While it’s good to push yourself and work hard, these things can’t happen if you don’t also practice self-care. Caring for yourself assures that you won’t become tired, overworked, or even unhealthy. Here are some tips for gymnasts to better your mental and physical health.
Rest and Leisure Time
Do you get enough sleep? How about leaving enough time for relaxation? Both are very important for your health. You should set your alarms and your bedtime to guarantee that you get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Getting enough sleep allows your body to recover from practice and make sure you can perform your best gymnastics the next day. Getting enough sleep also helps you focus and reduces the risk of injuries. Make sure to also leave time during the day to relax and to do things that you enjoy, like drawing or reading. Both of these will help reduce stress and make you feel more refreshed. Going into practice every day with a fresh and calm mind helps keep you safe and allows you to practice better gymnastics!
Eat and Drink Right
Although it’s easy to go through the drive-thru and grab a soda and a burger or some fries, your body will thank you for a healthy, home-cooked meal and some refreshing water. Eat at home or a healthy restaurant as much as you can, and pack healthy snacks for on-the-go eating. When at restaurants and even at home, keep away from soda if it’s an option. Cutting back on sugars, caffeine, and grease will make you more energized and prevent stomach aches. Proper fueling and hydration allow gymnasts to not only feel better but gives them more energy to be able to do the strenuous tasks of gymnastics.
Exercise and Go Outside
Sometimes it’s hard to make time to exercise or go outdoors, but getting some sunshine and fresh air is just what the doctor ordered! Whether it’s doing cartwheels or looking for bugs in the backyard, being active and with nature will make you feel relaxed and happy. Vitamin D is essential to the human body and keeps the mind happy!
It’s tempting to be the very best, but this can also cause you to be too hard on yourself if you make mistakes. Remind yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to. You can work towards being great, but make sure not to push yourself into exhaustion.
Get Help When Needed
If you’re stressed, sad, or nervous, it’s never a bad thing to talk to someone or ask for help. Don’t be afraid to talk to a coach or parent if you have questions or just need to vent. It will relieve the negative feelings that you have been building up and help you explore and solve the problem you are experiencing.
It’s so important to spend time on self-care. As a gymnast, you put your body through a lot with daily practice and difficult skills. Make sure you love yourself and your body every day! We hope that you enjoyed these self-care tips. Do you have any self-care tips that you would like to share? Tell us in the comments below. Have a great weekend!
