5 Habits That Keep Mums Feeling Tired and Stressed
1.Looking after everyone else and forgetting to look after yourself!
In order to meet the needs of others you must also meet your own needs. It is all too easy to come last on the daily ‘to-do’ list and lets face it- the ‘to do’ list tends to grow continuously so we can never really tick everything off- if you’re waiting to look after yourself once you’ve ticked everything else of the list, you will never get a look in! Your kids need you to be present to them and because motherhood is a day in day out, 24 hour job, you MUST replenish yourself or you will end up depleted, drained, burned out, frustrated and uninspired..
ACTION-
Consider what you can do DAILY to replenish yourself- something just for you that fills you up. It may be attending a yoga class, 10 minutes of meditation once a day, a bath once the kids are in bed, a walk around the block once your husband/partner gets home..
I love baths, so my thing is to make sure that I always have bubble bath and essential oils on hand, a naturally scented candle, a cup of tea and a book or magazine to read in the bath in the evenings and this is my sanctuary at the end of the day.
Is there something that you can also do WEEKLY or MONTHLY as part of looking after yourself?
This might be catching up with a friend for a coffee and a chat (at a child friendly venue if your children are pre-schoolers or you can’t get away on your own), a massage, meeting a friend for a walk, going to a yoga/dance/art/craft class. Motherhood can sometimes feel like a daily treadmill that just doesn’t stop, so scheduling in small breaks or times that you know you will look forward to can really help break things up so that it feels less like ‘ground-hog’ day.
2.Not eating properly or missing meals
Many Mums are so busy getting the kids organised in the mornings that their own breakfast goes by the wayside and they miss it completely or pick at the kids’ leftovers! Nutrition for our kids is super important and sometimes it can be a battle to ensure that they are getting the nutrition that they need, but your body needs nutrition and nourishment just as their does! Remember also, that we want our children to learn the importance of eating well and looking after themselves, so we need to remember to role model this to them. Mornings can be an incredibly busy time, but a smoothie is a quick easy option that can be made into a nutritious meal so that you’re not starting off the day running on empty. Your adrenal glands (which often take a beating in the early years of motherhood) and blood sugar balance (which is often already compromised if you’re sleep deprived or only getting broken sleep) don’t cope well without adequate breakfast.
ACTION
Quick and easy can also be nutritious! It is important to include some protein with your breakfast (and with all meals and snacks throughout the day)
Protein sources include:
Eggs, meat/chicken/fish, nuts and seeds (make sure they are raw and unsalted!), cheese and yoghurt (if dairy isn't an issue for you) or protein powder. My favorite high protein breakfast is a smoothie because it is quick and easy to prepare but can provide great nutrition! A good quality protein powder is essential ( avoid soy based protein which is in many ‘women’s' protein powders and stay away from any that contain artificial sweeteners like saccharin, sucralose or acesulphame k/ acesulphame potassium). There are some great wholefood based protein powders now available from health shops, I like the RAW, Alkaline Protein and Sunwarrior brands as they are wholefood based and don't contain a whole host of dubiousand unnessary additives or flavourings. In a blender simply combine protein powder with water/coconut water/almond milk/rice milk/cow’s milk, frozen berries ( ideally organic as berries are heavily sprayed with pesticides), some frozen banana pieces, a handful of spinach ( you won’t even know it’s in there!) and any other superfoods ( I use some raw cacao if I’m feeling a bit tired). Avoid ice during the cooler weather as it’s hard on your digestion.
It’s not just breakfast that is an issue for many of the Mums I see, often lunch goes by the wayside too.
ACTION
A good way to get around this is to make extra the night before to have as ‘left overs’ or to make a big batch of soup once a week, divide into individual serves and heat up as needed.
Having a selection of raw nuts on hand and perhaps some goji berries (from a health food shop or the health section of the supermarket) can provide quick snacks mid- morning and mid- afternoon to keep your energy up.
Have you ever noticed that you’re less patient with the kids when you’re hungry or haven’t eaten?
4. Not drinking enough water and relying on coffee or soft drink to get through the day
Could you get through the day without a morning coffee? For many Mums the answer is “No”. Broken sleep can leave us waking tired and chronically fatigued. Coffee can give us a quick but short lived boost which can then leave us feeling frazzled and dehydrated. When I ask the Mums who I see in my clinic how much water they drink, the most common answer is “not enough”.
Water is super important for all of us for a whole range of reasons, but if you’re a breastfeeding Mum, it is even more important! Dehydration will leave you feeling more tired and cranky than ever as well as creating stress within your body leading to headaches and other issues.
ACTION
One coffee a day can be OK, preferably in the morning so that it doesn’t affect your sleep quality at night and only if it isn't causing any other health issues (if you're stressed and anxious the caffeine can often make things worse). Remember that coffee is dehydrating so you need to drink MORE water to counteract its diuretic effect.
Once you feel thirsty you’re already dehydrated so the key is to make drinking water a habit. Your body absorbs water best in small frequent amounts rather than a whole glass at the end of the day when you suddenly realise that you haven’t drunk any water all day.
Starting the day with a glass of warm or room temperature water with a squeeze of lemon gets your digestion going for the day and gets your daily water intake off to a good start.
Herbal teas are also a good way to meet your water intake if you prefer warm drinks. I make a range of teas which are perfect for Mums and many start to look forward to a tea break as a little bit of ‘me time in a cup’.
I have some clients who set alarms on their phones to go off, have water reminder apps or set glasses up in each room of the house to help them remember to drink water regularly- do whatever works!
5.Not eating REAL food
When we’re time poor or feeling tired/stressed/overwhelmed it can sometimes seem appealing to go for pre-prepared/packaged or processed foods out of convenience. There is no point beating yourself up about going for convenience occasionally but if it is a regular thing, your health and energy levels WILL start to suffer.
It can be easy to get stuck in a rut with meal preparation, especially if you have fussy children (or a fussy husband/partner) to cater for. Again planning ahead is key here and you WILL feel better if you are eating REAL food. Fresh food should be the bulk of what you’re eating and save the convenience foods only for the times when you absolutely need them.
Eating REAL food which provides you with good nutrition is the basis of good health, if you’re not getting what you need nutritionally, you will always be running below par.
ACTION
Stock up on fresh foods and set aside time to prepare meals which can be on hand for the times when you’re really tired or pushed for time. Soups, stews, slow cooker meals, pasta sauces, curries made ahead of time are all good options.
Ready to get your energy back? Find out about how my 6 session package can help Mums feel better amidst the busyness of motherhood
https://blossomwellbeing.com.au/breath-body-balance-more-energy-less-stress/
