Feeling Stressed? Overwhelmed? Exhausted? Can’t cope with the kids??! Here are naturopath Vashti D'Vyne's top 5 stress busting, self-care tips for Mums (and Dads!)
1) Acknowledging first that you are tired and overwhelmed and admitting that truly, sometimes your kids really are the last people you want to see after a long hard day at work! Just giving yourself permission to feel these things without feeling ‘guilty’ for it is the first step. It is a big thing to admit this is how you are actually feeling outside of other people constantly telling you that you appear stressed and tired – then you can take steps to seek assistance and do something about it.
2) Take a high strength B- Complex vitamin supplement and also a magnesium supplement that has been optimised for absorption and utilisation. Your nervous system and adrenal glands (which produce stress coping hormones – adrenaline and cortisol) require b vitamins and magnesium to regulate function. When we are undergoing regular bursts of stress over a long period of time our nervous system and adrenal hormones become quite depleted, leading to exhaustion and burn out. Giving your nervous system the ‘fuel’ it runs on helps it to perform better and prevents you feeling ‘frazzled’ and irritated. Coping better during stressful times helps you to think clearer and be more resourceful under pressure. This can assist you from getting to the stage where you will just ‘eat anything within one foot of you’ and can also help you sleep better at night.
3) Epsom Salt Baths – create a weekly ritual for yourself when you lock the bathroom door, light some candles and just let your tension melt away. Epsom salts are high in magnesium – 2 cups to one full bath of water is excellent for absorbing magnesium into your tissues and flushing away tension-causing calcium salts and toxic by products from over active stress hormones from your tired, tense muscles.
4) Exercise – there is no doubt that regular exercise is just about the best thing you can do to lower cortisol levels and boost your endorphins – or the hormones that make you feel connected, calm and happy. Take the dog for a walk, have a rumble with the kids on the lawn, go for a run around the local park with a soccer ball, and plan other family-time activities around being physically active.
5) Regular remedial massage – did you know that one hour of massage produces the same brainwave patterns otherwise associated with deep REM sleep? If you are waking regularly due to young children or just tossing and turning at night because you are feeling anxious or ‘wired’, regular massage can help to create a space for you to wind down and feel regenerated and refreshed. Regular sessions over time (1 x week for 5-6 weeks) can help to improve sleep and give you more energy.
