The new year is one of the best times to make resolutions and set new goals; for many people, maintaining sobriety is at the top of their list. Maintaining sobriety in the new year can be a challenge, especially for those in addiction recovery. The holiday season and the start of a new year can trigger relapse due to increased stress, social events, and the pressure to make resolutions. However, focusing on developing healthy habits makes it possible to maintain sobriety and continue on the path to recovery.
This article will identify the most effective healthy habits that can help in your addiction recovery journey, and you will also be exposed to the importance of maintaining sobriety. Read till the end.
6 Healthy Habits for Addiction Recovery
Some say that the best advice for newcomers to recover from addiction is simple – “don’t drink or use, and ensure you go to meetings.” The formula might work for you. However, it is not so straightforward for most people, so they require more strategies. The more methods you are familiar with, the higher your chances of recovering. The following are the most effective healthy habits for addiction recovery:
- Focus on your strengths.
- Eat healthy food.
- Engage in physical activities regularly.
- Spend time with positive people.
- Learn to manage stress.
- Sleep well.
1. Focus on Your Strengths
One of the 12 Steps of Recovery practices is performing a moral inventory of all your good and bad traits, missteps, and successes. The primary reason is that it is impossible to recover if you don’t know yourself. However, most substance abusers ignore their strengths and focus on their negatives and weaknesses alone. When doing your moral inventory, it is best not to forget the positive things, as they are your strengths. They are the primary tools to help you achieve your successful and long-lasting recovery.
2. Eat Healthy Food
According to research, choosing what to eat and drink during recovery can be intimidating and confusing for your family and you. Nonetheless, it is easy to pick healthy food since it is similar to eating healthy. Howbeit, there are specific points to note:
- It is best to stay well-hydrated.
- Eat various whole, unprocessed foods.
- Replenish the vitamins and minerals that you lost.
The recovery of your physical and mental health depends on how healthy your diet is. Eating healthy food will help strengthen your sobriety and improve the chances of your recovery.
3. Engage in Physical Activities Regularly
It is best to regain your lost strength to enhance your recovery. You should consult a fitness trainer who will develop an exercise plan most suited to your physical abilities. There are several healthy exercises to do that do not require going to the gym. Activities like dancing, biking, basketball, and even swimming are practical physical activities that will help your recovery. To get the best out of your regular physical activities, engage in them three to five times weekly for at least 30 minutes at a time.
4. Spend Time with Positive People
When you are undergoing recovery, it is best to surround yourself with people who genuinely support your recovery process. These people will always be there for you in their words of encouragement to help push you further into your recovery. They won’t see you as a pest or disturbance to ignore. Moreover, it would be best to do away with your old addicted friends as they will only draw you back into the old life. Thus, selecting good family and friends who will stand by you during recovery is essential.
5. Learn to Manage Stress
You should know that stress can lead to events that trigger a relapse. Nonetheless, there are a few ways to handle stress whenever it comes:
- Carefully budget your time and energy, and don’t engage in activities that will lead to the wastage of both.
- Learn to avoid other people’s drama.
- Decline requests that seem excessive or may impede your recovery.
- Engage in stress-reduction activities like yoga, meditation, journaling, etc.
- Prioritize meeting your own needs sometimes.
Endeavour to take your time to discover which stress-management method works best for you.
6. Sleep Well
To improve your recovery process, ensure to get plenty of sleep. The recommended amount is eight hours. Getting a good sleep ensures that your body is recharged and recuperated from all the stress you experience. Good sleep is also essential for mental, physical, and emotional health. Additionally, to ensure a healthy sleep cycle, you should go to bed around the same time daily and get up in the morning at about the same time every day.
The Benefits of Maintaining Sobriety
Generally, maintaining sobriety after going through an alcohol recovery program isn’t always easy. However, it is worth it. Aside from the obvious benefits of maintaining sobriety, which includes breaking bad habits and living better lives, there are several other benefits. These include:
Optimal Health Level
Your body is usually at its most natural state whenever you are sober. In these conditions, your body cleans itself while adapting to operating without addictive substances. Without taking addictive substances, your body will return to a naturally balanced biochemical state, functioning more optimally.
Better Sleep Pattern
Sobriety keeps your body in a more regular rhythm, ensuring it is under less stress. This condition gives you peace of mind and makes you less stressed, enabling you to get restful sleep at regular hours.
Healthier Eating Habits
When you maintain total abstinence from addictive substances, there are lesser chances of craving unhealthy food and drinks. As much as eating healthy food can help you maintain sobriety, maintaining sobriety can also help you eat more nutritious food.
Improved Mental Focus and Clarity
One of the primary benefits of sobriety is better mental health. The less you fill yourself with addictive substances, usually toxic to your body, the better you’ll notice your mental clarity and focus. Furthermore, without addictive substances, your brain works at a higher level.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining sobriety has always been a challenging task for most people. However, it is an essential process in your addiction recovery. It is best to make a new resolution in this new year to abstain from addictive substances. With grit, determination, and other factors, including the healthy habits discussed in this article, your addiction recovery will be more efficient and quickly achievable, and we would be glad to see how fast you progress with your recovery.
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