Tag Archives: mental-health

The Fifth FTM Wellness Pillar of Health: Stress Management

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Stress touches every one of us—every single day. While it’s unrealistic to live stress-free, learning how to manage stress is absolutely essential.

Some stress can be positive, pushing us to perform or grow. Other stress weighs us down. Either way, when our body senses stress, it triggers the “fight or flight” response.

What Happens in the Body

  • The hypothalamus signals the adrenal glands (sitting on top of your kidneys) to release cortisol.
  • Cortisol mobilizes stored energy—breaking down fats and proteins and increasing blood sugar—to fuel muscles and the brain to handle the threat.
  • Once the stress passes, cortisol levels should decrease and the body calms down.

But when stress is chronic, the body never fully resets. Cortisol stays elevated, overworking the adrenal glands and putting your health at risk.

Effects of Chronic Stress

Constant high stress can contribute to:

  • High blood pressure & elevated heart rate
  • Greater risk of heart disease, stroke, or blood clots
  • Headaches & fatigue
  • Digestive problems
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Higher risk of Type 2 diabetes
  • Muscle tension, back/neck pain
  • Anxiety & depression
  • Sleep disruption

If you’ve ever felt these symptoms, stress may have been a key factor. The good news? You can take steps to reduce its impact.

7 Ways to Manage Stress Effectively

  1. Prioritize Quality Nutrition
     Stress already challenges your digestion and hormones. Fast food, processed meals, and sugary snacks only make things worse. Whole, clean foods improve energy, sleep, and balance.
  2. Exercise Regularly
     Physical activity is one of the most powerful stress relievers! Go for a walk, lift weights, swim, or take a class. Moving your body clears your mind and lifts your mood.
  3. Prayer & Meditation
     Spending time with God through prayer and Scripture brings peace—especially during crises. Try combining movement with worship music and prayer for a double benefit.
  4. Practice Relaxation Techniques
     Deep breathing, stretching, or yoga calm the nervous system and lower stress hormones.
  5. Get Quality Sleep
     Sleep is non-negotiable for recovery, hormone balance, and mental clarity. (Check back on my earlier blog post for deeper sleep tips!)
  6. Connect with Others
     Don’t carry your burdens alone. Talk with friends, family, or church community. Sharing and praying together lightens the load.
  7. Make Time for Fun
     Schedule activities that make you smile—game nights, movies, massages, pedicures, outdoor time. Joy and laughter are powerful medicine.

✨ Bottom Line: Stress may be unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to control your life. By fueling your body well, moving daily, leaning into faith, resting deeply, and staying connected, you can build resilience and keep stress in check.

Self Care Is NOT Selfish!

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Managing a family, home, and job often feels like it takes more than the 24 hours we’re given each day. Finding “extra” time for exercise and healthy meal prep can be tough—but remember this: taking care of your health is the best investment you can make in your family.

We’ve already talked about the pillars of wellness—clean nutrition, regular movement, and quality sleep. But there’s one more that’s often overlooked: self care.

Too many of us treat self care like a luxury, or worse, like something selfish. In reality, it’s maintenance for your emotional, mental, and physical health. You wouldn’t expect your car to run smoothly without oil changes, tire rotations, and tune-ups. The same goes for you—without intentional care, you’ll eventually feel drained, overwhelmed, or even “stranded.”

Self care doesn’t have to be big or expensive. It could be as simple as:

  • A quiet coffee date with a friend
  • A soak in the tub
  • A massage or pedicure
  • A favorite hobby
  • Or even planning a getaway to reset and recharge

Remember—none of us can pour from an empty cup. Taking time for yourself gives you the energy, patience, and strength to keep giving your best to the people and things you love most.  For me, just meeting a friend for coffee for 30 minutes, gifting myself a pedicure, or even a 20 minute soak in the tub can be a powerful “re-charge” for my brain and my heart!

Self-care is important because it’s the foundation of your overall health, happiness, and ability to show up for others. Too often, we think of it as “extra” or “selfish,” but in reality, it’s essential. Here are the main reasons why:

1. Protects Your Physical Health

  • Exercise, sleep, good nutrition, and rest are all forms of self-care.
  • Without them, energy levels drop, immunity weakens, and risk of illness increases.

2. Supports Mental & Emotional Well-being

  • Self-care reduces stress, anxiety, and burnout.
  • It gives you space to reset, recharge, and gain clarity.

3. Improves Relationships

  • When you care for yourself, you’re less drained and more present for loved ones.
  • You set healthy boundaries and avoid resentment.

4. Boosts Productivity & Focus

  • Rested, nourished people think more clearly and work more efficiently.
  • Breaks and recovery actually make you more effective.

5. Builds Confidence & Self-Worth

  • Taking time for yourself affirms that you matter.
  • Small acts of self-care reinforce self-respect and self-love.

6. Longevity & Independence

  • Consistent self-care habits (movement, healthy eating, stress management) allow you to maintain strength, mobility, and independence as you age.

👉 In short: self-care is not indulgence—it’s maintenance. Just like charging your phone or filling up your car’s gas tank, you can’t run on empty.

🌿 Practical Self-Care Strategies

🛌 1. Prioritize Rest & Recovery

  • Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours. Create a wind-down routine (dim lights, stretch, journal, no screens 30 minutes before bed).
  • Active Rest: Yoga, walking, or gentle stretching instead of constant high-intensity workouts.
  • Mind Breaks: Take 5 minutes every few hours to step away, breathe deeply, or sip water.

