Yoga and stretching
Lately I’ve been doing some Internal Family Systems meditations that have been very helpful
Laughter, talking with someone who can make me laugh
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Mellow walks without music/podcasts, just looking and listening
Hard exercise, hard enough to fully engage with my body and get physically exhausted
Laughing with friends, or laughing at a comfort tv show
I also drink a “calm” drink every day that is a combo of a magnesium calm powder, a different magnesium citrate powder, and a couple servings of electrolytes. I was skeptical about magnesium for a while but my psychiatrist recommended this specific combo of magnesium + electrolytes and I really feel like it’s made a noticeable difference in calming my nervous system
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This just reminded me of the time I hurt my back and had some prescription low grade muscle relaxers. There was also an in-town work conference that included small group work dinners. Muscle relaxer and a glass of wine - tension in neck and shoulders GONE. Miraculous.
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I do not take my own advice ever.
BUT.
Laying down and listening to a whole album with your eyes closed.
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That 's how I used to get myself to take a nap when I was a teenager. Laying on my bed with my eyes closed, listening to music would put me to sleep so fast.
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Add me to teams “outdoor time”, “walking”, “hard exercise”, and “sleep”. I guard my sleep like it’s my life’s priority because literally everything hinges on it. So, as much as I CAN. Big caveat hah.
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Ugh. Half of this will trigger me because I can’t.
Swimming(like actual swimming to a degree I’m not physically able to right now). Other swimming is a*
Camping
Hiking, just being in a forest*
Baths (more of a maintenance thing)
Repetitive yoga, yoga classes with the right teachers*
Breathwork*
Massage
Reiki
Meditation*
All the *s are either dependent on it being a regular practice or are just maintenance. Many of them aren’t even maintenance if they aren’t months into being regular. The rudest part is how many of these also regulate B1 and how hard I work to make it happen for him and how stressful that is to make happen. When he’s older we can swim at the same time and go to yoga classes together.
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I thought of one more. After a video I found on @lhamo’s journal (I think it was somebody interviewing Marc Brackett), I started using the app “How We Feel”. It’s completely free and helps one learn to identify and regulate emotions. Tracking my emotions in the app forces me to think about what I’m feeling and why, and that’s helped me to take more effective actions to address situations. There’s also Tools to help regulate each emotion, and I’ve found them very effective. Some are breathing exercises, some involve movements, some are specific actions or things to think about. There’s a number of times I’ve been worked up about something and the app has helped me to work through it, let it go and move to a calmer, more relaxed state.
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This is a REALLY good point. I need to consistently be doing these things a while for it to really level me out. For one off things I can only think of camping, a big summit hike, and cold water swimming in nature. Smaller closer to home things don’t seem to make a big difference unless it’s ongoing, not a single dose deal. (Although a single good walk can take me back from the “I’m gonna scream at my children” edge, but not lower the floor of the whole system)
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I don’t know if you can do a float tank in your current condition, but if I get into the zone I get into such deep relaxation. Also, massage. I haven’t tried both in the same day but I bet it would be amazing!
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Another one that I have not seen mentioned yet is journaling. I started a handwritten book log, and now I am trying a thing where if I feel anxious about something, I might jot down some thoughts about it to sort of put it to rest for a while before bed.
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^Yes! This is similar to what I do - my nutritionist recommended the book 30 Minute Therapy for Anxiety (stupid name, but I’ve found some helpful tips in there) and the book recommends setting a specific Worry Time.
Here’s the exercise from the book:
I’ve personally found it really helpful, but I do sometimes forget about it/how effective it is for me (hence me forgetting to mention it in this thread earlier LOL)
Edited to add the bonus second part of the exercise:
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I hate how well it works because I feel like a stereotype but restorative yoga has been so so so good for my brain and has taught me how to relax muscles that I didn’t know I had conscious control over.
Especially if you can get one that does hands on head rubs. I love that part of class and it makes me relax so fast!
Exercise works for me too but it has to be high intensity “run until the pain on the outside matches the pain on the inside and then collapse in a heap” which probably isn’t recommended for you right now.
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Yes - being emotionally and / or psychologically exhausted in a non-exhausted body is horrible. Really let’s the brain try to keep spinning on issues to try to tire out or something. Getting everything exhausted synchs things back up.
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OMD Plant people:
What is wrong with my plant? It was doing fine the first week, and then part of just started falling over and it almost seems like the stem is rotting? But the dirt is super dry and I can literally pull the whole thing out of the pot. I’ve only watered it once in 3 weeks…
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my guess is it needs water and better soil, it looks root bound
but it is hard to come back from that situation in my experience
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Long walks wearing the napping baby was my post partum method for achieving this. I still do them nearly daily and at this point am up to 45-90 minutes depending on the day. Brain says YEASSSSSS and I get outdoor movement while baby naps. It’s been a very good option for me.
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Gets both nature and physically exhausting exercise elements checked. And there’s a good balance of paying attention, and letting your mind wander.
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I was just thinking about you! A bunch of the toddlers in my local same age baby group (my kid included) are refusing walks these days, I thought of you and was hoping your daughter was still on board.
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Do you think it would be worthwhile to try to repot the part that still looks healthy?