Dr. Carolyn Boulos, Youth Psychiatrist at Sunnybrook, shares five tips for truly practicing self-care while on vacation so you can return feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Disconnect (seriously)

Dr. Boulos says disconnecting from emails and work demands is important to being able to recharge.

“Allow yourself to put aside any worries or concerns about work or other obligations to give your mind a full rest,” she says.

If worries pop up while you’re off and you find yourself ruminating on them?

“Ask yourself—can I do anything about it?” Dr. Boulos says. “And then remind yourself that you deserve a break, and you need a break.”

Fully disconnecting also removes those “triggers” to ruminating, she says, since you won’t see the emails or messages coming in until you’re back and ready to address them.

And before you leave, make sure you have any prescription medication you’ll need, along with some over-the-counter medicine for potential medical concerns such as stomach issues. Don’t forget to check expiry dates!

Prioritize movement and in-person connection

Dr. Boulos recommends making time for movement, outside if you can. It doesn’t need to be intense workouts; it could be exploring a new neighbourhood or park, even close to where you live if you aren’t going away.

“You could set a café or museum as a destination in a maps app, and walk there,” says Dr. Boulos. “Take in your surroundings as you walk. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.”

Vacation is also a great time to catch up with friends, and Dr. Boulos says you can make time for social connection and movement by going for a walk or bike ride with a friend, or making plans to visit a local festival or museum together.

“Make a point to meet in person and be unplugged,” Dr. Boulos says. 

Get good sleep

It might be tempting to abandon a typical sleep routine on vacation, but maintaining good sleep habits is an important part of self-care.

“It’s a good time to make sure you get enough sleep to have energy to enjoy each day,” says Dr. Boulos.

She also encourages a gratitude practice before going to bed.

“Take a moment to reflect on what you enjoyed about the day. Maybe you had a lovely meal or got the chance to revisit a favourite hobby you haven’t had time for lately,” Dr. Boulos says. 

Explore new cuisines

One way to enjoy vacation eating while maintaining healthy habits is to “take your tastebuds on vacation” by visiting local markets in international cities, says Dr. Boulos.

“Smell the spices and herbs, enjoy all of the wonderful colours and varieties of fruits and vegetables,” she says. “It may inspire you to try a new cuisine.”

If you’re staying close to home, there are likely international markets or restaurants that can provide the opportunity to experience new ingredients and dishes.

When vacation is over 

Without a little forethought, it could be easy to return from vacation and find yourself immediately feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Dr. Boulos says one way to avoid this feeling is to plan for your return before you leave.

“Before your vacation, decide when you’re going to open your emails when you get back,” she says. “Set that boundary—whether it’s the night before you return, or at a certain time on your first day back—and stick to it.”

She also says you can make a list of some things you’d like to “take back” with you from vacation, whether it’s a gratitude habit, a sleep routine. It could also be a souvenir: new spices, a new tea or even a postcard or small memento from a trip. These habits or items can remind you of how you felt, and how you want to continue feeling now that you’re back to your typical routine.

“Ask yourself what felt good, what worked, what [habits] you want to take away from this experience,” says Dr. Boulos.

The post Five tips to make sure your vacation is truly relaxing appeared first on Your Health Matters.

One way to help manage increased stress is to engage in healthy self-care behaviours, but Dr. Sam Iskandar, clinical psychologist at Sunnybrook, says we’re not often good at doing that when we’re experiencing high levels of stress.

“Sometimes the more stressed we are, the more likely we are to neglect our self-care, but that’s actually when we need self-care the most. This is the paradox of self-care.”

What is self-care?

“I think of self-care as knowing our own physical needs, our psychological needs and our social needs,” says Dr. Iskandar. “And then being able to say, okay, so these are my needs, but am I meeting those needs?”

There are several physical needs that everyone shares: good sleep, some physical exercise, a nutritious diet, personal hygiene such as bathing and grooming. But beyond that, self-care practices will really depend on the person, says Dr. Iskandar.

He says for someone with hypertension, self-care might be checking their blood pressure regularly. For a person with anxiety, self-care could be a regular relaxation practice such as yoga or meditation. For social people, their self-care could be making time to visit with friends.

“And those are the things we stop doing when we’re under a lot of pressure,” says Dr. Iskandar. “We might think we’re being indulgent if we do those things. But that’s actually when we need it most.”

How to create good self-care habits

Dr. Iskandar says there are three key steps to creating good self-care habits.

The first step, he says, is to check in with yourself and assess whether you are meeting your physical and emotional needs. Are you taking care of your body? Have you stopped making time for your favourite activities?

It could be helpful to ask yourself: “Do I have some needs that are not being met or that I’ve neglected?” Dr. Iskandar says. “And then the next step is to come up with some sort of plan.”

That plan could involve calling a friend to schedule a patio date, or committing to a particular form of outdoor exercise while gyms remain closed, but whatever the plan is, Dr. Iskandar says once you have a plan for returning to those favourite activities or taking care of your body, it’s important to follow through.