🍎 2. Fuel Your Body Well

  • Hydration: Keep a water bottle nearby; add lemon or fruit if plain water bores you.
  • Balanced Meals: Pair protein + fiber + healthy fat to stay energized and avoid crashes.
  • Meal Prep: Even prepping one thing (like chopping veggies or cooking protein) makes healthy choices easier during the week.

🏋️ 3. Move Daily (Beyond Workouts)

  • Structured workouts are fantastic, but also:
    • Take the stairs.
    • Do a set of squats, push-ups, or stretches while dinner cooks.
    • Walk during phone calls or meetings.
  • Think functional fitness—movements that help you carry groceries, play with kids, and age strong.

🧘 4. Mental & Emotional Recharge

  • Journaling: Brain dump worries, or write 3 things you’re grateful for.
  • Mindfulness: 5–10 minutes of meditation, prayer, or deep breathing.
  • Joy Breaks: Read a chapter of a book, dance to music, or enjoy a hobby guilt-free.

💕 5. Set Boundaries & Say No

  • Protect your time and energy. Overcommitting leads to burnout.
  • Simple script: “Thank you for asking, but I can’t commit right now.”

👩‍👩‍👧 6. Social Self-Care

  • Schedule time with friends/family who lift you up.
  • Limit time with people or online spaces that drain you.

🧩 7. Personal Growth

  • Read, listen to podcasts, or take a course that inspires you.
  • Learning keeps your brain sharp and gives you something positive to focus on.

🗓️ 8. Build Self-Care into Routine

  • Attach it to habits you already do. Example:
    • While brushing teeth → practice deep breathing.
    • During coffee time → journal one sentence.
    • At lunch → walk for 10 minutes.

✅ The key is consistency, not perfection. Self-care isn’t about spa days (though those are lovely); it’s about creating daily rhythms that recharge your body, mind, and spirit.  This week, pick ONE small act of self-care and schedule it like an appointment. Your health, your loved ones, and your future self will thank you.

The Third FTM Wellness Pillar of Health: Sleep

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Let’s Talk About Rest: It’s Not Laziness, It’s Necessary

If you know me, you know how much I “preach” about getting in your workouts, being active, prepping healthy meals, journaling, and taking charge of your wellness. It might sound like I’m always encouraging you to go-go-go. And yes, being active is essential. Clean eating takes effort—planning, prepping, and showing up for yourself.

But let’s be real: there’s a very real danger in overdoing it. Overtraining, overextending, and running on empty are not badges of honor. They’re warning signs. Rest isn’t a luxury—it’s a requirement for a healthy lifestyle.

There’s a big difference between rest and laziness. Your body needs rest—especially seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night. And I get it… even when I have time to sleep, my body doesn’t always cooperate. Especially as we age, sleeping through the night can be a challenge.

Understanding the Science: Your Circadian Rhythm

Just like digestion, hormone cycles, and metabolism, sleep is managed by a biological rhythm—your circadian rhythm. This 24-hour internal clock regulates your sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, hormone production, digestion, and brain function. It’s largely set by light—natural daylight is key.

Disrupting your circadian rhythm can affect your sleep quality and trigger long-term health issues, including hormonal imbalances, weight gain, poor immune function, and mood instability.

Why Sleep Matters: Benefits You Can’t Ignore

Here are just a few reasons why quality sleep is non-negotiable, according to trusted sources like SCLHealth and the American Heart Association:

  1. Boosts Immune System
     Sleep truly is the best medicine—helping you recover and even prevent illness.
  2. Supports Weight Management
     Lack of sleep increases ghrelin (hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (the “I’m full” hormone), which leads to overeating and cravings.
  3. Protects Your Heart
     Inadequate sleep spikes cortisol (stress hormone), increasing heart strain and blood pressure.
  4. Improves Mood
     You’re happier, calmer, and more resilient with better rest.
  5. Enhances Productivity and Focus
     Rested minds are sharper, more creative, and more efficient.
  6. Elevates Athletic Performance
     No matter your sport—lifting, yoga, running—your performance thrives with proper recovery.

Overcoming the Obstacle: Real Life

The biggest challenge? Life itself. Kids, jobs, spouses, schedules, pets, cooking, cleaning—the list goes on. But the better you rest, the better you show up for everything else.

Here are proven sleep tips from the Mayo Clinic and Healthline:

Tips for Better Sleep

  • Get more daylight exposure. Open windows or go outside—natural light regulates your body clock.
  • Reduce screen time in the evening. Blue light suppresses melatonin. Use blue light-blocking glasses, apps, or power off 2 hours before bed.
  • Avoid caffeine late in the day.
  • Skip long or irregular naps. Power naps (20–30 minutes) are fine!
  • Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule.
  • Consider a melatonin supplement. A low dose (1–2 mg) may help.
  • Optimize your sleep space. Control temperature, reduce noise/light, and create a peaceful layout.
  • Avoid heavy meals late at night.
  • Establish a bedtime wind-down routine. Hot baths, calming music, light reading, or deep breathing work wonders.
  • Invest in good bedding! A comfortable mattress and pillows matter.
  • If sleep still eludes you, talk to your doctor. Rule out disorders like sleep apnea.
  • And of course—exercise regularly. You knew I’d say it! Just not right before bed. Gentle evening yoga is an exception.

Bottom Line: Sleep Is Self-Care

Taking time to rest isn’t lazy. It’s one of the smartest, healthiest, and most productive things you can do for your mind, body, and spirit.

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
 —Psalm 4:8

Let’s commit to better sleep, deeper rest, and the energy to live our purpose well. You deserve it!