OPINION
Bodies are incredible things.
They push through stress, physical challenges and other adversity to do what we ask of them most of the time, unless there’s some underlying issue that prevents that.
For some of us, they seem to work best under stress and react in weird ways to the feeling of the adrenaline wearing off.
And some of us keep that adrenaline running a bit too long, so we end up facing a bit of a crash after a big project or a stressful time of year, especially if those circles create a lovely Venn diagram.
For those of you who have found themselves rundown or feeling a bit under the weather this week as the chaos of the end of the school year winds down, here are some suggestions for how to take care of yourself.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests “healthy ways to cope with stress” on its website, accessible at cdc.gov/mental- health/livingwith/ index.html.
It encourages us to step away from our screens to allow ourselves a break from the 24/7 stream of news coming our way.
It also suggests deep breathing or meditation, journaling or spending time outdoors as good ways to reset your brain. Connecting with others and practicing gratitude daily also make the list. As far as the physical is concerned, it suggests getting at least seven hours of sleep per night and moving at least two and a half hours per week.
It also gives some guidelines for what should go into your body and what to avoid.
As the Aubrey Senior Class Vice President Makiah Radick pointed out at graduation, May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Probably most important on the CDC webpage is this note: “If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, confidential, free, 24/7/365 help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.”
I hope you’ll take the time to put some of these suggestions to good use.
My body is definitely telling me I need to do the same today.
Abigail Bardwell is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal, and she serves on both the North and East Texas Press Association and the Texas Press Association boards. She can be reached at abardwell@postsignal. com.
