Dr. Kassam Self Care Using Hydrotherapy
Self-Care Using Hydrotherapy
Written By: Dr. Saira Kassam, ND
"Work is driving me crazy; the laundry isn’t done yet; dinner hasn’t been prepared; the kids still need help with their homework; lunch needs to be prepared" etc. etc. How many of these thoughts run through your mind every night? With all these things going on in the background, we often forget to take care of ourselves, whether it’s skipping lunch, avoiding the gym, forgetting your friends or getting 4 hours a sleep a night to get everything done. Eventually, this causes a BURNOUT! A burnout can appear in so many different forms, ranging from anger to extreme fatigue to insomnia. We all need to partake in some form of self-care. Self-care is something that is provided for YOU, by YOU. It is not being selfish, it is essential! It means recognizing what you need and figuring out ways in which they can be met. Emotional hygiene is real! We need to take care of our emotions, our minds and our bodies. I know for many people, taking this time to yourselves is an extremely difficult task. However, I encourage you all to take those 20 minutes to yourself every day. In this post, I talk about using hydrotherapy as a form of self-care because it is quick and easily accessible. It is totally doable for every one of you - even all you hardworking mom’s out there! Hydrotherapy involves the medicinal use of water. There are many different forms of hydrotherapy, including hot tubs, ice packs, saunas, mineral springs, hot springs, sitz baths and water exercises. Hydrotherapy can increase blood circulation and increase the production of endorphins. This can help:
If all you have is that 20 or 30 minutes to yourself, try one of these hydrotherapy routines:
Although hydrotherapy is low risk for most people, it can pose risk for certain groups including:
No matter what method of self-care you chose to practice, just make sure you take those 20-30 minutes to yourself at least 2-3 times a week. It is so important to prevent that mental and physical "burn-out". Self-care is the best way to reduce stress and improve fatigue. If you are feeling run down, this will help you catch your breath! |