3 self-care practices for individuals living with ADHD
Did you know that simple acts of getting enough sleep and eating regular meals are ways of taking care of ourselves?
While bubble baths and vacations are wonderful ways of self-care, how we attend to our basic needs is self-care as well and perhaps even more powerful than grand gestures that we do once in a great while. Sleeping when our bodies are tired and meeting with our friends to connect are just a few of the ways we might take care of ourselves that we may not be aware of. Because individuals living with ADHD experience difficulty regulating their emotions and focusing on a task mindfully, they often do not put themselves first when it comes to attending to their needs.
October is ADHD Awareness Month. Here are three self-care practices to try out for anyone, especially those who are living with ADHD:
Stay hydrated. Hyperfocus is a wonderful thing and at the same time it can keep us from listening to our bodies. What might be helpful is to keep a water bottle in front of you as a visual reminder or even a timer is useful.
Writing your thoughts down. The act of writing it out helps the brain to slow down when it is overstimulated. Whether you’ve had a hard day at work or school, writing it down allows you to take a pause and process your thoughts and emotions from the day.
Create a margin of time in between activities. Your brain needs time to recharge. By leaving some time from one activity to the next, the brain then is able to rest and recalibrate. This helps you to be able to focus on the next activity or commitment.
Sometimes it’s the small things done consistently over time that make the biggest impact in our daily lives.
To learn more about living with ADHD, here are two books I recommend:
Your Brain’s Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD by Tamara Rosier, PhD
Personally, this book has an in-depth look into the ADHD brain and the many ways it can be a strength once you get to know how your brain works.
The Mini ADHD Coach: Tools and Supports to Make Your Life Easier- A Visual Guide by Alice Gendron
If you prefer information in bite-size pieces and you are a visual learner, this book is for you. It offers knowledge on different types of ADHD as well as tangible tools to implement in your everyday life written by a person who lives with ADHD.
(As a former educator & coach, this blog post was originally written for Grove Emotional Health Collaborative)
