Guide to Self Care When Your Grieving
Grief takes a toll on your overall health. Taking care of your health when your grieving will help you to better cope as you move through the process of grief and loss.To help you begin we put together a guide to self care when you’re grieving.This care should include your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health. And though each person has their own way to give themselves self-care moving through grief may require a few adjustments to help you handle overwhelm, stress and lack of confidence, all of which can be effected in times of grief and loss.
Why Is Self Care Important When You’re Grieving
Self-care is simply doing the things that improve your overall health and outlook. But when you’re grieving self care often goes by the wayside. This can leave you vulnerable to adrenal fatigue which can make you feel worse. In addition lack of care can hinder the healing process as you move through grief.
Neglecting yourself and putting your needs on the back burner inevitably leads to an unhealthy life. Self-care needs to be a part of everyone’s personal schedule and shouldn’t be overlooked due to time or because someone believes it is selfish.
Simple Guide to Self-Care When You’re Grieving
Self-care is a very broad term and can honestly mean anything. Self-care can be described by each person differently. To one person it can be about doing anything that keeps them busy, and to the next person it is about being quiet and being in the moment with their thoughts.
When you are grieving self-care may have totally different requirements than other times in life. An individual plan of activities that will allow you to be mentally, physically and emotionally healthy.
If you haven’t been practicing self-care for a while it can be overwhelming at first. Let’s break it down in this guide to self care when you’re grieving so you have some ideas where to start.
Put Daily Self-Care First
Similar to exercising practising self care when grieving in the morning can offer benefits as you start your day off with purpose.
Schedule Self-Care
The best course of action is to schedule in caring for your health when grieving .Schedule a haircut or massage, and make time to stay connected with friends or family during the day.
Be Attentive
Be aware of your surroundings as well as yourself. Your environment and knowing what you like and dislike plays a major part in self-care. If you are adding things to your routine that you don’t like and don’t make you happy, look for ways to remove it or make it better.
Small Rewards
Self-care takes practise. To help you stay on track start rewarding yourself for doing it. For example, did you do your exercise every day for a month? Schedule a facial or massage to reward yourself.
Meditation
Meditation is an excellent way to care for your health while you are grieving. The practice can help clear your mind and relax. The goal is to focus on breathing and nothing else. Studies show that meditation and prayer help cut down on stress and improve memory.
Alone Time
Self-care doesn’t have to be about going and spending a bunch of money or doing exciting activities. Sometimes people just need alone time. Take time away from family and coworkers. Alone time is an especially good way of caring for your health when grieving so that you can focus on your own thoughts.
Time with Friends and Family
Schedule some time with friends and family. Go out to dinner or play board games at their house. Find ways to have something to look forward to.
Caring for your health when your grieving can be simple. All you need to do is figure out what is best for you and do it. One thing that might help you decide what to do is to write down the goals that you have for yourself. This way you can ensure that the things you do lead you towards meeting those goals.
Get Enough Sleep
Set your alarm to go off about an hour before you need to get into bed. Turn off all electronics, turn down the lights. Fix your central air to make the room cooler about 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Avoid eating too late. If it helps you to calm down get in the bed with a good book. Getting a full night sleep is vital to waking up in a good mood. You will feel energetic and much more willing to start out your day without resentment.
Eat Healthy and Exercise
Getting adequate exercise is known to release endorphins to the brain. Endorphins are hormones that are responsible for making you feel better overall. Pair exercise with a healthy meal to get the best results possible. These healthy eating habit can help as your move through the grieving process.
Keep Hydrated
It is easy to neglect yourself when you are grieving a loss. And that can include drinking enough water. If you are Dehydrated it can lead to headaches, dry skin, fatigue, and dizziness. All of these symptoms can impact you in a negative manner leaving you feel overwhelmed and unwell. Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses or 64 ounces of water a day. And remember that eating raw veggies and fruit also counts towards hydrating.
Take Breaks
Don’t push yourself too hard. When you are grieving and dealing with loss it is easy to get caught up with intense work as a way of distraction. Make sure to take small breaks and use this time to relax and focus on something that makes you take time and breathe.
Ask for Help
Asking for help can be challenging for some people but you should never be afraid to ask. Ask your friends and family to help you out every now and then to relieve some pressure off everyday tasks. More than likely they will be happy to help. If you are finding it hard to take care of yourself when you’re grieving don’t be afraid to ask a professional either.
Learn to Say No
If you are overwhelmed, exhausted, or just don’t want to do something saying no is perfectly fine. You have permission. Doing things you don’t want to do adds extra stress and anxiety especially in times of grief.
Decompress
As part of your guide to self care when you’re grieving take a little time out each day and relax. A little alone time, a massage or a small treat can help you to decompress and calm the mind.
Create A Kit for Your Health Care
A self-care survival kit is a personalized box of fun things to use to pamper yourself. When you are feeling sad, stressed, or just feel like it, pull this box out and enjoy. Making a kit can be just as rewarding and an activity to take your mind off things for a while.
Move as Part of Your Self Care Practise
Turn on the music and get moving. You may not feel like it, but upbeat music will help life the spirit. Or put some relaxing spa music on and stretch. When you are grieving it is easy to live inside your head. Movement helps to release pent up energy and can help release grief through movement.`
Take Time to Journal
One thing that is helpful form of self care when grieving is to express yourself. Take time to write your thoughts on paper. Write about your feelings, anything you are thankful for, memories and whatever you want.
Journaling is emotional caring for your health when grieving . Remember this is only for you. Your personal journal, a safe place to express all you feel in this time of grief.
Concluding Guide to Self Care When You’re Grieving
It’s easy to get lost in the pain of grief and loss. This can leave you vulnerable to stress, anxiety, a depleted immune system and poor health. So while taking care of your health throughout life is important, taking time for extra self is especially crucial when your grieving. Therefore, self-care is imperative when moving through grief and setting yourself up your new normal life.
