How is Your Divorce Impacting Your Health and Can You Prevent It?
One of the most important things to be aware of is how your case is affecting your overall health. Robert Hetlser, has written a great article about, "How Your Health is Impacted by Your Divorce." It is important to be aware of how these stressors affect your overall health, such as increase depression and increased anxiety.
Higher Risk of Depression. This may sound obvious, but research clearly shows that people who have experience depression in their pasts are at a greater risk of serious depression during their divorce proceedings.
Sleep Disruption. It is completely normal to have a disruption to your normal sleep pattern during high stress time. However, blood pressure problems are directly linked to sleep disruption!
Increased Anxiety Levels. While some anxiety is inevitable when it comes to your divorce, visiting a doctor is always recommended if the anxiety starts dictating and interfering with your daily life.
Increased odds of a heart attack. A research team at Duke University discovered that divorce could directly impact your risk for heart attack, but especially in women.
But, Hetlser points out, it's equally important to remember that these stressors are temporary and can be mitigated by taking care of yourself. It actually is important to not only your personal health but everyone around you that you put yourself first sometimes! What do you do if divorce is imminent? Recognize that divorce is temporary, and all the stress associated with a divorce will eventually fade. There is a new chapter waiting for you at the end of the tunnel!
One of our core values at Rider Goodwin Law is to help our clients and colleagues pause in the midst of their divorce and remember the bigger picture. Below are take aways to assist in alleviating the stress of whatever life may throw at you:
1. Repeat after me- "It's amarathon-not a sprint." Divorce isn’t always quick, make sure to take some time for yourself. Go for that extra page of coloring and give yourself the time to step back and breathe.
2. It's okay to ask for help.This may be the hardest thing to do of all, but its okay to admit when you need help, especially when it comes to putting your mental health first.
3. Set limits! You do not need to say yes to everyone and everything, especially if you are going through a divorce. You may want to look like Super Woman (Or Super Man), but it’s okay to say no!
Lastly, good mental health is something all of us should take time to nourish and not take for granted! Even if you may be doing "okay"-it never hurts to do a self-assessment of your satisfaction vs stress level. Also, think about what you do that helps keep you in your healthiest state of mind- and make a point to do more of it if you can.