How to Listen to Your Body

If you are serious about taking better care of your own health and wellbeing, then you really do need to start listening to your body so that you can spot any warning signs that something might be wrong as soon as possible.

Okay, but how exactly do you listen to your body? Here are some tips that are sure to help you with that:

Scan your body

Body scan meditation is a really good tool that helps you to really tune in to your body and see what it feels like. You simply close your eyes and start focusing on the top of your head, moving down and through each and every body part, seeing what it feels like if there is any pain or tension, and so on so that you get a really good idea of what is normal for you.

That way, should something change in your body, you are fsr more likely to notice it sooner, rather than later, as a result. Practice a daily body scan and your wellness levels will be much improved.

Keep a journal

Something else that you can do to keep in touch with your body is to keep a journal of your symptoms if you have any. You can do things like rating your pain each day so that if anything changes significantly, you will know there is a potential problem, and you will be able to seek help far sooner. Ideally, you should write in your health journal every day for best results, but doing so even just once a week will help you to identify trends too.

Watch for warning signs

Warning signs are a big glaring beacon flashing to tell us that something is wrong, metaphorically speaking anyway. Warning signs are things like loss of speech, poor memory, shortness of breath, chest pains, and new and persistent stomach issues, amongst other things.

If you spot one of these warning signs in your body, it is important that you call a doctor as soon as possible so that you can get the right treatment whether it be from a cardiologist, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor doctor, a brain surgeon, or a paramedic. Warning signs should never be ignored if you want to protect your health as best you can.

Don’t ignore the small signs too

Of course, not all the signs that something is wrong in your body are big warning signs, things like headaches, lack of energy, and feelings of nausea can all indicate that you aren’t as well as you could be, whether because you are stressed or burnt out, or because you have some sort of underlying illness, so if you feel unwell in any of these ways, try resting for a few days, and if your symptoms still persist, head tot eh doctor’s office to have it checked out.

Don’t fight through fatigue

Because we all live such busy lives, many of us think that it is perfectly normal to feel tired most of the time. Sure, feeling tired after a long day of work or whatever is pretty normal, but if you feel tired more often than not, and even a good night’s sleep does not leave you feeling refreshed, you need to listen to your body.

Fatigue can be a sign of serious underlying issues such as cancer, diabetes, and M.E., amongst other things, so it is really important that you discuss your persistent fatigue with a qualified health professional who can conduct tests and try to get to the root cause of what is making you feel so exhausted all the time.

Pain is trying to tell you something

Aches and pains are a natural part of life, especially as we get older, but if you have lots of billing aches and pains that do not get better, then it may be worth having them investigated, 

It could just be simple wear and tear due to old age, but it could also be something like arthritis or degenerative disc disease which can and should be treated. 

It’s fine to watch and wait if your pain is not causing you a significant amount of trouble, but you should keep your doctors informed, and if you notice that your pain changes in any way, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

Don’t let your heart race

Without having it checked out. Obviously, your heart rate will be higher than usual if you have been exercising or doing something else that requires a lot of physical effort. However, if your heart starts to race and your pulse rises when you have not been particularly active, or if you start to feel dizzy too, then you need to listen to your body as it is clearly sending you a signal that all is not well and you will need to seek medical attention.

A racing heart can be a symptom of many issues from heart attack and stroke to diabetes and vitamin deficiencies, but it should always be investigated as soon as possible because, when it comes to your health, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Focus on your mood

Of course, it is not just your physical symptoms that can indicate a problem with your health. Listening to your body also means paying attention to your moods too. Download a mood tracker and make a daily entry so that you can follow trends in your mental health. If you notice that you have more bad days than good, it may be worth speaking to a doctor or therapist because you may need help with your mental health, but equally, it could be a physical issue, like a hormone imbalance, that is causing you to feel unwell too.

By paying attention to your body, you can prevent illness and disease from spreading by taking action to see a doctor and get it treated sooner, rather than later, so whatever you do, be sure to tune into your body today and every day!