• Healthy State
  • Careers
  • Education
  • Research
  • Giving
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Location
  • Find a Specialty
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Pay a Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Woman with coffee

Beyond the Bubble Bath: Getting Back to the Heart of Self-Care

Apr 29, 2020 |
By Diedra Dias
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

On airplanes, parents are instructed to secure their own oxygen mask before assisting others.The same idea holds true for self-care. It’s up to us to realize when we need to pause and put ourselves first, especially when we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Because when we take the time for ourselves, we show up better for those around us.

Self-care sometimes gets the rap of being indulgent or selfish, but it’s not. It’s your self-administered stress defense mechanism, and you know best when it’s time to turn it on.

The consequences of not pressing pause? Stress, exhaustion and burnout.

The antidote? Putting yourself first on a regular basis. Now more than ever, it’s essential to take time to do the things you love, and the things that keep you replenished and grounded. Below, we outline six self-care strategies guaranteed to help you recharge.

1. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important factors of our overall health and wellness. And getting enough of it is crucial to ensuring key components of our health are optimized. Sleep is the time our bodies need to heal and replenish themselves for the next day, and most of us need seven to eight hours of it per night. Think of sleep as a self-care mechanism, one that’s critical to your emotional and physical health.

2. Head Outside

Just 20 minutes of Mother Nature can significantly lower stress hormone levels. Visit your nearest park for a stroll. Or just enjoy sitting on your front porch or in your backyard.

3. Boost Your Serotonin with Exercise

Exercising helps us feel energized, while also relieving stress. Find a routine you love and stick with it. In our new normal, that might mean joining an online exercise class and working out at home. On days when even the thought of exercise sounds too exhausting, take a casual walk with your dog or a loved one.

4. Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness is a simple way to reset when you’re in the middle of a marathon meeting day or are feeling like you’re constantly on the go without any breaks. To reduce stress try taking a few minutes to breathe, focus and be present in the moment.

5. Get Some “Me” Time

Often, we feel “on” when around other people, whether that’s at our job, with our families or our friends. Flying solo gives us the guilt-free time we need to recharge, even if it’s only for a few minutes. For a busy parent with children, “me” time might mean five minutes locked in the laundry room alone or spending an afternoon doing a favorite activity. For an introvert, it may be cuddling up on the sofa and reading a book. Whatever it is, take the time to take care of you. You deserve it.

6. Focus on Prevention

One way to take care of yourself is to stay healthy through prevention. You can prevent sickness through lifestyle choices, such as a healthy diet and exercise. You can also make prevention a priority by maintaining your health screenings and participating in proactive programs like Ochsner’s Concierge Health, a new program centered around a holistic approach to health and wellness. In addition to having a dedicated concierge physician, you also get access to a full team of health and wellness clinicians, including dietitians, health coaches and exercise physiologists, that will serve as partners in your health and wellness journey.

Scheduling Coordination and 24/7 Direct Access to a Personal Physician. Learn more about Concierge Health and meet our team.

Tags
concierge health

You may also be interested in:

Quarantine fifteen
Food & Fitness
September 4, 2020

Gaining Weight at Home? Tips to Avoid the Quarantine Fifteen

If coronavirus-related stress is getting you down, don’t turn to snacks for a quick fix. There are more effective ways to feel better.
By Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD
Couple eating lunch
Food & Fitness
December 6, 2021

Eating to Manage High Blood Pressure During COVID-19

Here are some tips on how to keep your blood pressure well-controlled to maintain good health and nutrition during the coronavirus crisis and beyond.
By Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637
Follow us: Facebook Visit Ochsner Health on Facebook Twitter Follow Ochsner Health on Twitter LinkedIn Visit Ochsner Health's LinkedIn page Instagram Follow Ochsner Health on Instagram YouTube Subscribe to Ochsner Health on YouTube Pinterest Follow Ochsner Health on Pinterest TikTok Follow Ochsner Health on TikTok
Sign up for our free health and wellness newsletters delivered straight to your inbox.
SIGN UP

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Healthy State
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Subscribe to Our Newsletters

Select the newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:
To Your Health-Mental Health Monthly":
To Your Health- Skin Deep:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide