Physical Self-Care for Moms and Why it’s Important

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Let’s be honest; moms are already on their feet 24/7. Running after our wiggly toddler, chauffeuring our school-aged kids to their after-school activities, doing our daily homemaking tasks, or working long hours. You might as well add Physical Self-Care to your plate.

Your energy is depleting, and you start to get grumpy around everybody. Who wouldn’t be? What if there’s a way to get a recharge of yourself?

Your body needs it. As a busy mom, you are constantly on the move and may neglect your health one way or another. 

Physical Health is one of the vital parts of self-care that you can focus on to improve your well-being. When your body is not a priority, it surely will break down sooner than later. You get sick, you feel burned out, or you simply lose the ability to function at your best. Physical stress can rampage your body like a hurricane.

Why Self-care practices are beneficial?

Taking care of yourself physically can overhaul your system. Self-care practices can benefit you not just now but as you age. What’s the catch? You stay fit and healthy, feel good about yourself and have the energy to tend to your loved ones and home.

This is for you, and this reminds you that you deserve your self-care time. Moreover, establish your goal and be accountable. The finish line is the positive change in the quality of your life. What more can I say?

Impossible?

I can say here to just go ahead and do it. Or say that you can find time to incorporate these self-care ideas into your life. The demands from you are overflowing at home or work.

Basically, it comes down to what you are going to do and what your personal goals are.

Moms, will you invest in your self-care and come out a healthier person than before? We’ve already talked about putting in a time block for self-care. You know to try to focus on yourself as time permits. You can have your spouse or a family member watch the kids twice a week for an hour.

These are 5 Areas for Physical Self-Care included here:

Sleep and Why?

Where do I begin? Sleep deprivation is witnessed among moms. Sure thing, it happens when you have a newborn or toddler who is still adjusting to their sleep schedule. When you are battling baby blues, insomnia, or just the constant worry about everything, sleep deprivation can occur.

Good sleep for moms is rare. A survey showed new moms get the most sleep for only 5-6 hrs or less. No wonder plenty of moms feel like an extra in the popular show Walking Dead. I’ve been in those shoes far more than I’d like to be.

Physical self-care for moms gets all the hype today. The impact of sleep on health is profound. You can definitely strive and commit yourself to improve your sleep habits.

Also, according to SleepFoundation.Org: “Insufficient sleep and poor quality sleep can be due to diverse factors including sleep disorders,  medical conditions, and mental health.” This article shows the basic sleep statistic and related information. 

Self-care Tips on Sleep for moms:

• Start a bedtime routine.
• Aim to sleep at the same hour every night. 
• Avoid stimulants like coffee late in the day. 
• Set the mood in your bedroom: dark, comfortable temperature, and quiet.
• Put the phone to sleep. Remind yourself that sleep is gold, and whenever you keep scrolling, you are chipping away from that treasure. 

Balanced Eating and Why? 

Nourishing your body with the right nutrition can really do wonders in overall wellness. You might be following a certain diet based on your preference or medical issues. 

If you are a breastfeeding mom, your lactation consultant might give you tips on helping boost your milk supply. If you are a working mom or a busy SAHM, nutrition can be in the short end. You may be skipping or eating subpar to fill up your stomach to get through the day.

Quick Tips on Healthy Eating:

• Start by only buying the foods that are nutritious and beneficial for your body. 
• Prep your meals ahead of time. Do weekly meal planning, and batch cooking. In addition, check Instant Pot recipes and Simple Freezer meals. 
• Pack your own lunch to work. Bring extra snacks as well.
• Don’t restrict yourself, and eat accordingly. You’ll end up feeling deprived and possibly binge.
• Listen to your body like being attuned to your baby’s hunger cues. Watch your hunger cues; watch your portions as well.
• New research showed that consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables can lower your risk of early death. 

“Five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, eaten as 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables, maybe the optimal amount and combination for a longer life.”

Wang, D., Li, Y, and et al. American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation
Source: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048996

Watching Water Intake and Why? 

Yes, for water! Like food, water is essential in keeping our health at bay. We consume water every single day. Our water intake varies depending on our bodies’ needs and our activities.

Additionally, our doctors’ recommendations play a role, especially when illness/disorder is present. When water intake and output are unbalanced, you’ll experience the effects on your body and your mood.

Quick Tips on Water Intake:

• Moms, be sure to drink water with every meal as part of physical self-care.
• As you wake up, take a full glass of water as part of your early self-care routine.
• Aim for your daily water intake; I say personal because each person has different water requirements.
• If you aren’t a water drinker, squeeze fresh lemons to improve the taste. Have you ever tried cucumber-lemon slices in cold water? Yes, please!
• You drink plenty of water if you’re heavily sweating to prevent dehydration.
• When in doubt if you had enough for the day, drink!
• Pay attention to your body. Sometimes the feeling of hunger is simply a signal that the body needs water. 

