There’s no denying that life in the US right now is incredibly stressful. For one, the pandemic is still weighing heavily on everyone’s mind. The world was tossed into chaos and we had to adjust a new way of doing things, and not all of us handled it well. The massive loss of life and the lifestyle adjustments took a toll on our mental health.
Many essential workers were overworked, over-stressed, and now struggle with burnout. Add on top the fact that now we’re juggling a rough economy, the looming resumption of student loan payments, and the never-ending cesspool of politics. And that doesn’t even begin to touch on anything happening within your household!
At times like this, it can be easy to give in to the stress. Our mental health takes a beating, and our relationships struggle as a result. This amount of stress can impact your physical health, as well. So why not tackle your health and your relationship at the same time? You and your partner can be happier and healthier— together.
Strengthen Your Mental Health
While it’s true that lifestyle changes can help improve your mood, some things go deeper. Couples psychotherapy can do wonders in helping you and your partner grow closer together and help each other adjust.
Going to a psychotherapist for relationships and mental health is no different than making an appointment with a doctor to check your blood work and wellness. And after the turmoil everyone has been through these past few years, our mental health could use the checkup. Couples therapy can help you and your partner process together while building intimacy and communication.
Get Active
You and your partner can also find ways to work out together and encourage each other to keep going. Starting a fitness journey is always better with company, and new workouts are a time to be vulnerable in front of each other.
You can learn to support each other while discovering new activities and working out some of the stress from your daily life. Even better, you can find exercises that are tailored for couples, such as tandem cycling or partnered yoga.
The Bay area has a wide selection of physical activities for couples as well as individual activities that you can choose to do together. It’s a great way to explore the cities and try new things: maybe you’ll finally sign up for those dance lessons or go skating by the coast.
Be careful to start small and build yourself up. If you haven’t done a certain activity before, or if you had a very sedentary lifestyle, you can risk injuring yourself when trying something new. You can talk to your doctor for advice or sign up for beginner’s classes. An instructor who understands the activity deeply can help ease you in and then scale up the difficulty.
Eat Better
Did you know that what you eat can affect your mood? It’s no secret that a healthy diet can improve your overall physical health, but certain foods can help your mental health as well. And making a foundational change in how you eat is hard to do alone.
You and your partner can work together to change your habits and find what food fits you best. Keep in mind not every eating style works for everyone. Some people feel fantastic on keto, while others feel groggy and foggy-headed because they need those extra carbs.
It’s a good idea to talk with your doctors before you get started and as you start experimenting with food. They can help guide you to healthy choices and track the effect your new diet has on you. You can also find a licensed nutritionist or dietician in the Bay Area to help you discover different eating styles and give them a good attempt before trying the next.
Be Intentional In Your Relationship
Don’t fall into the trap of becoming passive in your relationship. With all the things that clamor for our attention these days, it’s entirely too easy to leave our partner lacking. Instead, be intentional with your affection. Make a point to spend more time doing things together.
Love is more than just an emotion— it’s your actions. It’s how you treat each other, how you speak to each other, and how you prioritize each other. Even if you aren’t working on your health, you should continue to strengthen your relationship. The Bay Area has so many things for couples to do together:
you can try new restaurants, go to concerts or theater performances, or check out some of the local shops. Or you can stay at home and play games together or pick a show to watch with each other. Whatever you do, do it together.
