7 Tips to stay healthy and happy for a HSP-HSS

7 Tips to stay healthy and happy for a HSP-HSS
My own experience made me want to write this article and I found many articles and books on the internet that resonated with me and I was very happy to discover that there are more people like me.
I found so much valuable information during my research, that I’d like to share some of it with you.
Being a highly sensitive and adventurous person, the so called HSS, highly sensitive sensation seeker, life hasn’t always been easy. I sometimes felt abnormal. I was told that I should talk to a doctor...that maybe something was wrong with me
Today I know that my sensitivity is a gift, and that I am totally OK the way I am.
To reach this point, I needed to take my own journey with all it's ups and downs. Sometimes I felt insecure and very alone on this planet. However, I finally found my way and discovered inner peace, and now I’d like to share my ways ,discoveries and knowledge with you. And if you feel a bit like me I know you can use the information that I share.
Here are some of my findings
- In different cultures sensitivity i:s valued differently. HSPs tend to have low self-esteem in cultures where it is not valued. You feel abnormal when you feel emotions, because you are told not to feel. About 20% of our population is highly sensitive and they are not only shy and introvert.
- Only around 70% of highly sensitive persons are introverted, and therefore sometimes called shy, but the other 30% are mostly extroverts and most of them are sensation seekers and risk takers.
Human species are not the only sensitive creatures.
As dr. Elaine Aron pointed out on her website that “ biologists have found the trait in over 100 species (and probably there are many more) from fruit flies, birds, and fish to dogs, cats, horses, and primates. This trait reflects a certain type of survival strategy, being observant before acting. The brains of highly sensitive persons (HSPs) actually work a little differently than others’.
"You are more aware than others of subtleties. This is mainly because your brain processes information and reflects on it more deeply. So even if you wear glasses, for example, you see more than others by noticing more."
"You are also more easily overwhelmed. If you notice everything, you are naturally going to be overstimulated when things are too intense, complex, chaotic, or novel for a long time.”
I hope you enjoy some of my tips to stay happy and healthy as a HSP/HSS:
Tip 1: Sleep
A healthy sleep, minimum of 7 or 8 hours a day will support your system. Getting enough sleep soothes your senses and will help you cope with an already overwhelming world.
Tip 2: Healthy diet
Keep your nerves happy by maintaining a steady blood sugar level through regular healthy and well-balanced meals and snacks. I need to snack every 2 hours to keep my sugar level steady, without getting grumpy. I use supplements such as omega3/6, magnesium, calcium, zinc and L-Theanine for better concentration and souplesse.
Tip 3: Plan a recovery period
Sensitive people don't do very well with an overly packed schedule or too much time in noisy or crowded environments, or during periods of high stress. If you that you are sensitive, you should allow yourself a recovery period after spending some hours at a concert, birthday party, crowded mall or after a challenging period of study, deadlines at work, Christmas, your child’s birthday arrangements, etc. This recovery period should be spent somewhere quiet and relaxing, on your own if possible.
Tip 4: One room/space in your house to relax and retreat
Create a quiet safe place you can retreat to when you need to get away from people and noise. This could be a bedroom, a study, or even just a bath (or shower if that's all you have!). I've found it often helps to listen to quiet relaxing music as well, which can even drown out more external noise when you need it to.
Tip 5: Keep the lights down
learning more about my sensitivity helped me to understand why I prefer to only put on low lights in the evening, and prefer to shop in certain local grocery stores which have gentle mood lighting. Less stimulation was the answer.
Tip 6: Quiet everything for a while
No crowds, no music, no lights, no people, just nothing, and aloneness helps me to recharge and being able to succeed in doing what I do. Sometimes I use meditation or visualisations to calm my spirit down, or just take a nap to relax.
Tip 7: Surround yourself with beauty and nature
I feel deeply affected by my surroundings, and beauty and calmness help me to recover from all the influences I have been through each day, week or month. I've decorated my home simply in a way that's very pleasing to my eye, with minimal clutter and chaos, if possible. Personally I love white and earthy colours. I also spend as much time as I can alone at my beautiful house, or walking in nature, enjoying the quiet and its naturally healing and calming beauty.
I hope you enjoyed reading my blog, and if you feel inspired to share please feel free to do so. Anyone who could use that information should be reached!
Have a great week and know that you are wonderful and special as you are. Be the light and bring it to the world.
xoxo
M