**This is an ongoing series here at Carry on my heart, you can read the first part here.
When I began struggling with anxiety and depression I often heard about the importance of self-care. The ideas I read at the time seemed frivolous, silly and unhelpful to me. Activities such as taking a bubble bath, getting my nails done or a night out was often suggested.
That’s fine in theory –
However, when you’re in a battle for your mind, taking a bubble bath isn’t an answer, it’s an unnecessary to-do that you don’t have the energy for.
I desperately wanted someone to take my hand and walk me through the strange, fogged out mental state I found myself in. Thinking straight was difficult enough, let alone actually DOING anything productive. I was constantly forgetting everyday things and at my worst, felt incapable of taking care of myself or my family.
I would love to tell the person that is deep in an anxious or depressed season—I seemed to go from one to the other in rapid succession—to take a vacation or go for a night out on the town. But in reality, this may not be possible or even desired.
With anxiety and/or depression steering the rudder, it’s the everyday things that are the most difficult. Therefore, every day is where we need to begin.
Anxiety and Depression Series – 9 Practical Self-Care Tips
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Self-care tip: Get up and make your bed.
As I’ve mentioned before one of the main symptoms of my anxiety was insomnia. For a long time, the easy thing to do was lay around and not make my bed or do barely anything when I was so exhausted. At some point during my struggles, I decided to make my bed every day, no matter what. Even on days I barely slept I would force myself to get up out of bed and make it. Something about the act of putting all of the pillows and blankets back on my bed each morning made me feel as though I had a do-over, a fresh start. Over time I made my bedroom into a soothing sanctuary rather than a place where I felt anxious about sleeping… or lack thereof. Maybe it’s not your bed for you, but I would encourage you to find that one thing that you can do each day that says to yourself, “Today is new, yesterday is gone.”
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Self-care tip: Brush your teeth, wash your face, shower and do your hair.
Some days of depression can leave you feeling as though brushing your hair is the most exhausting task in the world. Cleaning up and caring for your body each day sends a signal to your brain that you are still living and you are worth it. I’m not talking about getting dressed up and doing a full face of makeup. (If you can, great!) I’m talking, clean teeth, clean face, clean hair, clean clothes. If only one out of all of these is accomplished – that’s ok. But when you’ve done it, you’ve accomplished something and this sends an affirming signal to your brain.
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Self-care tip: Family Care.
It’s hard enough taking care of yourself, throw a bunch of kids into the mix and you’re left feeling incapable. I’m going to pause here and tell you mom-to-mom (or dad, if this is you) It’s ok to not give them their perfect nightly bedtime routine, I promise THEY WILL LIVE! We are so darn hard on ourselves – throw in anxiety and depression and every mistake becomes a”10,” when in reality, it’s not a big deal at all. Write out a reminder to do those important things for your kids and family, whether that be brushing teeth, bathing or homework. Maybe put a pop-up on your phone or a note where you look every day.
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Self-care tip: Eat.
Another seemingly silly but practical self-care tip is to eat. Anxiety especially can wreak havoc on a digestive system. There were times I could not physically keep food down because of the anxiety I felt. I had to learn how and what to eat during these times. I would suggest having healthy, easy to eat options around. No sugar added applesauce was a go-to for me. I love that now they have little squeeze packs. Yes, they’re for kids, but they should totally be marketed to people with anxiety! There are great options that contain veggies and fruits now. Other foods I found helpful were oatmeal, scrambled eggs, and mashed potatoes. Making sure to get protein is important. Smoothies that have protein in them are a great option as well. Try your best to steer clear of unnecessary sugar and caffeine.
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Self-care tip: Talk to your doctor.
Whether it’s getting on an anti-depressant or getting blood tests for deficiencies, this step is an absolute necessity. It’s also a great idea to bring a loved one with you to the appointment, they can be your voice when you can’t find your own. Which brings me to #6:
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Self-care tip: Ask for help.
It’s so hard going through anxiety and depression alone. You are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders and still need to take care of yourself, family and possibly a job as well. Do not be afraid to reach out to family or friends that you trust to help. If you have the money to do so, hire a house cleaner or get a service that delivers meals. Anything that relieves the pressure. *On the flip side, if you have a friend or family member suffering in this way, PLEASE help them. Bring a meal, watch their kids, hang out with them. DO NOT shy away.
