Ethereal Health Blog

Mar 11

In today’s fast-paced world, it is more important than ever to develop habits that help you find calm in the chaos of life. Incorporating healthy habits in your life is essential, especially for those of us in helping or healing professions. Remember the flight attendant reminder, we must put our oxygen mask on first. Here are six easy steps to start reducing chaos and finding calm.

6 Steps to Find Calm in the Chaos

1 - Prioritize Sleep

Sleep is nature’s way of giving us space and time to rest and restore, physically and mentally.

When we regularly get 6-8 hours of sleep a night, our brain has time to flush out toxins while we rest, and also process and consolidate memories. Have an off night where you couldn’t sleep or wake up feeling more tired? It happens to all of us at some point, but there is something we can do about it. Optimizing our sleep habits can be as simple as reducing screen time about an hour before bed, sleeping in a quiet, dark room (earplugs and sleep masks are great!), and ensuring that you’re using your bed for sleeping (and sex) only.

2 - Incorporate Movement

Moving intentionally isn’t only fun, it’s also a game-changer. In fact, regular exercise improves overall health and can prevent negative outcomes across our lives!

Studies even show that 20-30 minutes of exercise a day is a natural way to boost your mood, release endorphins, and reduce overall stress and anxiety. The recommendation is 150 minutes of exercise a week, which averages to 30 minutes of movement per day, 5 days out of the week.

You don’t have to run half-marathons to get the recommended amount of exercise (although if you’re a runner, rock on!)—just getting outside in some green space and walking is one of the best ways to exercise. It’s also affordable, and most of us can carve out at least 20-30 minutes a day to get outside, move our bodies, and improve our health.

3 - Practice Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness are two practices we can incorporate into the busiest of schedules.

Mindfulness helps improve our focus, and being present in the current moment actually lowers anxiety. Another thing we can do to help our minds is learn to reframe how we think of anxiety.

Did you know that being excited and anxious are the same feeling? It’s true! Traditionally, we view anxiety as negative, but if you can redefine the feeling, you can ask yourself what you’re excited about instead. Box breathing, also called square breathing, is a great way to calm yourself. You breathe in for a count of 4, hold your breath for 4, exhale for 4, hold your breath for 4 seconds, and repeat this process 3-5 times to help naturally calm your nervous system.

4 - Nourish Yourself

Getting adequate nourishment helps to keep our bodies and minds functioning well!

Sometimes when people are feeling depressed, their appetite disappears or becomes overactive. Some ways to take care of yourself and nourish yourself when you’re feeling this way include taking a good multi-vitamin to meet your body’s needs, adding in fruits and vegetables where you can, and having protein shakes available as a grab-and-go option.

If you notice your blood sugar dropping, and it’s harder to reach for a nutritious choice, make sure to keep some frozen fruit and veggies on hand to increase your consumption of those healthy nutrients. If you need more suggestions, we’ve got you covered!

5 - Find Support Systems

Connecting with those we care about (and who care about us) helps to create support systems in our lives and helps to promote feelings of connectedness and community.

Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General shared a report that in the United States, we have a loneliness epidemic, and being lonely was just as bad for our health as smoking roughly 15 cigarettes a day. With that in mind, it’s important to make space to communicate with the people in your corner, if you’re interested in finding calm in the chaos and reducing negative emotions.

6 - Take Medications and Supplements

Medications are often an important part of maintaining our mental and physical health, and are often necessary when it comes to best supporting our overall well-being.

In mental health, sometimes we need medications for a season, or sometimes for more chapters in our stories. Taking medications as prescribed and regularly checking in with your care team helps to ensure you are taking the right medication and at the right dose for you.

Supplements are incredible factors—many of us who live in the Pacific Northwest are Vitamin D deficient, so getting tested and taking supplements when levels are low can help us synthesize serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that contributes to happiness and well-being.

Chances are, you’re probably doing some of the recommended activities, but we all have room to improve when it comes to enhancing our overall health. Pick one or two areas to focus on and gradually incorporate small changes into your routine to boost your mood and find calm!