When you are a father, you need to make sure that you are doing all you can to take proper care of your own health. That is important not just for your own sake, but for the sake of your whole family. After all, they need their father to stick around as long as possible, and to be able to be the best father you can be. There are certain health concerns which men of a certain age need to be aware of, and these are going to be important for all fathers to know about. Let’s take a look at some of these right now.
As you get a little older, you might start to notice that you are developing some problems with your hearing. This is a natural part of aging for many people, and you might find that it starts as young as 40 or so. As such, it’s a good thing to be aware of so that you can make sure you are keeping on top of it. If you fail to do that, you might find yourself having to pretend to your family you don’t have hearing loss – which never works – or having it looked into and receiving some kind of treatment.
Prostate
A major concern for all older men is the prostate. You need to have yours checked on a regular basis, and you also need to make sure that you are keeping your eye out for any of the signs of prostate cancer or prostatic hyperplasia. Once you reach 50, your chances of developing these are much higher. You might have difficulty or pain urinating, and find that you have to get up more at night to urinate. In the worst cases, this could be a tumor, so it is definitely something that you will need to be aware of and keep your eye on.
Depression There is something of an epidemic at the moment of men with depression. There is an unfortunate, negative cycle at play here, which is that as a culture we often associate depression with a kind of weakness. As such, men are less likely to want to talk about their depression, and that means that the depression itself will usually actually get worse. In the worst-case scenarios, fathers can leave their families to fend for themselves. It’s important that you reach out to someone if you are feeling this way, sooner rather than later.
Your heart is obviously important at all times in your life. But it is often past 50 or so that many men start to really take it seriously, and that’s partly because you might have heard horror stories of other men you know of your age starting to have cardiac trouble. The thing to do is quite simple: eat healthily, get plenty of exercise, and get plenty of rest. Keep your stress to a minimum and avoid caffeine and alcohol as much as possible. Do all that, and you should be able to keep on top of your heart health much more easily.
Life isn’t a piece of cake for busy dads who have lots of things to manage. You have to earn money to support the family, help your partner with your share of household responsibilities, and give time to your kids. It is easy to lose track of your fitness plan amid everything, but you must invest in one to stay in top shape. Moreover, you may not afford a self-care plan due to budget constraints.
Fortunately, you need not spend a lot of time and money on an expensive gym membership or fitness equipment to stay fit and healthy. Just the right mindset and a few lifestyle changes get you on the right track without massive efforts. Here are some tried and tested fitness rules for busy dads.
Focus on the right mindset
Surprisingly, your journey to holistic fitness starts with the right mindset. No matter how challenging life seems, a positive mindset can help you deal with the physical workload and mental stress. Start the day with meditation and deep breathing to purge the negative emotions and encourage focus and mindfulness. You will feel better through the entire day and handle all the tasks without feeling tired or anxious. Meditating before bedtime is a good idea as it helps you close the day on a positive note and set up for a restful night ahead.
Don’t skimp on exercise
Even the busiest dads should find time for exercise because it keeps you fit and active. Consider waking up an hour early if you cannot include physical activity in your current schedule. If you cannot spend on a gym membership, you can try other forms of exercise like running, cycling, or walking. Regular exercise prevents obesity and reduces the risk of a host of diseases. It curbs mental stress and makes you feel relaxed and happy. Apart from following a regular exercise plan, small measures like walking to the market and taking stairs instead of the lift can make you fitter.
Eat a balanced diet
When it comes to staying healthy, nothing matters more than eating a balanced diet. Everyone knows what healthy eating is all about and you can get some helpful information from the internet. Work on a diet plan with your partner or even seek a nutritionist’s advice if you need to. Prioritize fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, and seeds, and steer clear of sugar, unhealthy fats, and processed foods. You can rely on natural supplements to make up for the dietary gaps. A little work on balancing your diet can make all the difference to your fitness levels despite your jam-packed lifestyle, so it is worth the effort.
Have a detox routine
While eating mindfully is a rule that every busy daddy must follow, you must also have a detox routine. It isn’t difficult to detox twice a month, provided that you understand what the process is all about. It cleanses your gut by eliminating the toxins from exposure to unhealthy foods, alcohol, and environmental pollutants. All you need to do is skip sugar and alcohol, and load on detox foods like leafy greens, berries, and probiotics. It makes you feel light and healthy and relieves a host of health issues like digestive ailments, aches and pains, anxiety, and fatigue. You feel rejuvenated and relaxed and ready to take the daddy duties with refreshed energy.
