Being a mom is the best job in the world, but that doesn’t stop it from being incredibly tiring and stressful at times. Taking the time to de-stress and focus on yourself doesn’t make you a bad mom. In fact, making time for yourself enables you to be the very best mom you can be!
Practice mindfulness
Inspired by Buddhist meditation, mindfulness encourages you to do less in order to de-stress and learn to enjoy the everyday. Practicing mindfulness involves taking just a little time out of your day to be present in the moment and recenter yourself. Mindfulness encourages people to refocus their minds, to be aware of their breathing and how their body is feeling. Unlike some other forms of meditation, mindfulness doesn’t have to take up much of your time at all. Mobile applications like Headspace make mindfulness simple, with guided meditations focused on different aims, such as de-stressing or reducing anxiety. These meditations are all quick and easy to fit into even the busiest of days.
Take a little me time
According to smile makers Australia, orgasms are one of the best ways to de-stress. When an individual experiences an orgasm, their body releases the powerful hormone oxytocin into the bloodstream. Oxytocin, otherwise commonly known as the ‘love’ or ‘cuddle’ hormone, has powerful stress-fighting properties, including lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels. Masturbation is one of the most common habits women use to combat stress. One study found that 54% of people surveyed used masturbation as a stress reliever. A further 23% of people saying that masturbation helps improve their mental health. Although there are other ways of producing the same stress-fighting hormones, an orgasm is perhaps the most effective.
Get outside
Research has found that being outside can have a range of different health benefits, such as reducing stress, improving memory, fighting depression and lowering blood pressure. Being outside in nature is a particularly useful practice to combat high-stress levels. One study sent students into the forest for two nights and noticed that when the students returned, they all had considerably lower cortisol levels (cortisol is the hormone used as a marker for stress). Not only did the students have lower cortisol, but they also had decreased heart rates than the participants who spent the same amount of time in the city. Even just going for a short walk in nature should decrease your stress levels. Nature presents an array of natural scenes that capture attention, and this has a very calming effect on the nerves. Try to either get outside in nature by yourself, or take your kids with you so you can all enjoy the wonderful powers of mother nature together.
Remember what makes you feel good
If you are experiencing high-stress levels it is also useful to try and think back to the activities that make you feel good. What did you enjoy doing before you became a mom? It is all too common for women to give up the activities they enjoyed because they think there isn’t time for them in the family schedule. It is important you take the time to do what makes you feel good. Whether you used to enjoy swimming, going to the movies or reading, try and fit that time into your family routine.