10 Ways Nurses Can Stay Physically And Mentally Healthy

A three-year university study found that nearly half of nursing students are overweight, and most do not participate in regular physical activity. Although this study focused on nursing students, it highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle before becoming a licensed nurse.

An important part of the nurse’s job is to teach patients how to lead a healthier lifestyle. This includes controlling diet, exercising, sleeping, and managing stress. However, there are some nurses who, for some reason, cannot or won’t follow their own instructions.

10 Ways Healthy nurses need to maintain their physical, mental, and emotional well-being

1. Maintaining a balance between work and family life

Work and family life are never easy to balance.

Nursing is everything a person in this career stands for: love, emotion, passion, and dedication. Without nursing, they will not be affectionate siblings, parents, children, or friends. In this case, obtaining a healthy work-life balance is extremely difficult since it can feel as though the line between work and home duties is blurred.

Keep an organized calendar to maintain a healthy balance! Reduce stress and increase your overall sense of well-being by making time for your family, friends, and self.

Nursing students need to find a work-life balance while studying and performing their duties. Many nurses begin working immediately after obtaining their nursing license. In order to advance their careers, they return to school to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

The easiest way to ease their situation is to enroll online in a flexible, hassle-free RN to BSN degree program. What’s even better is that they get the same level of skills as they would with an on-campus degree.

2. Take a bite to eat before your shift

Breakfast is the most substantial meal of the day. That much is known and has been proven by research.

According to a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, breakfast increases energy, improves brain function, helps control weight, and provides more vitamins and minerals. Moreover, if you eat healthy before heading to work, you may not eat unhealthy foods at odd hours, mostly carbs like chips, donuts, and cookies.

3. Bring your own snacks and meals to work

Taking your own food to work increases the likelihood of making healthy choices and is a great way to bond with coworkers.

Some nurses also get fatigued or experience a “carb coma” after lunch. Control your carbohydrate and sugar intake by packing your own lunch. Even though the apple in your lunchbox might not be eaten immediately, you’ll have more energy to get you to the end of a 12-hour shift compared to French fries.

4. Sleep

An adequate amount of sleep can help reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. Only a small percentage of nurses sleep the recommended 7-9 hours each night.

Sometimes it is necessary to sleep through activities. As a young person, you believe you are invincible and can function on a few hours of sleep, and some jobs require little sleep. Unfortunately, this is not the case in this field. When you work stressful shifts, you need sleep.

When it comes to adjusting to shifting work and getting enough sleep, many health experts recommend closing curtains, turning off the phone, exercising when you wake up, avoiding heavy meals before bed, and watching your caffeine intake.

5. Don’t drink caffeine late in the shift

Those who work night shifts are especially vulnerable to caffeine.

Excessive caffeine consumption can negatively affect brain function and lead to sleep deprivation. Even six hours before bedtime, caffeine consumption has been linked to poor quality and insufficient sleep.

6. Water Is Your Best Friend

In order to maintain your health, you need water. A doctor recommends drinking eight glasses of eight ounces each day. Drinking enough water daily will help you stay healthy. According to the Institute of Medicine, an adequate intake of water is 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women.

Even though this number may seem daunting, there are some things you can do to increase your water intake.

• Keep a refillable water bottle near your desk for easy access.
• Try seltzer or add your favorite fruit for a kick of flavor without the sugar.

7. Exercise

A moderate amount of exercise a day or just a few times a week is proven to make you live longer, lower your risk of disease, lose weight, and sleep better at night.

The gym can help recharge your batteries after a long shift on your feet. Workouts have been shown to reduce stress, boost energy, and help you lose weight. Become a member of a local gym, a yoga studio, or an exercise class if you don’t already have one. Make sure you bring a friend, so you have a better chance of attending. Maintaining a regular workout routine can improve your endurance while working long hours.

Try changing up your routine, like taking the stairs instead of the lift, if you have trouble sticking to an exercise routine. Exercise can be done through sports as well. If you choose one you enjoy, you will enjoy the exercise and naturally want to do it again.

In addition, swimming helps improve well-being by using all of your body’s muscles while relaxing and de-stressing you. The metabolic rate increases by just 30 minutes of swimming three times a week, thus boosting your energy levels.

Yoga also has many physical and mental benefits. It helps your ability to memorize, concentrate, posture, steadiness, coordination, and balance. It decreases joint and back pain, increases immunity, and reduces pain, anxiety, and stress, transforming them into energy, health, and wisdom.

8. Hobbies and Passions

When you are a nurse, your work can be so stressful that you take those worries home with you. Nursing students need to relax after work by meeting up with friends, going for a walk, reading a book, relaxing in a hot bath, or going on a trip.

As a nurse, being a social committee member wherever you work can help. Doing so, you will be able to share fun moments with your coworkers and lighten the day’s worries.

9. Humor

Humor can keep things in perspective and keep us healthy. Nevertheless, nurses must be careful when using humor in a healthcare setting to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings. But it’s helpful to have camaraderie with your colleagues and laugh often.

10. Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness will help healthcare professionals be more aware and reduce distractions at work, thus improving their clinical assessment skills and performing procedures.

As you become more adept at listening and speaking more attentively, you can improve communication with patients and your team members, especially in a crisis. Having this understanding allows you to provide your patients and yourself with wiser and more compassionate care.

Conclusion

Nurses spend most of their time and energy taking care of others, forgetting to take time for themselves.

As a nurse, you can relax and recharge for the next shift by exercising and spending time with friends and family. Monitoring yourself and recognizing when you feel overwhelmed or overburdened is crucial.

Being able to speak with someone about work life is essential – friends, family, and even partners play a crucial role. Sometimes a trained therapist can also help. After a rough shift, having someone to talk to can make a big difference in how you approach the next one.

Read Also:

• How To Alleviate Nurse Burnout
• Five Ways for Nurses to Prepare Themselves for Telehealth
• 5 Incredible Ways To Boost Your Nursing Career and Get Promoted
• What an Increased demand for OR and ER Nurses Means for Traveling Nurses