NURSE SELF CARE: What is so special about these self care tips?
Helen McHugh, RN, BSN.
If you are like me, you may be familiar with self care tips. You can find them in lots of places. I have a list I put together, and instead of just posting them, I thought I would talk about the science behind them.
1. List 3 things you are grateful for each day. Gratitude has been studied extensively over the last several years. Robert Emmons, PhD, a leading scientific expert on gratitude lists several positive effects of gratitude on our physical wellbeing, such as a stronger immune system, psychological wellbeing, which is a higher levels of positive emotions, and social wellbeing, I have to name more than one - more helpful, generous and compassionate, and people feel less lonely and isolated. That is pretty good, right? Well worth the time! A mentor of mine used to say, “Ain't it great the sun came up today?”
Stargazing. Research has shown that stargazing fosters a sense of awe and connectedness. Taking in the vast night sky can help reduce self-focused thoughts, which are often linked to anxiety and depression. It can also alleviate feelings of loneliness.
Singing. As a teenager, and like so many of us, (think James COrden and Carpool Karaoke) I loved singing in the car. And it always was so much fun and felt great! It turns out, singing releases endorphins, dopamine, neurotransmitters associated with pleasure and reward. Listening to and singing familiar, enjoyable music can instantly boost mood and reduce feelings of sadness or irritability. Singing also regulates breathing and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which we know is calming, as well as lowering cortisol levels, helping the body and mind relax.
If you work in the field, what a great thing to do driving to your next patient! What would be on your playlist?
Nature. When you step out the door, maybe you like to go to the beach, the park, the forest or maybe walk down your street, nature is always present. When I think of it, I like to take some deep breaths, (longer exhilation) and notice how I feel in my body. Then, notice what I am seeing, smelling, hearing, feeling in my body and with my hand, if appropriate, and tasting. I may not actually taste anything, but the question puts me in touch with the sense organ of my mouth. An article from UC Davis Health, https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/3-ways-getting-outside-into-nature-helps-improve-your-health/2023/05, talks about 3 ways getting outside can improve your health. Nature can help improve our cognitive and other mental assets. We relax when we are outside, which increases feelings of pleasure and we are able to concentrate better. This is cited in studies of the National Library of Medicine. Nature gives us a mental break as we can escape the demands of our day. It can also increase our creativity and problem solving skills. That can be really important in the ever changing environment of nursing.
Nature improves physical wellness as we tend to be more active when we are outside. It can also reduce cortisol levels, muscular tension, decrease heart rate and blood pressure.
It helps our mental health in lowering anxiety levels, can help with sleep, and so much more.
4-7-8 breathing. Breathe deeply into your abdomen for a count of 4, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. Try it about 4 times. An exaltation twice as long as an inhalation accesses the parasympathetic nervous system, aka, the “rest and digest” system. This lowers stress and associated chemicals such as cortisol. I like to do this regularly, and when I begin to meditate.
There are a lot of similarities in terms of the effects of these self care tips. They all lower stress in some way. When I would practice a self care I had the shift that would happen when I took a break and then went back to a challenging clinical situation. My MO is I get very stressed and see the situation as an emergency, even if it wasn’t - that is the way my nervous system works. After taking a moment for self care, I would have access to what I needed to deal with the situation better than I would have otherwise.
Which one of the self care tips appeal to you? If you would like to try singing, what would be on your playlist?
I hope this may be helpful to you. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Take really good care,
Helen