There are some reasons mom feel stressed that are medical, such as not seeing clearly. Here are 5 things common to moms that can cause feelings of stress and worry, as well as help from Pearle Vision and other tips to overcome these problems. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pearle Vision for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Pregnancy has done a number on my body.
Not just in the ole tummy region.
Because I had 5 babies in 5 years, my “normal” became all jacked up. Bloating, headaches, and fatigue were par for the course—pregnant, nursing, or not.
It wasn’t until a few months ago, months after my last birth and decidedly not pregnant, that I began to unravel some trends I was seeing in my moods and behaviors. Here are some things I was experiencing that it took a while for me to isolate:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Heart and thoughts racing
- Afternoon crashing
While there are many things that can cause these symptoms, I’ve figured out how they occurred in my life and am working hard to eliminate them. I feel sure there are many of you out there who are feeling similar things, so I hope this helps.
5 Common Reasons Moms Feel Stressed
Here are some issues common to moms when you’re feeling stressed. It’s crummy to feel stressed and have to try to stay calm and present, as we mothers want to do!
Regular Exams
As a busy mom, I haven’t always made it a priority to get my eyes checked as regularly as I should. Recently, I decided that, to take care of me, it was time to schedule an appointment for an eye exam* at Pearle Vision. The experts at Pearle Vision were incredible helpful, and helped me learn that my headaches were brought on by an old eye prescription. Not only was I using a screen for an hour or two a day, but I was wearing contacts and glasses that were not up-to-date, causing eye strain.
You can really tell how much the experts at Pearle Vision care. The doctor took the time to teach me about how an out-of-date prescription causes this eye strain, which leads to the fatigue and headaches I have been experiencing! While this might seem like a “duh” thing, I simply did not have regular eye appointments on rotation. And as busy moms know, if it isn’t on the schedule, it doesn’t happen.
I have a babysitter that comes with me to most daily appointments when I need to bring all 5 kids (or even 4 kids) because of #waitingrooms. The day I went in for my eye exam was no different and, lucky for us, the Pearle Vision we went to is in a beachy tourist town with things for the kids to do. Because I’m still nursing my little guy, he and I went in for the appointment, and my babysitter took the other kids away. I’m usually worried when I have to bring a small baby to appointments because many people are not *ahem* baby-friendly, but the staff at Pearle Vision was so friendly and accommodating that we had a great time.
My baby is also pretty easy, so that helped. We went in and walked around, choosing which frames I would end up with, as my current frames were 4+ years old. What can I say? I’m not a fashion diva.
The Pearle Vision staff helped me choose glasses and lenses that were thin enough for my gargantuan prescription, and lenses that were anti-glare. They helped give me great advice on the pair that looked best on me! I had my little guy with me throughout the entire exam, machines and all, and it was an excellent experience. He even sat quietly—okay, he bounced and ate his fist—through the actual eye exam, which was the part I was worried about. The doctor was very gracious (probably a grandfather!), and we had no snafus.
Learning that I am a blogger, the doctor told me that getting anti-glare glasses would help avoid any headaches I had relating to the blue glare from the computer! I felt relieved I’d be getting not only new glasses that didn’t make me squint, but ones that would help me to focus better and avoid discomfort when I worked.
Having said all of that, if you wear glasses or contacts, after learning how important annual eye exams are, I recommend keeping up to date on your prescription.
On another medical note, if you are currently on medication, be sure not to miss pills, and get evaluated regularly to be sure you’re on the right dosage. Why? Because pregnancy and birth can wreak havoc on your body, and on hormones—which leads me to my next point…
Hormone Disturbance
A dear friend told me recently that she started experiencing stress and anxiety out of nowhere. Not because of any particular situation—there was no event that brought it on. She just started getting super anxious.
After a few months of meeting with a doctor, getting referred, and finding a specialist, come to find out that her hormone levels were bottomed out. She was put on a strict vitamin regimen and, after a few short weeks, the anxiety went away. Don’t assume your new emotions are *you*, because they might be your *hormones.*
Dehydration
There are competing schools of thought, but you should generally try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day or 1/2 oz. for every pound you weigh. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you’d want to drink 75 oz. of water daily.
Nursing mothers are particularly prone to dehydration. They spend all day making milk, and if they aren’t careful can find themselves dehydrated.
Symptoms of dehydration that lead to stress include sluggishness, dizziness, fatigue, weakness, and even heart palpitations that can feel like anxiety. You feel worn out, tired, and over it.
How to Drink More:
- Get a cup that tracks the number of glasses you’ve had in a day.
- Make yourself drink a cup of water before or after your preferred drink (ahem, coffee or Coke).
- Add ice and a squirt of lemon or lime juice to give your water flavor.
Diet
We like to think we can eat what we want and still feel good. And you know what? This may have worked for us in our youth. But if you are not as young as you used to be (just like me!), now is the time to evaluate our diets.
We often tend towards extremes: eating too much or not eating enough. I find I don’t eat enough, and it makes my metabolism sluggish. I’m not as hungry as I used to be, so I forget to eat meals. Then I feel like I’m starving, and eat whatever I can get my hands on.
Bad idea.
Here are some easy ways to have a better diet:
- Plan your meals.
- Don’t keep anything in the house that you shouldn’t eat.
- Prep some snacks in Ziploc bags a week ahead so you have a go-to healthy snack.
- Find a few staples and always keep the pantry and fridge stocked with these.
Cup Fill vs. Empty Ratio
There are activities that give us energy and activities that drain us. If we fill our days with activities that drain us, we feel defeated, fatigued, and discouraged. If we make sure to add in activities or habits that make us feel good, we strike a balance.
Here are some ways to add in things you love without much effort:
- Do something in the morning (before the kids wake up) that you love.
- Have good fiction books on hand to read as an escape instead of escaping into your phone.
- Go outside!
- Make a list of things that make you happy and try to do one or two every day.
To recap: If you are feeling stressed, look below the surface to find the reasons. Instead of managing the symptoms, dig deeper.
Mind your health.
Mind your heart.
Mind your daily habits.
A few weeks ago, I went to Pearle Vision to get my eyes checked. The kind people there even let me bring my baby boy with me! I was able to get a full exam for both glasses and contacts, and we determined that I was having headaches as a result of an out-of-date prescription. Since getting a new prescription, I’ve had a lot less headaches.
If you need to Schedule an Eye Exam you can find a local Pearle Vision here.
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