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Self-care tip: Exercise.
I know, I know… who wants to exercise when you are anxious or depressed? Trust me, your body and your mind NEED this. Even if it is only a walk; strap on your shoes and go outside. It is proven to stimulate all of the feel goods inside your body. Even on days I struggle with sleep or feel really down, I force myself to do my workout and without fail, I feel better. So go out and walk, run, swim, bike, swing or take your dog out for a walk – speaking of:
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Self-care tip: Spend time with pets/kids/family & friends.
Our greatest problem is that we forget to get out of our own heads. Begin that process of stepping outside of yourself for a moment and really listen to someone or something else. I love sitting with my dog and just petting her when I’m anxious or talking with one of my kids and listening to their day. It’s a win/win because I feel lighter and they are happy because they are getting my undivided attention.
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Self-care tip: Get rid of all unnecessary to-dos with a brain dump.
I remember one particular day, I was having a really anxious time and my mind wouldn’t shut up, I was sure I had failed at life. I decided to write out my to-do’s to organize my thoughts. When I did, I realized that really only 2 of the things on the list needed to be done and the rest were unrealistic expectations I was putting on myself. There are days you will not have it in you to do the big things. Be okay with that and let it go for a day when you do have the energy. When the unnecessary to-do’s pop up again, remind yourself that you wrote it down and it’s not for today.
And last but never least: The most important self-care tip I can give you is to trust in Jesus and what He says about you. He knows you better than you know yourself.
Remember, you are going through something very real, Give yourself time to heal and give yourself grace…
Your body is reacting to everything going on in your mind. Taking care of yourself is your job right now.
Put your to-do list somewhere where you can see it every day and congratulate yourself for everything you accomplish.
It may seem silly to be proud of brushing your teeth, but it’s not. You are taking care of yourself and your family, against all odds. You overcome a little more every day when you choose to actively participate in your life, in spite of the anxiety and/or depression you feel.
To read the final post in this series click HERE!
A necessary disclaimer: I am not a doctor, I am not a professional with letters after my name. I am someone who has lived with anxiety and depression for over 20 years. Read about me here. I may have life experience and insight… But I would suggest you seek professional help if you feel you need it.
Love this. So true. The simple things can be so hard to do when dealing with anxiety, which is why we need to simply focus on the simple things and let that be enough. And yes, I agree, avoid the sugar. It’s so hard on an anxious stomach. Foods that are easy on me when my stomach is bad are plain yogurt with a tiny bit of pure maple syrup drizzled in, ripe bananas, and plain crackers. I also wrote a post on tips to deal with depression/anxiety, but they are not as simple and practical as yours. But they might be worth looking into. They are at https://lovehealme.blogspot.com/2017/08/26-tips-for-dealing-with-depression-and.html. Or just go to https://lovehealme.blogspot.com and you’ll find them right there in the August posts. Thank you for sharing your struggles and ideas. Always good to read about what helps others.
Love this Heather! I’m checking that out now. I’d love to do even more posts like this one; they’re so simple but I remember needing these simple reminders when I was in those really hard places. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and post here! Hopefully, someone else can benefit by clicking over from here as well.
Thank you for braving the topic of anxiety and depression. I’m glad you are talking about important issues that so many Christians deal with but struggle to talk about. I know I have struggled with both but I have found freedom from depression and am finding freedom from anxiety more and more everyday!
Thank you, Angela! I have always felt it’s topic we as Christians don’t talk enough about and there’s such a stigma around it. So glad you enjoyed this and that you are finding freedom from depression and anxiety!
Susan, these are some very wise tips you have shared. Yes, it is so important to take care of ourselves. You know, I hardly ever take the time to make my bed. Most days, I feel like it is just a waste of energy. However, I need to try to do it because it does make me feel better to see the bed made. Have a blessed day.
Leigha, Isn’t that funny, I was like that for a long time too. It was just something that I noticed made me feel better when I was struggling with depression. If I get up and tidy up it feels like a new start. Part of this for me was realizing it’s the small, everyday things that add up to change. Thank you for your thoughts today!