The third step is to “try and make it a habit. Schedule it in, make reminders, try to make it into a routine where you’re actually following up on those things regularly,” he says.

Read more: Self-care tips and strategies for youth »

Self-compassion and self-care

Self-compassion, the act of being able to recognize when you’re under stress and acknowledge you’re going through a hard time, is also linked to self-care.

“One of the predictors in who actually engages in self-care and who doesn’t is how much self-compassion a person has,” says Dr. Iskandar.

He describes the opposite of self-compassion as telling yourself what you’re experiencing is no big deal and downplaying these difficult experiences. And Dr. Iskandar says that makes it less likely someone will practice self-care, so it’s important to practice self-compassion and validate yourself that what you’re going through is difficult.

“To cultivate self-compassion, have kindness with yourself, treat yourself well. [Ask yourself], how would I treat someone I really care about if they were in this situation?”

The post Tips for creating healthy self-care habits in stressful times appeared first on Your Health Matters.

Getting started

What is your preferred way to listen to music?  This is a good time to consider an app or service that makes it easy for you to create and organize playlists. Take some time to figure out your best option for sound quality, such as headphones or a Bluetooth speaker rather than the speaker on your phone or laptop.

Intention

What do you need right now? Create playlist headings with these needs in mind, for example: Calm, Comfort, Connections or Hope.

Music selection

Listen to one song or piece of music at a time and really consider how you feel as you listen. Does the music fit with one of your playlists? Does it bring a feeling of calm or hope for example, or is it best left out of the mix right now?

Listen

Once you have your personalized playlists, think of times you might like to use them such as part of your morning routine, or as a way to take a break during a time of stress. Consider which playlist is right for you in that moment, and take note of how you feel as you listen.

Refine

Continue to refine and update your playlists. As you listen, remove songs that don’t quite fit or elicit the feeling you are after. Feel free to add new music along the way, and consider exploring new music that you haven’t listened to before as you continue to build your playlists.

Self care

As you begin to listen to music with intention, be mindful of how the music is impacting you emotionally. Music, even favourite music, can elicit negative as well as positive emotions and sometimes it may be better to stop the music or try something different. It may take some time to find the right music to meet your current needs, especially during a time of high stress. Don’t worry if it doesn’t click right away. Consider starting with music that fits your current mood, even a low mood, before shifting to music with the intent of lifting your mood. Take your time, and be open to the possibility that music might not be what you need right now.

If you are interested in learning more about how a music therapist can support your mental health you can reach out to the Canadian Association of Music Therapists or the Music Therapy Association of Ontario.

* Content in this post was informed by the research of Caryl Ann Browning, BA, MTA Music Therapy in Childbirth, and JB Music Therapy, Purposeful Playlists for Life.

[mks_button size=”large” title=”Coping during COVID-19: mental health resources from Sunnybrook’s Department of Psychiatry »” style=”rounded” url=”https://sunnybrook.ca/content/?page=mental-health-covid-19″ target=”_blank” bg_color=”#2c55a6″ txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=”” nofollow=”0″]

The post Music for self care: Listening to music with intention appeared first on Your Health Matters.

“People are scared, and they don’t know what to expect,” says Janna Di Pinto, a social worker who sees patients and families in the Tory Trauma Program at Sunnybrook.

Here are five tips for supporting a loved one through an unexpected stay in the critical care unit:

1. Education is key

Patients in the critical care unit often end up there suddenly, leaving families little time to make sense of what’s happening.

“As social workers, part of our role is to provide education on what to expect during a critical care stay. Patients can be doing well one day, and not so well the next, and it’s important for family members to know that such changes in their loved one’s condition are common,” says Di Pinto.

Staff members talk to family members about some of the expected responses and feelings they may have in this crisis event, such as:

• Feeling scattered and unable to think straight
• Processing information poorly
• Decreased short-term memory
• Decreased sense of hunger or thirst

Other helpful educational resources are available online on Sunnybrook’s Navigating the ICU website, which was developed after extensive collaboration between staff and family members.

2. Establish defined roles

In the critical care unit, families can spend a lot of time sitting at the patient’s bedside, but they aren’t sure how they can help.

Family members can contribute to their loved one’s recovery by making a playlist of the patient’s favourite songs to play at the bedside, holding the patient’s hand, bringing in photos and ensuring staff are aware of what is important to the patient.

At Sunnybrook, family members are also encouraged to participate in the care team’s daily rounds at the bedside.

“Staff can teach family members how to participate in their loved one’s care, such as encouraging range of motion exercises or redirecting a patient from pulling tubes and lines,” says Di Pinto.

3. Give yourself permission to take care of yourself

 Di Pinto says it’s important for family members to give themselves permission to take care of their own wellbeing, too.

“We don’t expect them to be at a patient’s bedside 24/7. It’s okay for them to go home, rest and then call the unit as often as they like to check in,” says Di Pinto.

