Self-care has become a trendy buzzword in the post-Covid era but the benefits to practicing regular self-care are undeniable. 

First, let’s talk about what self-care is and what it isn’t. Self-care is taking steps to address your physical and emotional health needs to the best of your ability. Self-care is not being selfish or self-indulgent. 

Most of us have an overwhelming to-do list that depletes us mentally and physically. Just like a healthy diet and regular exercise, self-care is the next key to great physical and mental health.

The best part about self-care is that it includes a variety of activities that can range from exercise, yoga, hiking in nature, or bike riding, to quieter outlets like reading, meditation, prayer, or a warm bath. It really is up to you to determine what outlet is best for you. 

Be Your Best Self

Self-care really boils down to this simple truth: if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t be there fully to take care of others. If you continue to drop your needs down that to-do list and you miss out on healthy meals or an activity that charges your batteries, you might just be slowing yourself down and holding up your progress over the long term. For example, a 2018 study found that medical students who regularly practiced self-care reported less stress and a better quality of life than those who didn’t.

Overall Wellness

At our core, we probably all understand that taking care of ourselves is important. We all know we should eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly — but that doesn’t always happen, especially if we have others in our lives that depend on us to take care of their needs as well. This is where it helps to really take a look at what you find enjoyable and what really provides you with energy and fulfillment. 

If nothing comes to mind immediately, try a few different activities to see what works for you. If yoga or hiking isn’t your thing, maybe try something else like a Zumba workout class, drumming, or get a facial. If one thing isn’t working, don’t hesitate to move on to something else. Your version of self-care could be a regular coffee visit with friends, tennis lessons, or joining a book club. There is freedom in finding out what works best for you — your version of self-care doesn’t have to look like someone else’s.

Awareness of Personal Needs

Finding out what works best for you is really how you develop an awareness of what it is you need to refocus and find that all important balance in your life. That awareness includes your physical, mental, and emotional needs. It’s important to find activities that address all facets of the mind-body connection, and that you care for your whole self. 

Develop Resilience

Proper self-care also allows you to develop resilience as you are better able to handle challenges that come your way when you are caring for your own mental and physical well-being. The anxiety and overwhelming feelings that can tumble your way throughout the day’s challenges don’t seem to have the same impact when you are maintaining your mental and physical strength through self-care. 

Talk to me about different self-care ideas. I will take a complete health history and work with you to address your physical, mental, and emotional health needs, and get you started on your self-care journey!

The post Four Reasons Self-Care Should be a Priority in Your Life appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

Just as we develop our physical muscles to gain strength and maintain our health, we also need to pay attention to strengthening our mental muscles. Learning to develop mental strength can help in many ways from overcoming challenging situations, to learning from and bouncing back from failure to viewing these challenges as opportunities for growth. Read on for six healthy habits you can develop to maintain your mental strength. 

Exercise Regularly

Not only is regular exercise good for our physical health, but it also does wonders for our mental health. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which trigger all sorts of benefits. Exercise ties your brain and body together and can improve your mood and energy levels over the long term. And this benefit isn’t limited to one specific exercise. Everything from running/walking to weight or resistance training to yoga and meditation can boost your brain power. 

Sleep is More Important that you Think

While everyone is different, most experts agree that people should regularly get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Not maintaining regular, good sleep can cause a variety of issues. If you have had multiple nights of tossing and turning then you know the brain fog, stress and anxiety that can come throughout the next day. Create a nighttime routine that helps to set you up for success. 

Be a Lifelong Learner

One advantage to exercising those mental muscles can provide an important long-term benefit. Harvard Medical School believes that learning a new skill may slow down cognitive decline as you age. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself by learning a new language, instrument or taking up a new hobby like photography or painting. If none of those options sounds appealing, try puzzles or crosswords which have also been found to help with improving memory and cognitive functioning. 

Practice Gratitude

This is a key trait among many mentally strong people. Being thankful, or practicing gratitude, can be a powerful tool with scientifically proven benefits. Rather than focus on the negative and let a problem boil over, people who practice gratitude improve empathy and can keep toxic responses in check (nobody wants to be around someone resentful or envious). 

