The new year is here; are you reflecting on things?
It almost seems a natural reaction in life that as the holidays reach us, the New Year usually brings a moment for reflection.
The New Year is a time to think about what has happened to us in the past year, to view the growth and change we made, and to determine if other change is something desired. This year I notice my self-reflection is about health. I am viewing health in a different light now.
I have always bounced back from sports injuries, ailments, and thankfully have been relatively healthy my whole life, therefore never thought about the true meaning of being healthy. But I have realized in the past few months that I could be taking care of myself better, and that my life depends on it. And that goes for all of us.
The year, 2013, was not a kind year to many people I know. It was tragic for my agency, especially. We lost four of our own to a traffic accident, a self-inflicted gunshot wound and two to serious illnesses. I think about them and their families. We can keep their memories alive and celebrate them by living our best lives yet.
Stress, health issues, and improper nutrition affix to almost every single individual in some way. Working in our chosen profession with the long hours, inconsistent sleeping, not enough sleep, and not eating well just are not a good combination.
Stress on the body can take a toll numerous ways, physically and mentally. Stress is a silent killer. It contributes to physical and psychological changes in the body and mind that impact other conditions including: heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and many other ailments.
I have noticed my coworkers developing serious health issues and even not so serious but irritating things like injured backs, knees, shoulders, and even common colds. It can be hard to deal with health issues or chronic pain and continuing a life of shiftwork and long hours.
I even suffered a mild concussion recently which gave me a bruised nose and black eye (which I weirdly accepted as pretty cool since it was from ERT training and not from an inmate altercation). I have also dealt with several nasty colds and a sinus infection that will not let go: nothing like throwing your back out from coughing!
It’s been a few months of unusual health issues that I’ve never really dealt with before. I pushed myself by not calling in sick and worked through it all, until last week when exhaustion set in and I knew I needed time off to get better. I’m not sure pushing myself as I have always done was the smartest thing for my health, because I have noticed I am not as resilient as I once was in my younger years. I realized this does not mean I am weak, just human.
Many who work in our field are stressed from the job duties and the environments we work in, but more are subconsciously stressed by managing life balance with shiftwork, working graveyards, working overtime with minimal days off, understaffing and overcrowding, finances, dealing with family relationships, schedules and issues, dealing with aging parents, commuting, and maintaining our overall health all the time.
When you are low on energy at work, put down that Monster drink or 5-Hour Energy. Take a few deep breaths and re-energize by drinking more water. Get some fresh air and go walk the yard. Stand up and stretch. Do an extra safety and security check.
Health can benefit from the smallest of changes. New Year’s resolutions are great motivational tools for the goals we would like to attain. Although they are great to have, don’t set those goals too high where they are almost unattainable. Keep it simple.
I, for the first time though, have recognized a new desire of what healthy is about. I finally admit that I have been lying to myself that because I cut down on my fast food runs and have maintained the same weight for years does not mean I am truly healthy.
I think the first component is being honest with yourself that you may not be as healthy as you think you are. When was the last time you went to the doctor? When was the last time you had lab work done to check your cholesterol or vitamin levels? When was the last time you had your blood sugar levels checked? Are you a pre-diabetic?
We must strive to stay alive. And with that, I am ringing in the New Year and ending the year looking forward with hope. Here’s to a healthy, happy and safe 2014 for you and yours.
What are your reflections of 2013 and your 2014 resolutions?