A few weeks I was struck down by the flu.

Real. Honest to goodness. Flu.

I started coughing on Tuesday night and by Wednesday morning I was a feverish, achy, can’t get out of bed, hot (and chilled) mess.

As the days dragged on with minimal improvement, my mood began to plummet. I hated feeling stuck in my own miserable body, feeling completely out of control, and isolated from the rest of the world.

I even started using Facebook as a way to share my misery (my apologies to my friends for that ;)

I’m not ashamed to admit that I would break down sobbing a few times a day (usually coincided with being able to feel my temperature rocketing into the stratosphere yet again.)

After a week, as I began to climb out of my flu fog, my mood improved. I believed that I would eventually feel better and be able to function out in the world. It was amazing the impact that my physical body had on my emotional well-being!

This shouldn’t be a huge surprise though. The connection between our minds, bodies and emotions cannot be over stated. It is pretty much impossible to feel healthy emotionally if you are feeling ill physically.

It is critical that we take care of our physical bodies as part of our emotional self-care. Here are some basic ways to take care of both our physical and emotional selves.

Get enough sleep. This one cannot be overstated. If sleep is not going well, nothing else can go well. Go to bed at the same time, develop a bedtime routine that signals that it is time for sleep, and get up at the same time. Sleep routines aren’t just for babies!
Move your body. Sitting at your computer all day will result in stiff muscles, a sore neck and overall crankiness. You don’t need to run a marathon, a few simple stretches are good enough!
Get outside (and don’t bring your phone!). Being in nature gives our brain a chance to reset. Get some fresh air, pay attention to your surroundings and keep distractions to a minimum. Think of it as a mini retreat!
Know what types of food and drink make you feel good. If that third cup of coffee will make you feel jittery, maybe step away from the Keurig. If you’re infamous for getting “hangry”, try not to skip meals.
Incorporate rest and downtime into your regular schedule. While all illnesses cannot be prevented, ensuring that your body is well rested is a good first step in ensuring that your immune system can do its job. While I’m usually pretty good at scheduling downtime, the week prior to getting the flu, I was a lot busier that I typically like to be. My body put on the brakes in a big way.

Our minds and bodies are intricately connected, so take care of both.