One study found that gratitude did, in fact, increase mental strength as it helped to improve resilience following the attacks on September 11, 2001. No matter how traumatic the event, being thankful and recognizing the positive developed strength and resilience. 

Self-Care is Key

Not everyone falls into the same self-care routine. While it can look different for most everyone, prioritizing a few things like sleep and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, exercising, and finding ways to relax and unplug can be essential to maintaining a healthy body and mind. 

Practice Generosity

You may read that statement and think, “I barely have enough money myself! How can I practice generosity?” We’re not simply talking about money here, although you could certainly be generous with your finances. Another way to practice generosity is to spend time with people who could use a little extra kindness in their lives. For example, you could donate some time to a retirement center or volunteer to be a big brother/big sister. You could lend your talents to help fund a cause you care about or simply donate the money you would spend on lunch once a week to your favorite charity. There are a lot of ways to practice generosity that don’t involve money at all!

As you can see, our mental strength is tied to many different healthy practices. By adopting positive habits, you can reduce your risk of cognitive decline and be well on your way to greater physical and mental well-being.

The post 6 Ways to Stay Mentally Strong appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

“At a time when people are so conscious of maintaining their physical health by controlling their diets, exercising, and so forth, it makes sense to try to cultivate the corresponding mental attitudes too.”

– HH the Dalai Lama, 1963

It can be easy to forget how much our mental state can affect our physical well-being. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, that connection is evident in the treatment strategies, but it is also true that when we are feeling bad, we don’t always think to look at our minds. It works both ways. 

As we find ourselves in the middle place between winter and spring that is February, it is common to experience anxiety. Seasons aside, there has been a measured increase in anxiety levels for many people around the world associated with the coronavirus pandemic as well. So, whether feeling anxious is new to you or you know anxiety like an old friend, I wanted to offer five simple acupuncture points you can administer on yourself to help alleviate some of that mental strain, and hopefully boost your physical health as well. 

All of these points are accessible while seated or lying down. I recommend using your thumb on each acupoint, gradually applying more pressure until you find a sweet spot where there is some resistance but no pain. Hold that pressure steady while you make small circular movements with your thumb, massaging the point. Take 10 slow breaths, and then release the point. If you are pregnant or have a preexisting health condition, take precautions and contact me first before applying these acupressure points.

Point 1: Shen men or Heart 7.

This point is located on the inside of your wrist, in the crease, on the side where your pinky finger is. This point is great if you have trouble falling asleep due to anxiety or if you wake up in the middle of the night feeling anxious. Massaging this point calms the heart and anxiety along with it.

Point 2: The third eye or Yintang.

Known well to yogis, this point is located between the eyebrows. This is another good point for insomnia. It is located right over the pineal gland, which helps regulate melatonin. Besides insomnia, this point is known for taking the edge off feelings of restlessness and helps with overall emotional well-being.

Point 3: Pericardium six.

This point is also located on the inside of the forearm, about two inches down from the wrist crease, in the middle of the forearm. While it is often used for nausea, it is also a great point to open the chest and the heart, counteracting the contracting energy of anxiety.

Point 4: Chest center or Conception vessel 17.

This point is located in the center of the chest, between the nipples. For many people, anxiety can feel like a tightness in the chest or shortness of breath. This point relaxes and opens the chest and relaxes the diaphragm.

Point 5: Hundred meetings or Governing vessel 20.

To find this point, use both hands to trace from the tops of the ears to the center of the top of your head. This point can help with racing thoughts and existential anxiety. For those that experience anxiety in their body as jaw clenching, this is a good point for releasing that. This point can also raise yang energy, lifting depression and sadness.

Administering acupressure on yourself is a great daily practice, and these points are a helpful starter pack for anxiety. If your anxiety is ongoing or you would like more support, you can always reach out to me with questions or to set up an appointment.

The post 5 Acupoints for Anxiety You Can Administer Yourself appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.