May is Women’s Health Care Month. Women tend to be very good at taking care of the other people in their lives—children, spouses, parents, and coworkers; but, they’re not always so good at taking care of themselves.
Women’s Health Care Month is a great time to reflect on yourself, your body, and the things you can do to improve your health. If you’re hoping to do a little self care, here are 5 ways you can do that.
1. Do Your Daily Exercise
Exercise is healthy for your body in a variety of different ways. It can help you keep your weight down, improve your heart and lung health, and boost your mood. Even gentle exercise like walking can benefit your body.
The CDC says that exercise can even help keep chronic disease at bay, so if you’re looking for one solid thing you can do for your health each day, make it exercise.
2. Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables
In the rush to get from one place to another, we often settle for burgers at a fast-food joint, or a quick box of takeout for dinner. While these things are fast and delicious, they’re no substitute for a high-quality meal.
Eating your fruits and vegetables helps you get the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy, as well as a range of micronutrients you may not know you need.
3. Call Your Friends
Social contact is also extremely important, but we sometimes get too busy to call our friends and catch up. Talking with your friends can help boost your mood, alleviate loneliness, and give you a sense of purpose.
It’s easy to let our friendships slide as other things take priority, but picking up the phone and giving your best friend a call can have many benefits on its own.
4. Get Plenty of Rest
Rest is also an extremely important factor in your health. Many people don’t get enough sleep at night. Treat your bedtime as seriously as you treat your wakeup time. Set an alarm if you think you’ll forget what time you need to go to bed at, quit drinking caffeinated drinks at least 4 hours before bed, and spend the last hour or so before bedtime without screens.
These can all help you get better sleep, and you might feel better through the rest of the day by doing so.
5. See your healthcare provider
Even if you’re in good health, it’s wise to see your doctor annually for a checkup. By seeing your doctor, you can catch small problems before they become big ones. A doctor can also evaluate your family history to see if you are at risk for hereditary diseases.
This gives you a chance to plan ahead if you know there is a potential for illness. A doctor can help you form a plan to keep healthy, and to enjoy as much of your life as you can in good health.
This Women’s Health Month, take steps to give yourself the care you deserve. All of these tips will help benefit both you and others, because the better you are able to care for yourself, the better you can take care of others.
For more tips and information, especially about respite care which can ensure you have the time to enjoy some “me” time to focus on your own health, contact the professional caregivers at Homewatch CareGivers of Sterling today.
