Best Self-Care Practices for Inside-Out Beauty at Home
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has interrupted the normal flow of life for millions of Americans. Getting to browse in Target, meet up with friends at Starbucks, or attend a Barre class are no longer happening in the midst of shutdowns and social distancing. You may be concerned for your job security or about contracting the virus or the well-being of loved ones.
Whether you’re stuck at home alone and missing human interaction or you’re trying to work remotely while also taking turns homeschooling kids with your spouse who is also working, there’s no denying these are stressful and trying times. While you cannot control what is going on around you, you can take steps to reduce your anxiety and maintain a positive outlook for the future.
Implement a Self-Care Exercise Routine
Healthcare providers and health gurus have been telling us how important it is to have a good exercise routine. Now more than ever it is important to maintain a weekly exercise schedule. Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins which in turn boost your mood and decrease anxiety and depression. Some simple ways to create an exercise routine are:
- Try to exercise a little bit every day. It doesn’t have to be a hard workout or a long workout. Just taking a little walk around the block to clear your head will do wonders for your mood.
- Get outside to exercise as often as you can. Not only will you get the endorphins from your workout, but your mood will also benefit from all the vitamin D from the sun. Just remember to apply sunscreen to protect your skin!
- A lot of gyms are offering free online classes right now. It’s a great time to take some of those. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find out that you absolutely love yoga and when social distancing is over you can start a new hobby!
- Be careful to not over do it when exercising, especially if you are not used to exercising regularly. Choose something easy to begin with and increase intensity as you build endurance.
- If you find that you are not motivated to do your regular workout, try something new! Sometimes changing up routine can inspire your workout. There are tons of ideas all over YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Boost Your Immunity (and Mood!) with a Healthy Diet
The temptation to emotionally eat is there for many of us during these stressful times. Being trapped in a house filled with food and nowhere to go can lead to a lot of snacking. It seems much more comforting to indulge in that bowl of ice cream or eat the sleeve of Oreos, but at the end of the day your body will not thank you. Eating too much processed food and sugar can make you groggy and heighten feelings of anxiety and depression. Some great tips for filling your body with good foods are:
- Set an eating schedule and stick to it. By creating a schedule for when you work and when you eat, not only will you be more productive but you also will be able to avoid senselessly snacking.
- Make sure to always have a good balance of fruits and veggies throughout your day. Having the proper nutrients your body needs will boost your mood.
- Acknowledge your cravings for what they are (stress, anxiety, boredom, etc.) and find something else to fill that space. Honor your emotions, but recognize that overeating will not solve them in the long run.
- Try and keep the house stocked with healthy alternatives.
- Take a daily multivitamin and supplements to make sure you’re getting all of the nutrients your body needs.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. You should aim for a B+ diet rather than perfection. Because food is meant to be enjoyed, and sometimes you just need that cookie.
Develop a Self-Care Routine
You may be experiencing a lot of alone time focusing on stress and anxiety, or you may be focused on trying to help everyone else in your house get through these times. Remember how important it is to take some time to care for yourself. Choose to divert your focus from the external events you can’t control and instead focus on being the best version of yourself.
- Stress and anxiety can cause you to pinch your face up and increase wrinkles. Make sure to have a good anti-wrinkle cream to apply daily.
- Make sure to get lots of quality sleep. It can be tempting to stay up and worry late into the night, but by creating an early bedtime routine for yourself, you can train your body and mind to start quieting down for the night so you can get some sleep.
- Try a new skin care routine. If you’ve been looking for something new to try and brighten your skin, now is a great time to begin so you can emerge from self-quarantine looking fresh! Make sure to include things with retinol and peptides to reduce the appearance of any aging that occurs due to stress.
- Pick up a new hobby. Maybe you’ve been wanting to learn to knit or bake and decorate cakes. There are so many tutorials available on YouTube, now is a great time to try something new.
Stay Connected with Friends and Family
These are just a few helpful tips to keep the anxiety at bay, but this list is by no means all inclusive. Different things work for different people. It’s important to remember we’re all in this together. Keep in touch with friends and loved ones with FaceTime, Zoom, Skype or an old fashioned phone call. It can be cathartic to talk to others who are experiencing the same emotions.
Need Self-Care Help?
While you’re home, it can be hard to maintain your regular beauty routine – especially if you can’t go to the same places or see the same people for care! During the stay at home order, we invite you to schedule a VIRTUAL consultation with Dr. Chang or one of the cosmetic laser and injection nurses to learn how you can stay home AND stay beautiful. Dr. Phillip Chang is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Northern Virginia near Leesburg, Virginia and an expert in a wide variety of cosmetic treatments.
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