Posts tagged Sleep Hygiene
JULY 2024 Newsletter: Your Journey to Wellness Starts Today
JULY 2024 Newsletter: Your Journey to Wellness Starts Today

There are 8 dimensions of wellness. If we think of wellness as a journey towards the healthiest, best version of ourselves - focused on our mind, body, and soul, we can embark knowing that, as caregivers, when we're healthy, we provide better care to those we love. 

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) defines wellness as "a broad approach for things individuals can do at their own pace, in their own time, and within their own abilities, that can help them feel better and live longer." 

Wellness is also an essential component of RECOVERY. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines "recovery from mental disorders and/or substance use disorders as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential."

SAMHSA has delineated four dimensions that support a life in recovery:

  1. HEALTH - Overcoming or managing one's disease(s) or symptoms;

  2. HOME - A stable and safe place to live;

  3. PURPOSE - Meaningful daily activities, such as job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society;

  4. COMMUNITY - Relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

According to SAMHSA, "Recovery emerges from hope: The belief that recovery is real provides the essential and motivating message of a better future—that people can and do overcome the internal and external challenges, barriers, and obstacles that confront them. Hope is internalized and can be fostered by peers, families, providers, allies, and others. Hope is the catalyst of the recovery process."

While we see ourselves in the caregiver burnout prevention business - empowering caregivers to better cope and manage the stress of caregiving - we know that our work falls solidly in the area of RECOVERY. 

Recovery IS possible. Both for our loved ones AND ourselves. Recovery isn't linear - it's a journey - with all the twists and turns that life brings. Recovery as a caregiver involves focusing on OUR health and wellness, too. If we don't take care of ourselves - sleep, movement, hydration and nutrition, as well as our mental health - how can we possibly care for someone else? 

Check out our entire July newsletter focused on WELLNESS here.

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WellnessKristi HornerSleep Hygiene, Sleep, Move With Courage, Movement, Move Your Body, Motivation, Self-Discipline, Sanctuary, Peace, Inner Peace
Sleep Is Forgiving
Sleep Is Forgiving

“Prioritizing good sleep is practicing good self-love.” – Unknown

This month’s theme is wellness, and one of the best ways you can promote your own wellness is to practice good sleep hygiene. As the above quote states, good sleep is part of self-love! And good sleep hygiene involves setting boundaries – with others and yourself – to make it a practice to get all the sleep your physical and mental health needs, each and every night.

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WellnessKristi HornerSleep Hygiene, Sleep
JULY 2023 Newsletter: Wellness is Possible With Practice
JULY 2023 Newsletter: Wellness is Possible With Practice

"Wellness is about how we live our lives and the joy and fulfillment and health we experience." ~ SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "Creating a Healthier Life - A Step-by-Step Guide to Wellness."

With our focus on creating sustainable PRACTICES, we can look at WELLNESS as a state of BEING. By creating healthy habits, we set ourselves up for sustainable wellness.  

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease.” ~ World Health Organization

5 TOOLS TO IMPROVE YOUR WELLNESS: 

Inspired by 9 Tested Tips to Improve Your Wellbeing and Quality of Life by John Adams, The Wellbeing Project

  1. FOCUS ON THE FAB 3: Sleep - nutrition - movement. Get enough sleep (6-8 hours is recommended). Eat healthy, balanced meals & stay hydrated. Move your body ... more!

  2. MANAGE YOUR STRESS: Learning how to cope and manage stressors is essential. NOTICE what causes you stress; where do you hold stress? ... BREATHE ... How do you cope and manage stressful situations?

  3. STAY CONNECTED: Social isolation has been found to be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day! Find ways to connect daily with others: family - friends - neighbors - colleagues - support groups! Start a conversation in the checkout line at the grocery. Smile at a stranger. A short call - FaceTime - Zoom - all provide human connection.

  4. BE PRESENT: BREATHE. You're doing the best you can with what you have in this moment. Remember, caregiving is a JOURNEY. Do your best to be fully present in your wellness journey, too. Where do you want to start? Set micro-goals that are SMART. Find an accountability partner. Then, don't forget to celebrate your successes as you progress!

  5. AVOID THE BAD: Focus on all the GOOD you are doing for you, and work to avoid or limit the BAD for you: alcohol - smoking - drugs - sugar - caffeine.

At Courage to Caregivers we know that healthier, stronger caregivers provide healthier, stronger care to their loved ones, and in turn create healthier, stronger families. 

Check out our entire July newsletter focused on Wellness here.

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WellnessKristi HornerMovement, Move Your Body, Self-Discipline, Sleep Hygiene, Sleep
Things Look Better After a Good Night’s Sleep
Things Look Better After a Good Night’s Sleep

This month, we’ll be talking about topics related to wellness, and getting enough sleep is one of the best practices we can follow to improve our self-health.

But I get it. When there never seems to be enough time in the day to take care of all our responsibilities and take some time for ourselves, we may find it hard to get enough quality sleep time. That’s when practicing good sleep hygiene can help. Sleep hygiene is a series of steps you can take to ensure that your body and brain have time to rest and recharge.

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WellnessKristi HornerSleep Hygiene, Sleep
August Newsletter: Treat Your Body As a Temple - Nourish Your Mind-Body-Soul
August Newsletter: Treat Your Body As a Temple - Nourish Your Mind-Body-Soul

We have spent most of this year talking about ways to nourish your soul, but it’s equally important to NOURISH YOUR BODY. Throughout August, we shared ways to NOURISH your body, develop a positive body IMAGE, MOVE your body, and REST your body with good sleep hygiene.

August is also National Wellness Month. At Courage to Caregivers, we're focused on supporting caregivers to make their health and well-being a priority ALL year LONG!

When we make deliberate choices to improve our physical and mental health, we are showing that we have worth and value. This exercise in validating the importance of our very existence is essential in building self-esteem ... it's also self-RESPECT.

Your body is a temple and deserves to be shown the highest form of respect and reverence. The result is increased life expectancy, fewer health issues, improved mental health, and more energy and enthusiasm.

Your body is also the essential component of your existence. You have two choices. Either treat it as dispensable and unimportant, resulting in disease and illness. Or treat it with respect by making an effort to fill it with healthy foods and liquids, to keep it strong through regular and consistent movement, and to recharge it with rest/sleep.

When you do something good for your body, it also is a gift to your brain and emotions. When your physical, emotional, and cognitive health are good, these are gifts to the people you love.

Check out the August newsletter focused on our theme of Your Body is a Temple here!

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Your Body is a Temple, NewslettersKristi HornerNourish Yourself, Move Your Body, Nut, Sleep, Sleep Hygiene, Body Image
Want a Good Night’s Sleep? Don’t Overthink It.
Want a Good Night’s Sleep? Don’t Overthink It.

It’s one of the most common problems there is … not getting enough sleep. Maybe we’re trying to pack too many waking hours into our busy days at the expense of sleep, or maybe too much stress is keeping us from turning our brains “off” at night. Whatever the reason, lack of sleep not only can keep us from operating at peak performance, but it can also have a negative impact on our physical and mental health.

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Your Body is a TempleKristi HornerSleep Hygiene, Sleep