Nurses have to go through a lot of pressure in their jobs. They have to meet many responsibilities, including but not limited to overseeing patients’ health, updating patient files, or assisting in surgeries. Amidst this busy schedule, they usually forget about their health leading to mental and physical health problems.

Nursing requires strength and determination to provide aid and comfort to people in pain. Thus, fending off health problems is especially important for nurses. The following simple steps can help nurses stay healthy, so they don’t have to take time off work to recuperate.

As a nurse, if you want to stay healthy, keep on reading this article. It will let you know about ten amazing health tips.

1) Have adequate amount of sleep

Three things that are most needed by the human body are food, water, and sleep. The first two are fairly obvious, but many people tend to ignore the latter’s importance; however, it should not be ignored as it takes a heavy toll on everything from immune system health to concentration, mood, and ability to retain new information. As a nurse, one of the best ways to stay healthy is to ensure that you are getting a good amount of sleep.

 2) Follow good-eating habits

Nurses have very busy schedules, and finding time to think about healthy meals can be difficult. Thus, selecting a nursing dieting plan for once can help you maintain a healthy diet, improving your work efficiency as a nurse. Healthy nutrients not just help the body but also the mind as well. 

3) Exercise daily

Although nurses have very tough schedules, they must manage time to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Exercise is essential for good health. Nurses who exercise have the physical stamina demanded by the rigors of their jobs. As a nurse, you must make exercise part of your life to stay healthy and avoid illness.

Exercise is also effective at reducing the stress you build up at work. You should properly exercise every day to stay physically and mentally fit. Do not think that walking all-day around the wards is a good exercise; it’s not making your heart beat fast or making you sweat. You must follow proper exercise activities, like jogging, jumping rocks, or lifting weights.

4) Increase Water intake

As mentioned above, water is among the three essential requirements of human beings to sustain life. Due to busy schedules, most nurses tend to skip bathroom breaks, and to avoid the need of urinating so often; they take less water intake. It is not a good approach, as proper hydration is important for human beings to stay healthy and happy. Staying hydrated positively affects the body and the mind of a person. Thus, as a nurse, you must adequately maintain your water intake to stay healthy and efficiently do your work.

5) Limit caffeine intake

Although caffeine intake helps your mind awake throughout the day, it’s not good for your overall health. High caffeine intake can disturb your body in many ways. Although being a nurse, you have to be active all day long; you must not think of caffeine as a solution. If you maintain a healthy schedule, you will be naturally revitalized and active like the ones mentioned above. 

6) Protect Yourself from Infection

Nurses working in hospitals have a high risk of getting infected. As a nurse, you must protect yourself from infection to avoid illness and stay healthy. You can reduce the risk of infection; for example, an easy yet effective way of protection is washing your hands thoroughly and frequently. Moreover, there are different vaccines available to protect from various infections, so consult a doctor to know which ones may be effective. Prevention is better than cure.

7) Stay Mindful of Body Mechanics

Body mechanics refer to the safe bodily movements to carry, bend, move, and lift objects and people. In the hospital, while moving, transferring, and positioning patients, keep in mind the techniques of body mechanics to prevent any injury to the patient and yourself. Even while using or shifting equipment, use proper body mechanic techniques to reduce your risk of injury.

8) Take frequent breaks

Charlotte Fritz, an Associate Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, says that “Taking regular breaks helps us to be more resilient when stressors arise, and they function as an intervention to help us deal with the daily grind.” So, as a nurse, you should take frequent short breaks during your work hours to give your body time to recover from the work stress.

9) Treat yourself

Nursing is a stressful job so remember to treat yourself from time to time. By giving a treat to yourself, you will feel rewarded for your hard work. Give a treat to yourself by calling a best friend, buying something you have been looking forward to, or arranging a holiday trip for yourself.

10) Make meditation part of life

To be mentally healthy, you must make meditation part of your life. Multiple research findings have shown that meditation effectively reduces stress and weariness in nurses. You must find at least 10 minutes to meditate every day at all costs. It will help you a great deal in staying emotionally stable and mentally healthy.

Conclusion

The nursing profession aims to give comfort and support to people that are suffering and in need of care. It can only be done by nursing professionals who are physically fit and emotionally stable. As a nurse, you must stay healthy by taking care of your physical and mental health. You can take care of your physical health by opting for a healthy diet, increasing water intake, and doing exercises regularly. In addition, you must protect yourself from infections through vaccinations and other protective measures. Alongside your physical health, you must also take care of your mental health by meditating to ensure that you provide the best care to your patients.

Happy Reading.