Overwhelmed and Fatigued? Are you running on empty?
As women, we often wear many hats. We are mothers, partners, daughters, friends, carers, professionals and organisers of seemingly endless to do lists. We spend our days looking after the needs of others and making sure everything runs smoothly, often placing our own needs at the very bottom of the pile.
For many women, self care becomes something that happens “when there is time”. The problem is that time rarely appears on its own.
The reality is that motherhood, while deeply rewarding, can also be physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. Between school runs, work commitments, household responsibilities and caring for family members, it is easy to lose sight of the simple things that help us feel nourished and well.
In clinic, I often hear women say they feel exhausted, depleted or disconnected from themselves. They know they need to slow down, but they struggle to give themselves permission to do so.
What Happens When You Keep Pushing Through?
When we continually give our energy away without replenishing it, eventually our reserves begin to run low. We may notice fatigue, irritability, poor sleep, hormonal imbalances, headaches, digestive issues or simply a feeling that we are no longer functioning as well as we once did.
Chinese medicine has long recognised the importance of balance between activity and rest. Just as nature has seasons of growth and seasons of restoration, we too need times where we can pause, reflect and replenish.
Self care is often misunderstood as being indulgent or selfish. In reality, it is one of the most practical things we can do for our health.
Taking care of yourself does not take away from your ability to care for others. In many ways, it enhances it.
The Ripple Effect of Looking After Yourself
When a mother is well supported, the benefits extend far beyond her own health.
When we are rested, nourished and emotionally balanced, we are often more patient, more present and better able to respond to the needs of those around us. We have more energy to engage with our families and more capacity to navigate the challenges that inevitably arise.
Looking after yourself is not about striving for perfection. It is about recognising that your wellbeing matters too.
“I don’t have time’
One of the most common things I hear from women when we talk about self care is, “I just don’t have time.”
While there are certainly periods in life when time is limited, I often wonder if time is really the issue.
The truth is that we tend to make time for the things we consider important. We make time for our children’s activities, work commitments, appointments, household responsibilities and helping others because these things matter to us.
Yet somewhere along the way many women learn that their own needs are less important.
Self care becomes something that will happen later. After the children are older. After work settles down. After the house is organised. After everyone else has been looked after.
Unfortunately, that day rarely arrives.
What if instead of asking whether you have time, you asked whether you are making yourself a priority?
I am not talking about lavish weekends away or hours spent at a day spa. Self care can be as simple as taking a walk around the block, attending a yoga class, booking an acupuncture treatment, reading a book for twenty minutes or setting aside half an hour each week for a ritual that nourishes you.
If you have ever watched the safety demonstration on a plane, you will know that parents are instructed to put their own oxygen mask on first before helping their children. Not because they are more important, but because they are no use to anyone if they cannot breathe.
The same principle applies in everyday life. When we continually run on empty, everyone around us feels the impact. Looking after yourself is not selfish. It is necessary.
Self Care Is Not A Luxury
We can spend years putting everyone else’s needs before our own. By the time we seek help, we are not simply tired. We are exhausted. We may be experiencing poor sleep, low energy, irritability, anxiety, brain fog or the feeling that we are no longer coping as well as we once did.
In Chinese medicine, practitioners often see signs that the body’s reserves have become depleted from the constant demands of modern life, motherhood, work and caring for others.
While self care rituals are an important foundation, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can provide additional support when we have been running on empty for too long. There are many traditional herbal formulas to nourish and restore vitality and support recovery from periods of prolonged stress and depletion.
Sometimes a weekly face mask and a cup of tea are enough to help us reconnect with ourselves. At other times, we need a little more support to help replenish what has been gradually used up over months or even years.
When You Need a Little Extra Help
If you are running on empty, you do not have to keep pushing through. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help restore vitality, replenish depleted reserves and support you in feeling more like yourself again.
