Self Care | iecc-triosss

A lack of sunlight can result in a drop in serotonin, a hormone that affects your mood. By going outside, you stimulate your brain to make more serotonin. “For me, a healthy mind is more important than a healthy body, even though they are often correlated,” said American University sophomore Albert Fuji. Walking (you don’t have to run if you don’t want to) and other forms of exercise like hula-hooping increase the levels of endorphins in your body. As Elle Woods said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.”

The phrase “laughter is the best medicine” is no lie. When you watch a funny YouTube video, you boost your heart rate and increase your body’s oxygen flow. Like exercising, laughter releases immense amounts of stress. Watching cute videos can also help because cute things trigger a release of dopamine to our brain’s pleasure center. My favorite thing to do when feeling down includes watching videos of Ellen with children or look at photos of President Obama with babies.

Sleep lets our bodies to heal themselves, and when you don’t get enough, it affects every aspect of your life. Not sleeping enough can kill your sex drive, contribute to symptoms of depression, age your skin and make you gain weight. College students worry about enough without dealing with aging, weight gain (besides the freshman 15) and a low libido. Try not to set an alarm one day a week. Alarms are jarring and stressful, and you should be doing everything you can to decrease the stress in your life. Pro tip: If you always wake up to your alarm, that means you need more sleep.

As the first generation who grew up with technology in our houses, we’re addicted to the Internet and social media. However, constantly using technology puts you at a higher risk for mental health problems, sleep issues and stress. We easily feel jealous of other people’s posts on social media, and we focus way too much on taking our next Insta-worthy selfie instead of enjoying a lovely day. By taking a day (or even an hour) away from technology, we can connect more with those around us. Everyone needs personal connections, yet all the FaceTiming or Facebook stalking in the world can’t provide enough of it.

Did you know that even slight dehydration could negatively impact your mood? I know that when I don’t drink enough water, I tend to get a migraine, which definitely makes me feel worse. Water improves your skin, keeps you energized and makes you more alert. Drinking more water can only help you and make your day easier and better. Keep in mind that coffee doesn’t count, so step away from the Starbucks.

Like walking, singing is a form of exercise that releases endorphins (which make you happy). This aerobic activity increases the oxygen in your blood, which can improve your mood. If you’re dancing and singing around your room, then you’re giving your brain a break from all your stress. You’re likely breathing more deeply if you’re singing, and that’s a typical anxiety reducing technique.

When I’m sick, my parents tell me to go take a shower to get my body feeling better—and taking a shower helps your mental stressors too. A shower can relieve tension and help you fall asleep. Personally, I love to take a 15-minute hot shower in a dark room and just allow all my thoughts to float away. Showering can be a sort of meditation for some people and allow you to clear your mind of stress.

Many of us enjoyed coloring or doing a puzzle when as kids, even if we didn’t understand why. Doing something creative releases stress and bottles up feelings we haven’t resolved otherwise. It gives you time to reflect where you can think and mentally work out a problem in your life, which can make you happier and less anxious. Self-care doesn’t mean ignoring your problems, it means regularly taking the time to promote your health and well-being. Take control of your life and starting making an effort to take care of number one.

We tend to keep our thoughts and feelings bottled up and locked away instead of releasing them. This can result in a buildup of feelings that leads to an episode. If you write out your thoughts (especially the negative ones) for even just 10 minutes, that helps you release some of your stress and allows you to focus on other things. “I think everyone should participate in self-care because it can help you figure out the best ways to express how you feel. While life can move quickly, self-care lets you stop and reflect,” said AU sophomore Emily Hall. Letting things go feels difficult when you’re always on the move, so taking a quick break to write the thoughts out has a dual purpose of forcing you to slow down and allowing you to release negative thoughts.

Society makes us feel guilty for not being productive all the time, but for people with anxiety or depression, showering or getting dressed is productive. “I always try to do one good thing a day or someone else, whether that’s holding opening a door, helping out with a project or just being friendly to a stranger. When I do things for others, it helps me feel good about myself,” said Chapman University graduate student Paula Pearl. You’ll feel better if you stop beating yourself up for doing the best you can and allow yourself to be proud of all of your accomplishments on a harder day.