Self Care For Ocd!

Even when things are going well, OCD can hijack your day. Obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors -- and the anxiety that comes with them -- can take up massive amounts of time and energy.

Though medication and therapy are the main ways to treat this lifelong condition, self-care is a secret weapon with plenty of side benefits.

Food and mood. When you're hungry, your blood sugar drops. This can make you cranky or tired. Start with a daily breakfast, and try to eat small meals more often instead of big meals at lunch and dinner.

• Nuts and seeds, which are packed with healthy nutrients
• Protein like eggs, beans, and meat, which fuel you up slowly to keep you in better balance
• Complex carbs like fruits, veggies, and whole grains, which help keep your blood sugar levels steady

Steer clear of caffeine, the stimulant in tea, coffee, soda, and energy drinks. It can kick up your anxiety levels a few notches.

Stick to your prescriptions. It can be tempting to escape OCD with drugs or alcohol, but they're triggers in disguise. Drinking alcohol might feel like it offsets your anxiety, but it creates more before it leaves your system. Same goes for nicotine, the stimulant in cigarettes.

Sleep on it. Anxiety can make it hard to sleep. But sleep is important for good mental health. Instead of expecting to lie down and drift off to dreamland, create a sleep routine that sets your body up for success. Swap the time you spend looking at screens for 10 minutes of relaxing music or a warm bath. Dim noise and lighting and adjust the temperature in your bedroom so you go to sleep, and stay asleep all night.

Get active. When you feel anxious, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. It's helpful in small doses but harmful at high levels. Regular exercise keeps your cortisol levels in check and benefits everything from your bones and organs to the numbers on your scale.

Learn to relax. Your body can't relax if it doesn't know how. Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, taking a walk in nature, or drawing a picture teach your body how it feels to be calm. Try a few to find what works best for you, and spend 30 minutes a day on it.