5 Self-Care Ideas For Christian Mamas

Today I’m sharing 5 simple self-care tips for Christians moms.

As busy and weary mamas, it’s so easy to let ourselves get into a cycle of reactive living where we’re not stewarding our bodies or even our relationship with God.

Instead, we spend our free time, scrolling our phones, eating chocolate in the bathroom, or zoning out in front of the TV when our kids are in bed. (Guilty as charged!)

As a reaction to this, influencers on social media will tell us we need to look after ourselves by spending a day at the spa, getting our nails done, or buying some new clothes.

Now I’m not saying any of these are wrong. But often they don’t get to the root issues of what we really need as tired moms.

I’d argue the main things we need for healthy living are: a close relationship with God, community, sleep, exercise, stable blood sugar levels, brain stimulation, nature, and natural light.

As overwhelmed moms, the last thing we need is a complicated list of does and don’ts. And so I’ve simplified these areas into five simple ideas to get you started.

1.Jesus-focused morning routine

Now hear me out on this one. Even if you have children waking up at all hours of the night and/ or early morning, I can’t overstate how important it is to pray and read Scripture in the morning. Even if it’s as little as ten minutes! (Pray for five minutes, read Scripture for five minutes.)

When we spend time in God’s word and in prayer early in the day, we prepare for the day ahead with all its battles and struggles. In essence, we put on the armour of God in preparation for the day ahead.

Spending time with God is also about recognising our limitations and asking God to meet us where we’re at. Asking Him to fill us with His love, peace, and joy. Confessing our sin and asking for His mercy in our weakness.

2. Prioritise sleep

I’m not going to tell you that you need to sleep X number of hours a night (thinking about reaching an exact number can be stressful when you have children, after all.).

What I will say is that you need to prioritise sleep over several other (good) things you may be spending time on: snacking, homemaking tasks, entertainment (books, TV, phone) and even other forms of self-care, like exercise!

The reason we need to prioritise sleep is that it is essential for our brains to function well (it boosts focus and memory), it safeguards our mental health and it boosts our immune systems.

3. Eat with your family

We often think of the benefits of family meals as being just for our kids, but the wonderful thing about eating together is that it’s beneficial for everyone – including you, mama!

Regular family dinners are associated with healthier food choices, lower rates of depression and anxiety, family bonding time, communication opportunities, just to name a few.

A simple way to implement this habit is simply to have family dinners at home as often as you can. If you or your spouse work in the evenings, make these lunches or breakfasts instead. Aim for at least five meals together per week.

4. Nature walk in the morning

Ok, so this self-care idea actually combines several focus areas: exercise, natural light in the morning, and nature. A quick word on each.

Exercise is important for overall wellbeing and energy levels, morning natural light is crucial for circadian rhythms hormone regulation, and nature exposure is associated with stress relief, problem solving, and better mental health.

If you are a stay-at-home mom, a nature walk in the morning would also be a great opportunity for you to connect with your children. If your husband or a friend can look after the kids, a nature walk would be a great opportunity for you to pray.

5. Follow a healthy (and easy) eating plan

If you struggle with regular sugar cravings and then blood sugar crashes (i.e. you suddenly feel super tired and cranky), I have a great eating plan that I learnt from French biochemist and author, Jessie Inchauspe – the glucose method.

The glucose method revolves around four main simple hacks:

• eat a savoury breakfast – this helps stabilize blood sugars for the rest of the day
• have a tablespoon of vinegar per day (in water, in a vinaigrette or in a cup of tea) – this helps prevent blood sugar spikes
• do 10 minutes of movement after eating your main meal – this helps your muscles absorb the glucose molecules
• eat vegetables at the beginning of your main meal – eating fibre at the beginning of your meal slows the delivery of glucose to the small intestine for absorption into the blood

These four simple hacks will help you have fewer sugar spikes and subsequent crashes and thus you’ll be able to have more stable energy levels.

One reason I love this method is that you don’t have to eliminate any food groups! You can just add the hacks to whatever your eating plan is.

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