Go the extra mile with hydration
Drinking lots of water is another rule that everyone should follow, even more so if you are a busy dad. It keeps your energy levels high and removes toxins from your body every day. Water curbs cravings and help you maintain a healthy weight as well. Although staying hydrated doesn’t seem like a lot of work, it can go wrong just because you forget to drink enough water due to a tight schedule at home and work. Making conscious efforts to drink at least 8-10 glasses daily can help you address the hydration gaps. Carry your water bottle to work and keep sipping all through the day. Limit the intake of caffeine, colas, and alcohol, and stick to water.
Annual physical check-up
Visiting a doctor and having physical tests without any health issues doesn’t make sense. But it is something every busy dad must do once a year, even if you feel fit and healthy. Annual check-ups and exams cover things such as weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. If something is amiss, your practitioner will have a diagnosis and treatment plan right away. Addressing health issues early can save you from a lot of trouble and ensure longevity.
Address any health issues
First and foremost, you will need to address any injuries that may be impacting your physical performance during exercise. However, this isn’t the only aspect of your physical wellness that needs attention. Finding a trusted dentist to combat your recurring toothache will make a huge difference. After all, it’s difficult to find the energy and motivation for physical activity when your mouth is in pain. Similarly, headaches and any other issues that leave you unable to exercise must be corrected ASAP. It won’t just encourage better fitness. It will improve your quality of life.
Prioritize good sleep
Good sleep is vital to be fit and healthy, but it is something that time-pressed people struggle with. Make sure that you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Not having adequate sleep makes you feel tired and increases stress levels. You may feel lethargic, and your concentration levels at work suffer. Getting proper sleep may mean cutting down your screen time and social outings on weekdays, but the effort is worthwhile. Reading a book, meditating, and having a cup of herbal tea at bedtime are other measures to address restlessness and insomnia.
Get connected
It is easy to lose touch with your loved ones when life becomes busy and mechanical. But getting connected keeps you happy and relaxed. Moreover, it can do wonders for your relationship with your partner, kids, parents, and friends. Spend time with your spouse and kids every evening and visit your parents every weekend. Plan vacations and weekend trips to have quality time together. Meeting your friends once a month takes you an extra mile with self-care.
Staying healthy and fit doesn’t need to be a massive effort, but it can definitely make you a better person and dad. You only have to be a bit more conscious about your physical and mental well-being, and you are good to go. Just follow these simple rules, and you can easily be a fitter and smarter father.
Psychologists describe coping mechanisms as strategies that everybody develops to manage high stress levels, trauma, or heightened emotional states. Without coping strategies, we wouldn’t be able to handle difficult situations and carry on with our day-to-day lives.
However, it is fair to say that coping mechanisms come in a variety of shapes. A young woman who wears her good luck necklace for a job interview is showing one type of emotional strategy to manage stress. The overworked employee who buys a doughnut and a cup of creamy cappuccino as a reward at the end of a tough day is another example of coping strategies. Perhaps you’ve seen teenagers go to the gym after an argument with their friends. This is also a coping approach. We all cope with stress in different ways. Even events that are positive, such as getting married or having a baby, can bring a lot of stress into your life. Without a strategy to manage your emotional well-being, you wouldn’t be able to interact with everything that happens in your day-to-day life.
But, while coping mechanisms serve a health purpose, they could also get out of control and damage your health. Here we want to take a look at some of the most popular coping mechanisms and why they could backfire if you are not cautious.
There is something about having a drink from time to time that can play a hugely positive role in someone’s life. A social drink between friends, for instance, or with dinner, is perceived as a sophisticated and gourmet hobby. The truth is that while alcohol can be damaging to your body, even in small quantities, it also can have an anxiety-relieving impact. Ultimately, alcohol produces a sense of euphoria and reduces your inhibition. A drink can be enough to help sedate your central nervous system. That one drink can be all a person needs to temporarily forget about stress and be able to relax. It’s important to understand that alcohol doesn’t eliminate stress. But in a social situation when you’re meeting new people, for instance, a small quantity can be helpful to talk to others.
Unfortunately, a lot of people fall into the trap of believing that alcohol can be used to regulate anxiety disorders. It has an adverse effect. Once the alcohol wears off, your anxiety comes back. The belief one needs to drink to cope is the first step that contributes to unhealthy addiction. That’s precisely what makes an alcohol abuse intervention so delicate. It’s important to note that there are places like Overland Park ready and prepared to help those in need. Indeed, you need to first convince the substance user that they can cope without alcohol. Only then can they agree to the further rehab steps.
