6 Ways to Listen to Your Body More
By Jasmine Clark, Live Well Enhance You Contributing Writer
We all want to avoid health problems. Some health problems are unavoidable because they’re caused by things outside our control. But other times our health problems are caused by us not listening to our bodies.
Our bodies give us signals to tell us something’s wrong. When you read about the signals below, you may think “That’s so obvious. I already know that.” Yes, these things seem obvious when you read them, but in everyday life it’s easy to ignore these signals. So as you read this, ask yourself: “Am I really listening to my body?”
If you’re hungry, eat
One of the best ways to listen to your body is by practicing mindful eating habits. Mindful eating is about being aware of your physical feelings, as well as emotions, in relation to eating. For example, if you’re hungry or thirsty, that’s an important physical feeling to be aware of and honor. Your body is telling you that it needs something.
The problem is, when you’re very busy, you may ignore your own hunger. You may feel the uncomfortable sensation of hunger, but you tell yourself “I’m just about to eat but first I have to finish this task.” Then you start focusing on the task so much that the uncomfortable sensation fades into the background and you don’t eat for a long time. Stop, take a break, and get some food.
If you’re full, stop eating
Let’s say you listened to your body when it was hungry, and you started eating. That’s great but what about stopping when you’re full? This is another way you can listen to your body and practice mindful eating.
Resist the urge to finish everything on your plate just because it’s there. As you eat, notice what you’re doing – are you trying to eat everything on the plate because you genuinely don’t feel full, or because the food is there in front of you and you want to “complete” it? If it’s the latter, you can stop eating and put that extra food aside for another day so it won’t go to waste.
Pay attention to how your food makes you feel
When you’re eating (or drinking), it’s easy to pay attention to the smell, taste and texture of the food and not pay enough attention to how it makes you feel after you eat it. Does eating certain foods result in…
Stomach pain?
Bloating?
Gas?
Feeling tired?
Another frustrating symptom?
In some cases the food you eat just doesn’t agree with your body. Your body might have trouble digesting that food. In other cases, there was nothing bad about the food itself but the amount was too much, because you didn’t stop eating when you were full. The amount you ate was more than what your body wanted at that time.
On the other hand, some foods make you feel nourished and refreshed instead of causing unpleasant feelings. Try some of these foods that can lower your stress and improve your health.
If you’re tired, go to sleep
How many times in the past month have you done this: You intend to go to bed by a certain time, but you end up staying up late because there’s something that just “has to get done right now.” As you keep working on the task, you find yourself yawning, drooping over, and struggling to keep your eyelids open.
Your body is trying to tell you that it needs sleep, but you’re fighting against your own body by forcing yourself to stay awake. Try to avoid this situation as much as possible. If you’re honest with yourself, maybe some of those “has to get done right now” things can wait until the next day. It’s best to stick to your bedtime, though if that doesn’t happen, it’s nice to take a nap during the day.
If you’re sore while exercising, take a rest
Exercise is enormously important for your health, no question about that! The question is, are you exercising in a way that harms more than it helps? When you’re exercising and you start feeling pain, do you pause or push your body to keep going? Usually you’d take a pause or just work on other parts of your body for the rest of your workout, but that doesn’t always happen.
When you have a specific workout routine planned, you might feel like you “failed” if you don’t finish it perfectly. Or if you’re exercising with friends and your friends can do the workout just fine, there’s pressure to not want to “look bad” in front of them. These scenarios can lead to you trying to push through the pain… and that’s not what your body wants.
Overworking your body can cause lingering pain well after your workout is over, and it can even cause injury. So keep in mind this quote from Ronald Maughan, honorary professor at the University of St. Andrews: “The truth is, for most people, gentle exercise is all you need. … Pain isn’t a necessary part of exercise — it’s a sign you’re doing too much, too fast.”
If you have headaches, they could be caused by stress
Stress doesn’t just make you unhappy – it can actually create physical symptoms. Headaches are a common example of a physical problem that can be caused by stress. And even headaches that aren’t caused by stress can be made worse by stress. Stress can also cause other physical symptoms like gastrointestinal issues or muscle aches and pains.
Don’t just ignore these symptoms and “power through” them. What is your body trying to tell you? Maybe your body is sending you a signal that there’s ongoing stress in your life that isn’t being dealt with. Trying some easy ways to reduce your stress is a good start.
Ultimately, listen to your body, and also… listen to your doctor. Sometimes your body’s signals can be confusing. If you’re trying to listen to your body but you’re still experiencing confusing symptoms, ask your doctor for help.
Work with your body, not against it. Be grateful for all your body does for you. Your body is a treasure, so value it and listen to its signals!
Jasmine Clark is a freelance writer from North Carolina. She enjoys writing about topics such as stress relief and positive thinking. She likes to encourage others to find ways to calm down and relax. In her spare time, she loves to write fiction stories and watch TV and YouTube. You can find her on Instagram @cozysachi.