Fitness: Get Moving! Why?

When it comes to working out, it can be a challenge for busy moms. Work, household responsibilities, and tending to kids may deter you from sparing time to work out – this is a given. Even as busy moms, physical exercise is part of your commitment to self-care. Be eager to show up for yourself.

I totally understand the sentiment: but I don’t have time. I say, TAKE the time. This was hard for me to do when I was busy being a first-time mom and working full-time as a nurse. I was so focused on my family and work that it wasn’t on my list.

The implication that I don’t have the time is wrong; I just didn’t take the time. I’ve learned from then on that for me to be healthy – I had to choose to put fitness on my radar.

I am in no way the fitness expert here. Heck, no. And I’m not even working out 5-6 times a week. I vary it every two days or when I feel I’ve got more energy in some days.

Wellness follows when you invest in exercise. You earn what you put in, they say. For moms, cardiovascular health is at risk if you neglect to be active in your life. Trying to squeeze in a quick 20-minute workout 3 times a week is a good start. Your body will thank you. 

 

Physical self-care ideas to Get Moving:

• Pick the time that you are most motivated to exercise. Early morning, mid-afternoon, or evening.
• Be consistent and show up!
• Have the proper exercise equipment available for the type of exercises you choose. There are dumbbells, yoga mats, jump rope, treadmill, etc.
• Set short-term goals. For instance, 3/week workout days for 3 weeks, reach 500 jump ropes in 20 mins, be able to do 10 proper push-ups, etc.
• Do the exercise you enjoy! You don’t want to drag yourself every time you’re working out. Make it fun and diversify. 

RELATED POST: How to Incorporate Exercise into your Daily Life

Rest and Relaxation. Really?

Moms, I’m imploring you to pause sometimes. We go on auto-MOM mode for survival. However, the next best thing to enhance physical health is to just simply; REST.

Moms probably want this most; out of all the listed ideas. How are you going to achieve this? Every single minute of your Mom’s Life is revolving around everyone, home, or work. When was the last time you went to the REST room at home and had full 10 minutes to yourself? Yep, second to none.

Are you rolling your eyes yet? Please, do yourself a favor and take up a 15 minutes break right now. The kids are doing something in the background or at a hearing distance in another room. Unless they’re gonna be in grave danger, they’re okay on their own for a few minutes.

Tips for your quick R&R:

• Take deep purposeful breaths.
• Lower your shoulders and relax them.
• Maybe stretch your legs out and rotate your tired ankles.
• How about doing a 10-minute facial at home?
• Take a warm shower and apply on some lovely lotion afterward.
• If you have a good hour to yourself in your busy week, book yourself for a massage.

Physical Check-ups for Moms. Why? 

Well, here we go, Moms. Let me ask you; when did you attend the last pap smear party? We are on top of our kids’ appointments, yet the truth is we put ourselves on the back burner. We forego the check-ups and hope we don’t get sick. However, we are still humans even though we feel like Super Moms.

Getting regular check-ups with your primary care doctor, dentist and Gynecologist is part of your wellness. Specifically, you get your annual physical, necessary screenings, and bi-yearly oral check-ups. This should be front and center for moms. Prevention is powerful. Furthermore, good self-care for moms includes being proactive in their physical health.

Quick Tips on Doctor’s Visit:

• Mark your calendars and set appointments.
• For working moms, it’s good to plan, and request a day off, if you work M-F.
• For stay-at-home moms, make sure someone is with the kids and find that time block you can squeeze in your check-up.
• Be truthful to your Doctor, ask questions before you hurry to leave the clinic. (jot it down before you go for your check-up)
• Teeth cleaning, you say? The dental visit you try to postpone over and over. See your dentist for your sake.
• P.S. Do proper hygiene when it’s your well-woman’s exam day! You know what I mean. I’m serious! Scooting down and baring yourself isn’t fun at all! Pretty sure your gyne won’t ever mind that.

When you do and align these 5 areas of improving physical health, you not only nurture your body, but you’ll also feel essentially recharged. Physical Self-care for moms doesn’t end here; there is plenty more you can do even with hectic lives.

Caring for yourself is personal to you, as long as you are truly motivated; reap the ultimate result – a happy, healthy mom.

If you need help in assessing what areas of self-care in your life are ripe for change, check this post on Self-care for Moms in This Hard Year. Also, having these self-care items can be a good start for moms to use.

As I close this post, I hope you got some physical self-care ideas for moms – ready to implement in your life today. Gather support from family and friends to keep you accountable in your self-care activities. Remember to care for yourself, so you can care for your family the best that you can.

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