CBD and anxiety
Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is recognized by the medical board as a pharmaceutical ingredient that can belong to a coping mechanism strategy for stress, pain, or emotional distress. Indeed, CBD is highly effective at breaking your body’s response to stress. Stress creates a hormonal response. The body releases stress hormones that travel through the bloodstream to the different organs. Cannabidiol receptors can alter the secretion and synthesis of your hormones. When it comes to stress, CBD acts as a braking system, encouraging the body to reduce the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Therefore, CBD oil, drops, or even gummies offer a fantastic coping mechanism for anxiety. They are also a safe alternative to pharmaceutical medications.
Is CBD addictive? The answer is no. CBD does not have the same hallucinogenic properties as cannabis. Yet, individuals can develop a psychological addiction in the sense that they believe they would not be able to cope without it. It is important to keep your consumption under control so that you don’t trick the brain into responding to any type of stress with CBD. Try using a CBD dosage calculator to find out how much CBD oil you should take.
The sweet reward
We have a complex relationship with food. Indeed, food is fuel for the body, but also mental health. A healthy diet supports your emotional response to stress or trauma. However, it’s not uncommon to seek gratification through food, which could become a harmful behavior. We’ve all been in a situation where we thought to ourselves: I deserve something sweet. This could be because you’ve worked hard or because you need a pick-me-up after a tough meeting. There is a sugar rush sensation that occurs when you eat a treat. This temporarily reduces your perception of stress. But, the sugar rush doesn’t last. Emotional eating can increase your anxiety levels dramatically. If you convince yourself that you need a sweet treat to handle stress, you could develop an addictive behavior and create a vicious circle. Stress needs sugar which, in turn, creates additional stress.
Is sugar the only culprit when it comes to addictive coping mechanisms? No, it is one of the most popular fake friends. But processed carbs, alcohol, large quantities of caffeine, and sweeteners are also putting your mental health at risk. They do not resolve your issue, and the addiction can aggravate the problem in the long-term.
The surprising shopping addiction
According to studies, approximately 6% of the American population is believed to have some form of shopping addiction. A shopping addiction dramatically affects your financial health, your relationship, and your mental health. But impulsive or excessive shoppers respond to a stress stimulus. They utilize shopping as a coping mechanism, creating a “high” sensation that can mute their stress, anxiety, or depressive issues. This begs one important question: Can shopping be a true coping strategy?
The answer is yes. We all experience excitement and a mood boost when we buy something new. So, there’s a lot to be said about bringing a beautiful and exciting item into your life.
I don’t care what happens today. I am wearing a new tee.
As superficial as it sounds, shopping can work to some extent to release stress. However, when shopping becomes an everyday habit, the excitement drops. You need to buy more to experience the same high as before, which is where the addiction comes from.
Distractions are a coping trick
Playing video games is not only an effective coping mechanism but is also an enjoyable hobby. While the media often describe gaming as an addictive activity, it’s important to get to the bottom of this assumption. Playing games not only keeps the brain alert but also encourages the production of happiness hormones. Indeed, a game is rewarding, therefore the brain reacts to the gratification phenomenon. Additionally, it’s also a great way of taking your mind off things.
Yet, there is an addictive side to playing games. Indeed, video games offer an escape from everyday anxiety and stress. Someone who is emotionally vulnerable could prefer to spend more time playing than interacting with their peers. The addiction is emotional, but it can be a real risk.
Doctors and fitness enthusiasts are the first to mention sports as a coping strategy. Physical activities drive the production of endorphins, which are the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. As a result, working out reduces stress levels and significantly improves your mood. Unlike other coping mechanisms, it is also identified as an essential element that’s part of a healthy lifestyle.
However, it’s important to mention that individuals can also develop sports addiction when they get hooked to the feel-good effect. Indeed, in excess, sports can lead to physical injuries and put your health at risk. The brain builds up a tolerance to the sports high, and therefore you’ll need more extreme workouts to feel the same benefits.
In conclusion, most coping strategies are effective in bringing a positive response to stress or anxiety. However, relying on a single strategy puts individuals at high risk of developing a dependent behavior. It is crucial to create multi-layered and varied coping mechanisms that combine different responses. The variety will reduce the danger of addiction and keep your mental health in check.
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
