How to Stay Healthy During a Divorce
According to the American Psychological Association, over 90 percent of people get married by the age of 50. The organization also notes that a healthy, happy marriage is beneficial to one’s mental and physical health. Unfortunately, around 40 to 50% of those marriages will end in divorce. So, how do you maintain this type of health and happiness after a divorce? Today, we discuss the top six tips to help you remain healthy during a divorce.
Top 6 Tips on Maintaining Health and Happiness During a Divorce
Take the time to rest and recover
A divorce marks a significant moment in your life. You might feel stressed, overwhelmed, depressed, and/or anxious. Your body tends to process emotions the same way it does a physical injury and will require adequate rest and time to recover from this transition period.
Perhaps you can take some time off work or go on a vacation with the sole purpose of creating space to relax. There are also professional services, such as massage, bodywork, energy work, therapy, acupuncture, yoga, and other modalities that may help you slip into a relaxed state of mind if you have trouble accomplishing this on your own.
Additionally, sleep is essential for both physical and emotional recovery. Ensure you are getting enough quality sleep.
Exercise but do not overdo it
Exercise is a great form of stress release, however; you cannot reap its rewards if you push yourself too hard. Exercise improves your mood, boosts energy, and promotes better sleep, all great benefits for an individual looking to feel better after a divorce. There is also a social component to exercise, which can help get you outside socializing with new people.
Overexercising or doing too much high intensity interval training or cardio may do more harm than good though. Be mindful of the fact that you are working through a lot emotionally right now and exercising too much or too intensely could tire you out.
Eat well
It is not uncommon for someone in a stressful situation to either gain weight or lose weight, which is not healthy. Healthy eating has so many benefits and is vital to maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle. While it may seem difficult to eat during a divorce, especially if you are tending to a broke heart, it is even more important to do so at time when your body is stressed. Eating well will help you regulate your blood sugar, boost your mood, control your emotions, and help you feel more energized throughout the day.
Find a healthy release for your emotions
It is totally normal to feel emotional during a divorce. You might feel everything from depression to rage, which are all valid feelings. The best way to take care of these feelings is to find a healthy release for them. You could join a martial arts or boxing class or make the decision to speak to an experienced therapist. Whatever it is that you decide to do will help you move forward with your healing process.
Locate a support group
While you could find a local divorce support group, you could also search for support within other groups such as an improv group or running club. A sense of community is healthy especially for individuals going through a divorce because it provides them with new friends outside of their marriage.
Do not rush into another relationship
While it may seem tempting to get into another relationship at first, it is not conducive to your growth. You will need time to process your divorce. It is also important to work on yourself and recover from your divorce before you take all those emotions and put them on someone else.
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