Women's Health Month - Ways to start caring for yourself
May is Women's Health Month - a time dedicated to the health and wellness of women throughout the world. The goal is to empower women to make their health a priority and help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health.
We often get so caught up in the busyness of our daily lives, that we forget to just stop and breathe. We take our health for granted, but we should be taking steps to protect it every day.
All too often, we women spend all our time taking care of everyone else - partners, children, parents, friends, work.... that we forget to make time for ourselves.
For Women's Health Month, here are some tips we've learned along the way to help you start taking better care of yourself;
A little daily exercise
Moving our bodies every day is an essential - not only for our physical health, but also for our mental health. It doesn't have to be a session at a gym - it could be a yoga class, a swim, a bike ride, an exercise video at home or a walk on your lunch break.
Eat your fruit and veg
We all know we should be eating at least 5 portions a day - but how many of us actually manage that? Set yourself a challenge for the rest of May to get at least 5 servings a day or fruit or veg. A smoothie in the morning, a salad with your lunch, a handful of berries mid afternoon and a couple of portions of veg with your dinner, and you'll soon hit your target!
Prioritise sleep
We forget just how much of an impact on our bodies a lack of sleep has. Sleep deprivation, and poor quality sleep has a negative effect on our mind, body and spirit. Take steps each day which will improve your sleep quality. This may include switching off technology a couple of hours before bed, practicing meditation or breathing exercises and eliminating caffeine after 3pm.
Talk to your friends
Never underestimate the importance of talking. Whether you are talking about health worries, the stresses of daily life or even just getting together to laugh and blow off some steam, sharing with your friends can take a big weight off your mind and help you feel supported.
Practice Self-Care
Taking a little time each day to nurture ourselves and practice some self care makes the world of difference to our mental and physical health. Practising self massage with a body oil helps release feel good hormones, increase feelings of self worth and improve our skin tone. Taking an aromatherapy bath helps us to relax and unwind whilst having some time to ourselves away from the world. Try taking a little time for you each day, even 15 minutes will make the world of difference.
Slow down
Remember - we are human beings, not human doings. Rushing through life isn't something to be proud of - it's ok to slow down, to stop, to smell the roses. Take time to enjoy the simple things - sit and watch the sunset, listen to the birdsong in the morning, enjoy a slow stroll through a park....