8 Mindful Self-Care Tips Following Divorce
When going through a divorce, it’s easy to become so focused on getting things done that we forget to properly take care of ourselves. In this article, we’re sharing 10 mindful self-care tips to help get you back on your feet following a divorce.
While we all accept that a divorce can be stressful, it can also be extremely harmful to our health. Family solicitors in the UK have to deal with the increasing cases of people suffering PTSD from divorce, something that can have a long term negative impact on mental health.
A tough breakup can bring on an array of mental health issues with PTSD being an extreme case and so in this article, we’re sharing 10 mindful self-care tips following divorce.
What is Self-Care and Why Is It Important?
We hear this term a great deal these days and, really, what it comes down to is recognising that we are human beings not robots and therefore, need to be taking better care of ourselves. This doesn’t necessarily mean booking an expensive spa weekend or neglecting your responsibilities, self-care can include lots of little things that can make a big difference to our physical and mental health.
Self-Care Tips Following a Divorce
There are a number of things that you can do to add self-care into your daily. weekly and monthly routines and, some of these include:
- Time out
Making a little time for yourself each day is incredibly important following a divorce, particularly if you have children who you have been comforting throughout the process. Even just half an hour a day with a good book or taking a walk can help to restore our equilibrium and help us deal with our responsibilities.
Going through a divorce can also leave you with sleepless nights, and this increases your chances of getting gum diseases. If you’re already feeling like something is wrong with your oral health, it’s best to start looking for an emergency dentist in Las Vegas or one near you so they can check your dental health condition.
2. Unwind
Often, following a divorce, we’re able to keep motoring through the day by keeping ourselves busy, only to find that sleep is elusive once we actually stop. Giving yourself time to unwind before bed by taking a bath or watching a favourite TV program can help to relax us and promote a natural night’s sleep.
3. Joining Support Groups
Friends and family are invaluable during and following a divorce but, in many cases, we feel that there is an expiration date on talking to loved ones about the divorce for fear of burdening or boring them. Speaking with likeminded people via a support group can help you feel less alone following a divorce as well as offering the opportunity to make some new friends.
This doesn’t have to be an in-person event if you’re particularly shy, there’s lots of online forums and sites such as reddit where you can vent anonymously and seek advice that way on moving past things.
4. Consider Counselling
PTSD following a divorce should be treated like any other kind of trauma and seeking the services of a counselor or therapist can be really useful in helping you to clarify your feelings and look ahead to your future. Your GP should be able to refer you to a good counselor or, alternatively, take a look on your local council’s website for more information.
5. Exercise
After a divorce, you’ll no doubt feel like doing nothing more than crawling under the duvet. However, exercise is a great way of releasing those endorphins, otherwise known as happy hormones, which can help you to get back on track. Yoga in particular can be really helpful in focusing the mind while gently exercising the body.
- Find New Hobbies
Finding a new hobby or interest following your divorce can have a number of benefits. To begin with, finding something new which is unassociated with your former spouse can help to form your new identity as a single person. A new hobby or interest can also help you to fill your spare time whilst also giving you the opportunity to meet new people.
2.Look After Your Diet
A lot of people tend to immerse themselves in comfort food after a divorce or separation and, while this may make us feel better temporarily, it can also make us feel sluggish and lacking energy. Replacing junk food with healthy, protein filled food and snacks is a great form of self-care which can have a really positive impact on our physical and mental health.
If you don’t know where to start with a healthier diet, there are lots of resources online to help you on your way. Alternatively, your GP may be able to refer you to a dietician who will be able to ease you into a healthier lifestyle.
3. Journaling
Although it may not be for everybody, some people find it therapeutic to write down their thoughts and feelings following their divorce, and this can even include writing letters to your former spouse (without actually sending them).
Often, putting our thoughts into words and reading them back can help us to gain a sense of perspective as well as being better able to put a finger on the way that the divorce has affected us.
Moving past a divorce can be tough…
While the divorce process may only take around three months, the impact on our physical and mental health can have much more far-reaching consequences, including PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Many people attempt to avoid thinking about the divorce and its impact by throwing themselves into work or hobbies, however, this is usually just delaying the inevitable.
By talking through your feelings either with friends and family or a counselor or support group, you can more quickly identify negative thoughts and feelings and therefore deal with them more quickly in order to move on with your life. Self-care is a huge part of this as it allows us to focus on ourselves, even just for a short while, rather than on our former spouse or our children.
