The Basic Recipe for Sanity

My MTC mission companion commented that she needed reminding to take care of herself. That's so true. She mentioned several things in her comment. When I keep up with daily basics for my physical health, I manage much better.

Physical do's: sleep enough, eat healthy, and exercise.

I like to read, or watch TV late into the night. It messes up my rhythm and my family's when I do that. I need to go to bed by at least ten to do well the next day since having a schedule. My brain races for 30-60 minutes after I crawl into bed sometimes, even though I take sleeping pills. I have to avoid caffeine and chocolate in the evening too. I have a poster in the kitchen listing why I should go to bed by 9:30: more energy, have no regrets (like yelling at my kids), happier countenance, become ill less often, enjoy children more, and accomplish more.

Before kids and when I didn't have early classes or work, I could go to bed and sleep in and still function well as long as I slept eight or more hours. So when you go to bed doesn't have to always be early.

I know eating healthy will make a difference. I'm not always on top of that. Really, I need to do so to lose weight and have more energy. Sometimes I try to focus on getting my veggies in. Betsy Schow's book, Finished Being Fat, talks about focusing on goals that you can control, such as eating enough veggies.

My psychiatrist says that exercise is like a magic pill for mental health. She also said exercise does wake your body, so you should leave a two hour window afterward before going to sleep. I exercise off and on. I have found that having stairs in my house helps me even when I don't actively exercise.

Anyone can do exercise. I know injury, weight, etc, limits types of exercise, but it isn't an excuse. I see people with injuries on Biggest Loser, who swim or use the elliptical if they have a bad knee or bad back. Moses, on one season, just shadowboxed sitting down and he lost one hundred pounds. I would suggest getting advice from someone or online to accommodate your body.

You don't need a gym membership either to exercise. Just moving in any fashion at home, work, or wherever makes a difference.

Now I better do as I say :)