How to Build a Self-Care Routine That Works
1. Start with Regulation, Not Reward
Before you reach for bubble baths, start with what helps your nervous system feel safe. That might be:
- Deep breathing
- Journaling
- Turning off notifications
- Spending time in silence
Once you’re regulated, you can layer in restorative or pleasurable activities.
2. Use the “5-Pillar” Framework
Design a routine that touches these five areas across the week:
- Physical (movement, sleep, nutrition)
- Emotional (therapy, creative expression, boundaries)
- Mental (limiting media overload, learning something new)
- Social (supportive connection, saying no to draining relationships)
- Spiritual (mindfulness, nature, purpose, values)
You don’t have to hit all five every day—just build awareness around which areas are undernourished.
3. Think Micro, Not Macro
You don’t need a two-hour morning routine to “do it right.” Start with one tiny action that supports your well-being, like:
- Drinking a glass of water before coffee
- Taking three deep breaths between meetings
- Saying “no” when your body says stop
Small, consistent choices change everything.
4. Track What Actually Helps
Notice how you feel after each self-care activity. Does it energize, ground, or soothe you? Or leave you more depleted? Keep what works. Let go of what doesn’t—even if it’s popular.
5. Be Gentle with Yourself
Self-care isn’t about discipline—it’s about relationship. The goal is not perfection. It’s presence. If you miss a day (or a week), that doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re human.
Your Self-Care Should Feel Like You
There’s no one-size-fits-all routine. Yours might be quiet mornings and yoga. Someone else’s might be boxing and loud music. The point is: it works for you, not anyone else.
At Blue Moon Therapy, we work with clients to unlearn guilt, build nervous system awareness, and create rhythms of care that support healing—not burnout.
Need Help Rebuilding Your Relationship with Yourself?
We offer trauma-informed therapy and self-regulation support that meets you where you are. Whether you’re burned out, overwhelmed, or just trying to keep up, we’re here to help.
Reach out today to begin a self-care journey rooted in compassion and sustainability.
Nutrition and Mood: Eating for Emotional Well-Being
What you eat doesn’t just affect your waistline—it affects your brain, your mood, and your ability to cope with stress. At Blue Moon Therapy, we often remind clients that emotional regulation isn’t just psychological—it’s physiological. And nutrition plays a powerful role in supporting your mental health.
If you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, mood swings, or fatigue, your food choices might be making things harder—or helping you heal.
The Gut-Brain Connection
Your gut and brain are in constant communication via the vagus nerve and the gut microbiome. In fact, over 90% of your body’s serotonin—a key mood-regulating chemical—is produced in the gut.
When your gut is inflamed or out of balance, it can lead to:
- Increased anxiety
- Depressive symptoms
- Brain fog
- Poor sleep
- Heightened reactivity
Supporting gut health through nutrition directly impacts your emotional health.
Foods That Support Mental Well-Being
1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Found in fatty fish (like salmon), walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseed, omega-3s support brain structure and reduce inflammation—both key for mood regulation.
2. Fiber and Fermented Foods
Foods like oats, lentils, apples, and fermented vegetables (like kimchi or sauerkraut) feed your gut microbiome, which influences neurotransmitter production and inflammation.
3. Magnesium-Rich Foods
Leafy greens, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate can reduce anxiety symptoms and support nervous system regulation.
4. Protein
Amino acids in protein-rich foods help build dopamine and serotonin. Eggs, chicken, legumes, and tofu are all excellent options.
5. Antioxidant-Rich Produce
Berries, citrus, spinach, and colorful vegetables combat oxidative stress and support overall brain function.
Foods That Can Disrupt Mood and Mental Clarity
Not all foods are supportive. Some may worsen anxiety, brain fog, and emotional dysregulation, especially in sensitive systems:
- Refined sugar: Can cause energy crashes and emotional volatility
- Caffeine: Can increase heart rate and mimic anxiety symptoms
- Processed foods: Often high in additives that disrupt gut health
- Alcohol: Temporarily numbs but worsens depression and sleep quality long term
It’s not about perfection—it’s about paying attention to how food makes you feel.
What We See in Therapy
Clients who begin supporting their nutrition—even with small shifts—often notice:
- More emotional stability
- Improved focus and energy
- Fewer panic attacks or emotional crashes
- Better sleep and physical regulation
Therapy works better when the body is supported. Food is one of the most accessible ways to start that support.
How to Start Eating for Mental Health
Start Small
Don’t try to overhaul everything. Begin with one intentional change:
- Add a handful of spinach to your eggs
- Swap soda for sparkling water
- Eat one meal away from screens and stress
Listen to Your Body
Notice how you feel after eating. More calm? More foggy? Tracking mood after meals can help identify what supports your system.
Bring Food Into Therapy
We invite clients to talk about their nutrition—not from a place of shame, but from a place of curiosity and support. What you eat is part of your emotional landscape.
You Deserve to Feel Nourished—Physically and Emotionally
At Blue Moon Therapy, we believe in whole-person healing. That means understanding how trauma, stress, and emotions interact with food, the body, and the brain.
You don’t have to go on a diet—you just need support in making aligned, gentle choices that fuel your healing.
Reach out today to begin a therapy journey that honors the mind-body connection—and helps you feel more grounded, clear, and emotionally well.
