Most of us don’t get enough sleep or exercise so self-care is a timely topic for almost everyone. But some people need more self-care than others. One reason some people need more self-care may surprise you. Twenty percent of the population require more self-care because they are highly sensitive persons.
Who are highly sensitive persons, what are their traits, and why do they need more self-care?
Dr. Elaine Aron, a psychologist and author, first studied and described this trait in her book, The Highly Sensitive Person.She discovered that 20% of the population think and feel everything more deeply. And she explained that being highly sensitive isn’t something that makes a person inadequate. It’s a trait, not a flaw. This trait can yield powerful strengths when used wisely.
Want to discover whether you or one of your children are highly sensitive? Click here to take the Highly Sensitive Person quiz.
Whether you are highly sensitive and/or have family members, co-workers, or neighbors who are highly sensitive, there’s a benefit to understanding and appreciating what each other has to offer. Now more than ever, we live in a world where we struggle to appreciate each other and our diversity.
Two challenges that highly sensitive persons experience are overthinking and emotional overwhelm that come from overstimulation. Getting enough of the right kind of self-care can help highly sensitive persons balance these tendencies.
Highly Sensitive Persons Need More Self-Care:
Highly sensitive persons do better with different self-care because of the tendency to get overwhelmed and then push through until they are exhausted.
Persons who are highly sensitive react more to stress and need a new way of handling stressors. Self-care is especially important because highly sensitive persons tend to put themselves last because they are very conscientious.
Some helpful Self-Care Tips for Highly Sensitive Persons are:
- Work: While they are at work, HSPs tend to need a low stimulation environment.
- Rest: HSPs need a lot of rest. Sleep is important as is time for meditation and contemplation.
- Fun: HSPs define fun differently, for example, by enjoying quietly reading a book.
- Caffeine: HSPs may react differently to caffeine and be more sensitive to its effects.
- Medications: HSPs may have stronger reactions to medications and require smaller dosages. Talk with your doctor if you believe this applies to you.
- Transition time: HSPs may need extra time between activities to recover from being over-stimulated, worn out, or hungry.
- Creativity: HSPsoften are highly creative and need to pick and choose and set priorities so they don’t become overwhelmed and exhausted.
Highly sensitive caregivers need to pay special attention to the cost of pushing and doing too much and gauge how much and what kind of self-care they need. The key is to find a balance between giving and receiving instead of neglecting self-care. For HSPs it takes tuning into and experimenting with what self-care works best for them as an individual.
I’m sharing this trait with you now because I discovered that I’m a highly sensitive person and how this trait effects my need for self-care. I’m continuing to find the balance between being and doing through meditation, getting enough rest and exercise, and making better choices instead of soothing myself with food. I help others with this too.
Knowing about this trait has helped me understand myself and grow stronger my business and personal life. My hope is that sharing this discovery will help you better understand yourself and those around you.
Many of the people I work with also are likely to be highly sensitive. They usually have nutrition-related conditions and want to lose weight. Often, they eat when they feel stressed. They just want something to eat, to snack on. But they may not be the healthiest choices. Food is a great thing and we love it and there’s a healthy way to do it. We want to be in a healthy relationship with food.
Need more help with building a healthy relationship with food? Don’t worry. Give us a call. We’ll make an appointment to talk via Zoom or by phone. We’ll see what’s right for you.
Call 301-869-1787 or click here to set up an appointment as my free gift to you.
Together we’ll create your healthy sweet life by building a healthy relationship with food.
To your Joy and Health,
Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist