September is Self-Care month

The first component of self-care I’m addressing is Physical self-care.

Physical self-care can seem like the most mundane of self-care practices. It focuses on hygiene for yourself and your space. Most blogs would focus this on creating a healthy diet and exercise plan. Those are important too, but as someone who is neurodivergent those aren’t always particularly accessible or interesting options. When I thing about physical self care it Motions, Foods, Rest, and Hygiene

Motion

When I think of physical anything I think of exercising. For some motion and exercise comes easy, they love to play sports or they get a runner’s high after their jog. I am not one of those people. I am somewhat leary of most things labeled as exercise I do however enjoy moving. I like to dance around the kitchen, and go for a nature walk or even an occasional hike. For me the trick to getting in motion is to make it play rather than exercise.

My workplace self-care program recommended –

• Get at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week that increases your heart rate
• Make sure you stretch and warmup before jumping into a workout.
• Try out different varieties of workouts to see what is best for you.
  • its okay if you need to switch it up
    • INSTEAD
• Maximize benefits
  • Look for stretches that will relieve your pain (tight shoulders, achy lower back etc )
• Make it social – get a friend to join you for a walk

Food

Nutrition and eating well can be an important part of self-care.

My workplace self-care program recommended –

• Eat a variety of colors of produce
• Try not to exceed ~30g of added sugar a day
• Eat leafy greens

Many neurodivergent individuals have a difficult relationship with food. Textures and other food aversions can make eating a healthy diet really challenging. Personally I really appreciate the reminder from StruggleCare with K.C. Davis.

This assurance that I deserve food, even on days that I may feel fat or if I have only eaten junk all day and feel hungry anyways. I take a similar stance on hydration. Water may be the best choice for my body, but juice or herbal tea is still going to help hydrate me and it is better to be hydrated than to avoid other beverages because I don’t want water.

Rest

Rest is an important part of taking care of your physical body.  7-9 hours of sleep is recommended for adults, for those with difficulty sleeping that may seem an unattainable goal. When I can’t sleep I give myself permission to do other things and take a nap if I am able to later. Rest is more than just sleep. Rest is not overexerting yourself and taking breaks. Taking breaks thought the day can help you clear your mind and have more energy.

Hygiene

At the most basic level of self-care, maintaining your physical self-care is the most important. Taking care of your body in these ways can make a significant difference in your overall mental health. Washing your body, brushing your hair and teeth. These basic task can vastly improve how you are feeling.