about the internet is that there are so many options out there and resources when you want to make a change for food
- The recipes that you can find online are outstanding and you just have to search for the foods that you like to eat
- Spend some time cooking- my sister always says that “anything that you cook at home is healthier than buying food out from a restaurant”
- When we cook at home, we know exactly what is in our food
- We don’t always know every ingredient when you buy food out (preservatives, artificial sweeteners and more)
- Cook with your kids, spouse or anyone that you enjoy spending time with
- It may take longer, I completely understand, but it’s a life skill, can be a lot of fun and can give you great pride when you make a delicious meal at home
- My 8-year-old and even my 6-year-old is into cooking, helping in the kitchen, making eggs for breakfast, chopping veggies for dinner and more
- Get your kids and family involved in your menu for the week
- Making a menu for the week can greatly reduce the desire to eat out because you have already planned your meals for the week
- Take some time over each weekend to plan out your dinners or even breakfast for the whole week so that there is less to stress about during the busy work week
- Post your menu in the kitchen so that everyone can see
- Ask your kids to pick a meal for the week (maybe give them some options to guide them in the right direction), but kids love to be involved and have a voice in your household
- If you want to talk more about food, send me an email at shaina@breakawaypt.com and I will send you some of the websites, ideas and things that have helped our household eat healthier!
- Food should make you feel good in giving your body energy
Spend some time de-stressing
- What helps you de-stress and relax? This is a different answer for everyone, but let me give you some ideas
- Listening to music each day that YOU enjoy
- Reading a book for fun or for learning and growth
- Writing- expressing yourself through woods and writing can be very therapeutic
- Exercising- getting out your stress, sweating, getting your endorphins pumping and just feeling good about yourself that you did something healthy for your body
- Yoga or stretching
- Art- painting, coloring, scrapbooking, drawing and more
- Meditation- this can be difficult to master, but very therapeutic when you put some time each day into it
- Take a hot shower or bath
- Talking with friends that you haven’t caught up with in a while- this will always make you smile and cherish the people that are most important to you
- Diaphragmatic breathing- a great technique that you can easily incorporate throughout each day to reduce your stress
- Email me for more information about this exercise at shaina@breakawaypt.com
- Why is it important to de-stress?
- Stress affects your mind and body. Relaxation techniques can help you reduce your stress, cope with everyday frustrations and decrease tension overall.
- All the things mentioned above can help:
- Bring down your heart rate
- Lower your blood pressure
- Slow down your breathing rate
- Decrease activity of stress hormones
- Increase blood flow to your major muscles
- Decrease muscle tension and chronic pain
- Improve your concentration AND mood
- Reduce fatigue
- Decrease anger and frustrations
- Increasing your confidence to handle life and all the stressors that accompany it
So what are you waiting for? There are plenty of ideas of changes that you can make in your life so that you are living it to the fullest!
Want more ideas…call us at 410-721-6333 to set up a FREE consultation with our physical therapy experts so that you can enjoy your life, be more active and live life to the fullest!
Shaina Clemons
Shaina is the founder and owner of Breakaway Physical Therapy. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland Baltimore, along with a Bachelor's degree from Towson University.
Shaina is an Ironman triathlete, with a love of all sports. Exercise is her passion, which plays an important role in both her personal and professional life. In her free time, Shaina enjoys spending time with her husband and three young children. Shaina's love of snowboarding led her to her career choice many years ago.
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