Healthy Habits that Lower Anxiety and Fuel Sobriety

This is a guest post from Jackie Cortez from The Prevention Coalition.

You don’t have to be fitness-obsessed or a health food nut to know that healthy habits play a big role in how you feel. What you do on a day-to-day basis impacts your energy level and general well-being, as well as your emotional state and confidence level. Healthy habits are important for keeping our lives in balance, and this is especially true for men who are in recovery for addiction. When you work on making these healthy habits part of your daily routine, you will feel better physically and be mentally prepared to handle whatever comes your way.

Get a Good Night’s Rest

Many people in recovery struggle with insomnia, yet getting plenty of sleep is key to reducing the risk of relapse. When you incorporate getting ample, quality sleep into your daily routine, it improves your mental health and focus. Analyze your sleep environment to make sure it’s conducive to a good night’s rest. Ideal conditions are a dark, cool and quiet room. If you you’ve assessed your room and still wake up feeling tired or in pain, it may be time to look at replacing your mattress. Take note that everyone’s mattress needs and sleeping styles are different. If you have back or joint pain, be sure to look for a medium-firm to firm mattress, or, instead, if you tend to be a side sleeper or even a hot sleeper, you’ll want to look for a mattress that best suits your sleeping position or temperature fluctuations.   

Food Is Fuel

Maintaining sobriety is a million times easier when you feel your best. Right up there with sleep, eating right is crucial to fueling your body. When you’re in recovery, it’s easy to fall back on food that feels like comfort, such as fast food, unhealthy snacks, and sweets, but these foods make you feel worse in the long run. Not only do these unhealthy foods make you feel bad physically, they can impact your mood, worsening symptoms of anxiety and depression. Start by making small changes to your diet gradually. Instead of hopping on a drastic diet plan, reduce and eliminate foods that are highly processed, replacing them with a diet full of fruits and vegetables.

Find Your Fitness Groove

You can’t beat exercise for one daily habit that boosts your overall well-being in so many ways. Physical fitness benefits your health and builds up your body in recovery so you’re stronger than ever. On top of the physical effects, exercise is also an incredible mood boost and one of the best ways to manage anxiety. As if you didn’t need another reason to get moving, studies have shown that exercise can help prevent relapse by changing how you respond to stress. Hitting the gym can be a great way to meet people with the same health goals as you, but if that isn’t your thing, you can work out at home. Men’s Health recommends some of the best health and fitness apps, including fitness trackers and customizable workout plans.

Lessen Everyday Anxiety

It’s common for people in recovery to have underlying struggles with anxiety. Being well-rested, eating right, and exercising all help tremendously, but don’t rely on those healthy habits alone. Social anxiety can be particularly tough to manage in recovery, especially if you used to reach for a drink to calm your nerves. If this sounds familiar, work on incorporating other daily habits that help you take greater control of your mind.

According to PsychCentral, yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises are all powerful tools for reducing anxious thoughts. Your morning routine also plays a huge role in how social anxiety affects you over the course of the day. Medium recommends creating a morning routine that is focused on healing your anxiety. Starting the day on a good note helps get your head in the right place and makes it easier to accomplish the rest of your health goals.

Dealing with anxiety and stress is no easy task for anyone, especially someone in recovery.

It takes active choices to maintain sobriety. Choosing healthy habits may not be easy at first, but when you do, it makes the day-to-day struggles easier and life in recovery richer than ever.