8 Tips for Helping You Care for Yourself

You care for people all day, and caring for yourself is just as important! Here are some tips for coping with stress and to help you live a healthy life.

Get consistent sleep: Lack of sleep makes you more vulnerable to stress, and it can also trigger symptoms of some mental health conditions, like mania in bipolar disorder.
Eat a balanced diet: Unprocessed foods, like whole grains, vegetables, lean meats and fresh fruit are the foundation for a healthy mind and body. Eating well can also help stabilize your mood. Including brain-boosting healthy fats can help you go the distance.
Schedule some “me” time: Do something that makes you feel good. It might be reading a book, watching a movie, listening to some music or taking your dog for a walk.
Meditate/do yoga: Deep breathing, meditation and some yoga poses can help relieve depression, reduce stress and ease anxiety. The breath training found in yoga may be especially helpful with anxiety related to breathing problems, and may provide benefits beyond the immediate moment.
Practice mindfulness: Try to be more aware of and awake to each moment and be fully engaged in what’s happening both inside of you and around you – with acceptance and without judgment.
Exercise! Enjoy a walk in the sun, bike, swim, join a dance class or anything else that gets you moving, but make sure it’s fun. Physical activity can jump-start your feel-good endorphins and other stress-relieving hormones that enhance your sense of well-being. Exercise can also improve your mood and help erase the day’s irritations. Learn more about gym discounts for 1199SEIU members and the BeFitNYC program.
Connecting in person with friends and family is more important than you think. Your friend gets your joke. Your co-worker offers congrats. Your loved one gives you a hug. They all help alleviate stress and boost your well-being. Social connection can lessen anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions and lead to higher self-esteem. Learn More.
If you feel like you need to talk to someone about your mental health, don’t go it alone! The most important step in treating a mental health condition sometimes feels like the most challenging one — finding the right mental health professional. Whether you get help from a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist, a trustworthy and knowledgeable professional can be a valuable ally. It may take a little time and persistence to find the right person for you but stick with it. The Benefit Funds Wellness Member Assistance Program offers confidential support to help you or your family. Learn more or call (646) 473-6900.

For more information about what resources are available for 1199SEIU members, click here.

Source:

1199SEIU Family of Funds website: https://www.1199seiubenefits.org/healthyminds/