Coordinating a rotating visiting schedule with others can be helpful, because it allows everyone a chance to be at the hospital while also building in time to look after themselves.

“People have many demands to juggle – maybe they live far away from the hospital, or have to return to work, or need to sort out child care. This is a time to establish a new balance and figure out new roles for themselves,” she says.

 4. Find coping strategies that work for you

Some people have a lot of anger after their loved one ends up in critical care, says Di Pinto, particularly if the admission was the result of a trauma (like a car crash) caused by someone else.

“We help family talk about which coping strategies may work best for them. For example, we let people know where the quiet spaces are around the hospital, such as the chapel or going for a walk outside. We let them know it’s okay to go to the gym, spend time with friends or pets, or even just go outside and scream if they need to,” she says.

5. It’s okay to have hope 

Di Pinto says they often talk with family members about the road to recovery, and how it is a process that takes time.

“When your loved one is in critical care, there may be a fine line between being hopeful and being realistic, but it’s okay to have hope that your family member will recover.”

The post 5 tips for getting through a loved one’s stay in the critical care unit appeared first on Your Health Matters.

One of the most important, and often forgotten, things you can do as a caregiver is to care for yourself. “Self-care” is any activity that you do that helps you maintain your physical, mental or emotional health and in so doing allows you to give of yourself to others.

The instructions you receive before an airplane takes off are probably the best example of self-care. Before any flight, you are advised that if there is an emergency and you need oxygen, put your own mask on first before helping others. This reason is simple: if you pass out as a result of a lack of oxygen, you can’t help others. The same can be said for caregiving: if you do not take care of yourself, if you “burnout” or become sick due to lack of sleep, poor diet, etc., you make yourself incapable of helping the person next to you.

Caregivers may think taking time for themselves to rest or spend time with their friends makes them selfish because there is someone who needs them – this is not so. Caring for yourself ensures that you have the strength and ability to continue caring for others.

Self-care tips for caregivers

Eat healthy – maintaining a balanced diet is one of the best ways to maintain your health and energy.

Exercise – this may sound like the last thing you want to do when you are already physically drained from your caregiving responsibilities, but it is one of the best things you can do for yourself. A brisk walk, a yoga session, a swim at the local pool…it doesn’t have to be Olympic-quality, just something that gets your heart rate up and your mind off the tasks at hand. If you can do some kind of activity outside, even better – the sun and fresh air will renew you.  Try scheduling an activity with a friend so that you have less chance of cancelling and the added benefit of their company.

Take care of your own health – caregivers are prone to neglecting their own health and often fall ill as a result. Visit your own doctor and take your regular medications in order to maintain your own health. Try to learn the best way to provide physical care to your family member, such as how to assist them from a wheelchair to their bed, to prevent injuring yourself.

Plan regular breaks – make arrangements for a family member, a friend, a volunteer, or a professional to relieve you of your duties. Use that time to do something you enjoy – read a book, take a walk, or go to a movie. Reassure the person you are caring for that someone will be there to meet their needs while you are out.

Treat yourself – do something that you would have done B.C. – before caregiving – that would bring you pleasure such as a pedicure, or a massage, or night out with the guys to watch a game. Let go of the guilt you might have about wanting to feel happiness – you are entitled to have your own enjoyment and it will reinvigorate you.

Try to get enough sleep –  when we have more to do, sleep is often where we compromise. Being well rested is necessary in order for you to provide care to your family member. Try to practice good sleep hygiene, which includes trying to schedule regular bed time and waking times, taking a warm bath before bed, avoiding TV and computers before bed, and avoiding alcohol or caffeine in the evening. Oftentimes your caregiving will interrupt your nighttime sleep – when this happens, sleep when you can but stick to catnaps (eg. 20 minutes) during the day to avoid falling into a REM sleep and tricking your body into thinking it has had adequate rest and then making it difficult to get back to sleep at night.

Keep connected – it is easy to isolate yourself when your energies are necessarily focused on your family member.  Despite feeling tired or less than social, it is important to stay connected with the friends who support you. If you can’t physically get out with friends, take time each day to stay connected through email, phone or social media to ease the possible sense of isolation you might feel.

Include others – You don’t have to do it all. Let other friends and family know you need time to yourself so that they know to step in and give you that much needed break. There is never shame in asking.

Find humour – get a daily dose of humour by reading something funny or watching a comedy on TV. Laughter really is the best medicine.

Most importantly, be aware of the signs of burnout – some signs of burnout include withdrawing from friends and family, a loss of interest in activities you enjoyed in the past, feeling, irritable, hopeless, and helpless, changes in appetite or weight, getting sick more often and overuse of use of alcohol or sleep medications.

If you see any of these signs in yourself, try any of the ideas already mentioned or reach out for professional support. TorontoCentralhealthline.ca is a good place to start to find caregiver supports in your area.

The post How to care for yourself while caring for someone else appeared first on Your Health Matters.