Do a quick self-check in these areas:
NUTRITION
There are lots of foods cheaply and readily available to us that we know are detrimental. These are quickly satisfying, and can be difficult to quit.
Perhaps the best self-check here is:
Am I including the good foods?
Am I eating nutritious food daily?
More than once a day?
If your habits are irregular, keeping a food log is not a bad idea. Many of these come in the form of calorie counting, which can be a distraction when we're just trying to make sure bases are covered. The best app may be a simple notepad. Even keeping track of everything you eat for a week can give you valuable information.
This is an area that pays big dividends, and one in which most of us can make significant improvements without paying for specialized advice!
RELATIONSHIPS
The data just keep pouring in showing that relationships are keys to longevity. One study even says being isolated or chronically lonely has the same health risks as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Being someone that people can relate with, then, is key to a long and rewarding life. There are always ways to socialize available. If you find yourself avoiding getting involved socially, talking with a counselor might be the best way to address it.
SLEEP
Most people who struggle with sleep have read up on some of the basic tips: limit screen time during before-bed hours; wake up at the same time every day; get exercise; do something relaxing before bed (bath, floral herb tea...). Most people who tell me they have trouble sleeping identify racing thoughts as the 'cause', so these are all good tactics (especially exercise).
At the same time, emerging science and thought about sleep suggests some of us may be worrying about it too much. Most of us who lose sleep are getting more than we think.
If you're concerned about your sleep, it's useful to start assessing this by make a list of ways that you're being affected by loss of sleep. You might also list out when you notice you aren't asleep. Then do some thinking (writing) about what you start to tell yourself about the waking up (or "loss of sleep") when it happens. Ask yourself if it really matters - and if so, how you know it does. Then you can seek professional advice in this area.
EXERCISE/MOVEMENT
Exercise takes different forms for different people. In general, you want to find refreshment, release tension, and gain a sense of renewal from whatever form you undertake.
Whatever form you choose, pay attention to your ability to be mindfully immersed in your bodily experience while you practice it.
Being in nature or just outdoors can be the most refreshing part of exercise.
If you find you have to have your mind somewhere else (mildly or moderately dissociate), you might want to seek some experiences such as yoga or trauma-informed yoga, sound baths, singing, drumming, humming, water exercise, or repetitive, more strenuous motions like rowing or cross-country skiing (after medical advice, of course!). Massage and other table-based body therapies can also be helpful. If you have panic experiences when you approach gentle body experiences, EMDR may be indicated for you.
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