Deciding to file documents to end your marriage in a Georgia court may be one of the most life-changing decisions you’ll ever make. If you have children, your decision is not only going to have an impact on your own life but the lives of each of your children, as well. Divorce can be highly stressful. That’s why it’s a good idea to stay on top of yours and your children’s emotional and physical good health during proceedings.
Physical and emotional health issues often intersect. If you’re having a problem in one aspect, it can have adverse effects on the other. High levels of emotional stress, in particular, can ultimately produce negative, physical health symptoms. To help your kids and to be better able to cope with your divorce yourself, there are several key issues to keep in mind, the first of which is to not hesitate to reach out for additional support if you feel unable to handle a specific problem on your own.
Keep divorce stress low by getting back to basics
When you’re going through a divorce, your typical daily schedule might be interrupted with court hearings, meetings with counselors or logistics changes involving the children, such as driving them to and from the home of a babysitter so that you can go and take care of divorce-related matters. The following list can serve as a reminder to help you and your children keep stress to a minimum:
- Don’t forget to eat, and make sure the food choices you’re making are healthy. Not eating at all or eating nothing but fast food or sugary and highly processed foods can take a serious toll on your health.
- Having trouble sleeping wouldn’t be an uncommon side effect of divorce for you or your kids. Emotional and physical health often hinge on getting adequate amounts of sleep, however, so it’s good to try your best to keep a healthy sleeping pattern and to try to resolve insomnia issues if they arise.
- When you’re dealing with a serious life issue like divorce, it can be tempting to become a couch potato or to let your kids spend extended hours in their rooms. Physical exercise, however, is a key to keeping stress low in divorce because it has tremendous benefits on physical and emotional health.
- Try to avoid becoming reclusive. While you might want to keep certain details about your divorce private, it can be helpful to your physical and emotional health to stay closely connected with a strong support network that includes trusted friends, family members, licensed counselors, legal advocates and more.
Is it possible to navigate divorce with zero stress? It’s unlikely; however, by keeping these practical tips in mind and by staying focused on your and your children’s emotional and physical well-being during proceedings, you can alleviate stress as you work toward a fair settlement and make plans to move on in life in as healthy a manner as possible.