If you’ve struggled with addictive behaviors and are in the process of recovery, you understand that life after addiction can be an incredible challenge. Even a positive lifestyle and behavioral changes can seem overwhelming, which is why having a routine in recovery is paramount. Building new behaviors, structures, and patterns into your life will help you establish predictability. And along with predictability comes stability, a much-needed cornerstone of any recovery process. At Addiction Recovery Institute of America, we provide you with the tools you need to establish a routine in recovery.
Benefits Of A Routine In Recovery
As your mind and body learn new behaviors and patterns, establishing a routine while in treatment at a substance abuse treatment program will help you adjust to your new rhythm successfully. When you know what to expect from your days, you essentially create an internal clock that gradually becomes accustomed to your new patterns.
Through routine, you develop a deep understanding of when your mind and body need to rest, eat, sleep, exercise, socialize, and explore fulfilling interests. You essentially reprogram your mind to expect a healthier overall method of living.
In recovery, unstructured downtime — time spent outside of a routine — often leads to boredom and restlessness. These two emotions can be precarious because they are often the emotions that trigger substance abuse in the first place. Structure, the cure for restlessness and boredom, helps you understand healthy ways to fill your days so you can successfully acclimate to your new living routine.
When you’re in the midst of a lifestyle filled with addictive behaviors, chances are you don’t follow much of a routine. This can make establishing new structures in your life a challenge since you may not understand what your mind and body truly need to thrive. It might take a few weeks to integrate a new routine into your days, but with time, the structure will become second nature.
The following tips can help:
Establishing A Rest And Sleep Routine In Recovery
Find a sleep schedule that works for you. Try to get out of bed and go to sleep at or near the same time every day. Consistency encourages your body and mind to expect sleep, which helps you get the much-needed rest your body needs to recover fully. It also helps you avoid oversleeping, which can lead to grogginess, boredom, depression, or other physical or mental health issues.
If you find you need to rest throughout the day to feel your best, establish a consistent nap schedule, if possible. Incorporating structured rest into your days after attending a residential treatment program will help you feel refreshed while also improving your emotional, mental, and physical health.
Establishing A Healthy Nutrition Routine In Recovery
Your body and mind require proper nutrition to thrive, which means establishing a healthy eating routine in recovery is essential. First, determine the times of day you’d like to eat your meals and adhere to that schedule. Next, ensure you’re consuming a healthy balance of whole grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.
You’ll notice a near-immediate difference in the way your mind and body feel when you begin to incorporate healthy foods that fuel you properly. In addition to establishing healthier eating habits, it’s also important to practice mindful eating. As part of your daily meal routine, practice incorporating these mindful eating tips:
- Eat slowly; don’t rush your meals.
- Eliminate distractions during mealtimes by turning off the television, putting down your phone, and eating in a calm, quiet location.
- Stop eating when you are full; don’t simply eat just to eat because you’re bored or restless.
- Focus on how you feel while you eat — are you eating because you’re experiencing heightened emotions? Or are you eating because you’re truly hungry?
Establishing A Self-care Routine In Recovery
It’s important to make time for self-care in recovery at a drug addiction treatment program. Find things that you deeply enjoy and make time for those activities on a routine basis. Taking time to relax and pursue your favorite activities helps quiet your mind and prevents you from feeling overstressed.
It also helps you feel more positive about your new routine and healthy habits while deeply enriching and fulfilling your spirit. You cannot be fully present for yourself or your loved ones if you don’t make time for self-care.
Not quite sure how to practice healthy self-care? Here are some helpful tips:
- Block off a designated period of time each day to pursue the things you love. Try not to allow other obligations to get in the way of your daily self-care time.
- Don’t be afraid to politely say no to people, engagements, or activities that don’t make you feel good or that you don’t really want to participate in.
- Get outside. Spending time in nature can help lower your stress levels while helping you be more mindful.
- Spend time with the people you love and those that support and encourage you.
- Stay organized to reduce stress and frustration. Keeping a planner where you can write down your daily routine and obligations will help you stay on track.
Addiction Recovery Institute Of America Is Here To Help
If you or a loved one struggles with substance abuse and needs to develop a healthy recovery routine in FL, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Addiction Recovery Institute of America. We offer a wide variety of treatment programs for substance abuse recovery, including detox programs, residential treatment programs, partial hospitalization programs, and outpatient programs, among others. Please know that you never have to struggle with overcoming addiction alone. Our compassionate team is here to help.
To learn more about us or to schedule a consultation with our team, feel free to call us today at 844.973.2611 or reach out to us online.