The Importance of Sleep in Mental Health
Sleep is one of the most powerful—and overlooked—tools for supporting emotional well-being. While it’s easy to view rest as a luxury or something to sacrifice for productivity, the truth is: your brain cannot function without quality sleep. And when sleep suffers, so does your mental health.
At Blue Moon Therapy, we treat sleep not as a side issue, but as a central pillar of healing. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or stress—sleep is a critical part of your recovery.
How Sleep Affects Your Mental Health
When you sleep, your brain performs essential functions:
- Processes emotional experiences
- Regulates mood and memory
- Flushes out stress hormones
- Restores nervous system balance
Even one night of poor sleep can impact focus, mood, and resilience. Chronic sleep disruption increases the risk of:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- PTSD
- Emotional dysregulation
- Cognitive fog and burnout
Mental Health Conditions That Impact Sleep
Many mental health struggles make sleep harder, including:
- Anxiety: Racing thoughts, restlessness, or nighttime panic
- Depression: Difficulty falling asleep or waking too early
- Trauma/PTS: Nightmares, hypervigilance, fear of sleep
- ADHD: Delayed sleep phase, trouble winding down
It becomes a cycle: poor mental health affects sleep, and poor sleep worsens mental health.
How to Improve Sleep in a Trauma-Informed Way
Improving sleep isn’t about rigid routines—it’s about creating safety in your body and brain. Here are strategies we often recommend:
1. Create a “Winding Down” Window
Start transitioning out of stimulation mode 30–60 minutes before bed. This might include:
- Dim lighting
- Putting away screens
- Gentle movement or stretching
- Herbal tea (e.g., chamomile, lemon balm)
- Reading something non-stimulating
2. Regulate Your Nervous System
If your body doesn’t feel safe, it won’t fully rest. Try:
- Box breathing or deep belly breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Body scan meditation
- Listening to calming soundscapes or binaural beats
3. Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment
- Keep the room dark, cool, and quiet
- Use a white noise machine if external sounds are triggering
- Remove clutter or anything that creates visual stress
- Reserve your bed for sleep and intimacy—not work or doomscrolling
4. Address Underlying Emotional Blocks
Sometimes, the real issue isn’t sleep hygiene—it’s unresolved trauma, anxiety, or grief that surfaces at night. Therapy can help you process what’s keeping your system alert and allow rest to return naturally.
5. Be Compassionate with Sleep Disruptions
Waking up at 3 a.m.? Instead of spiraling, try this:
- Sit up and breathe slowly
- Name 3 things that are okay right now
- Resist the urge to pick up your phone
- Remind your body it’s safe to return to rest
Sleep Isn’t Lazy—It’s Healing
Sleep isn’t something you “earn.” It’s a biological and psychological need. It’s the foundation of mental clarity, emotional balance, and physical health. Prioritizing it isn’t selfish—it’s self-preserving.
At Blue Moon Therapy, we help clients rebuild sleep from the inside out—by addressing the nervous system, unprocessed trauma, and practical sleep supports.
If You’re Tired, That’s a Signal—Not a Weakness
You don’t have to live in survival mode. With the right support, sleep can become restorative again. And when sleep improves, everything else starts to shift.
Reach out today to explore how trauma-informed therapy can help you reclaim your rest—and your emotional balance.
For Immediate Help
Emergency Medical Services—911
If the situation is potentially life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, DIAL 988 or Live Online Chat
If you or someone you know is suicidal or in emotional distress, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Trained crisis workers are available to talk 24 hours a day, 7days a week. Your confidential and toll-free call goes to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals.
SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-662-HELP (1-877-662-4357)
Get general information on mental health and locate treatment services in your area. Speak to a live person, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.
Help for Service Members and Their Families
A free service provided by the Department of Defense to service members and their families to help with a broad range of concerns, including possible mental health problems? Call and talk anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-800-342-9647 or Live Chat
DCoE Outreach Center
The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) provides information and resources about psychological health, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and traumatic brain injury. To contact the center: Click this link for more information.
- 1. Call 1-866-966-1020, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- 2. Real Warriors
- 3. Email: [email protected]
TRICARE®
TRICARE® is the health care program serving uniformed service members, retirees, and their families worldwide.
Veterans
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Resources
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Resources provides information about mental health and support services specifically for veterans.
- The VA Mental Health connects veterans to mental health services the VA provides for veterans and families. All mental health care provided by VHA supports recovery. The programs aim to enable people with mental health problems to live meaningful lives in their communities and achieve their full potential
- Vet Centers: Community based centers that provide a range of counseling, outreach and referral services to eligible veterans in order to help them make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life.
- National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The center’s purpose is to improve the well-being and understanding of individuals who have experienced traumatic events, with a focus on American veterans
- National Call Center for Homeless Veterans Resource to ensure homeless veterans or veterans at risk for homelessness have access to trained counselors 24/7. The hotline is intended to assist homeless veterans, their families, VA medical centers, federal, state and local partners, community agencies, service providers and others in the community.
- Make the Connection: VA’s public awareness and outreach campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness on mental health symptoms, conditions, and treatment and encourage Veterans to get the care and support they have earned through their service.
Resources for Both Service Members and Veterans
National Resource Directory (NRD)
The National Resource Directory (NRD) connects wounded warriors, service members, veterans, and their families with national, state, and local support programs. NRD is a partnership among the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs