Valentine’s Day is a holiday full of festivities celebrating love and appreciation for the people we care about the most. In addition to expressing gratitude for loved ones, it is important to take care of ourselves and show some self-love, something Trinity students often forget with their busy schedules and heavy workloads.
As winter exams approached, Guidance Counselor Rylan Smith reminded the student body to get more sleep. The moment the words left her mouth, laughter filled the audience, as if even the thought of her announcement was humorous.
Many Trinity Prep students deal with the stress of balancing academics, athletics and other extracurriculars. Students face overwhelming pressure to get into a good college and build a competitive resume while maintaining a social life outside of the classroom. According to the National Council for Mental Well-being, engaging in a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce stress, increase happiness, and help individuals achieve balance in different areas of their lives.
Smith shares some tips on how students can develop habits that will help make a difference in their lifestyle.
“An easy and important thing you can do is to form a habit where you take the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes of the day and do something for yourself,” Smith said. “Whether it’s drinking water, or doing a quick workout, maybe cleaning your room, small habits can be really helpful, and anytime you build in simple routines into your day, it can make a big difference.”
Self-care is so important because a person won’t be able to become the best version of themself until they care for their mind and body. This is similar to the safety guidelines on an airplane; it is vital to put on your oxygen mask before assisting someone else because without caring for yourself, you won’t be able to help them.
“I think before you can reach your fullest potential, whether it’s academically or socially, taking care of yourself is the most important thing to do,” Physical Education teacher Dee Starling, who teaches Yoga and Stress Management, said.
Here are some different aspects of self-care and tips for how you can incorporate them into your daily routine!
Sleep
Sleep is critical for brain development and without it, our body won’t be able to function properly. Getting a good night’s sleep should always be a priority, especially for students, as they are still growing and need energy to focus at school and while engaging in other activities. In addition to getting enough hours of sleep each night, It’s also important to get good quality sleep on a regular schedule so you feel rested when you wake up. Students sometimes forget that getting enough sleep is more effective than staying up all night studying. “If I don’t get a lot of sleep, I won’t be able to focus in class or be productive the next day,” 7th grader Zara Ray said.
Sleep tips:
- Avoid caffeine before bedtime
- Limit screen time before you go to sleep
- Include physical activity in your daily routine
- Create a restful environment
- Get into a routine
- Drink some chamomile tea to relax
Nutrition
A balanced and healthy diet can be essential to your overall health and well-being, as the food we eat directly affects our mood and energy levels. “Making healthy, conscious decisions about nutrition has a bigger impact on your body and your mind than anything,” Starling said.
Nutrition tips:
- Don’t skip breakfast! It’s the most important meal of the day
- Drink lots of water throughout the day – you should try to drink 1 gallon of water a day!
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables
- Exchange processed foods for whole foods
Exercise
Exercise is scientifically proven to improve your mood, as it releases endorphins that make you feel happy. Focusing on physical health will result in positive changes to your mental health. Exercise can improve cognitive function which is important for everyone, especially students, as they are retaining a multitude of knowledge daily.
Exercise tips:
- Fit some cardio into your daily routine
- Set a step goal for each day
- play motivating music while you work out – I listen to Drake and SZA to motivate me!
- track how often you go to the gym
Positivity
Positivity and confident self-talk can help build self-esteem and improve relationships. An optimistic attitude is often contagious and can brighten people’s days. Positivity is all about building yourself up to build others up because, as Starling puts it; “Before you can make a difference in the world, you’ve got to make a difference in yourself.”
Positivity tips:
- Start a gratitude journal – You could write down at least one good thing that happened each day and something you’re grateful for
- Write affirmations on your mirror so every day when you wake up, you see them
- Write down your thoughts in a diary or journal
- Practice mindfulness meditation
