Veterans and Mental Health: How to Create a Self-Care Routine

For veterans transitioning from military service to civilian life, managing mental health can be a significant challenge. The experiences from service, including stress, trauma, and the fast-paced nature of military life, can often lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation. One effective way to cope with these feelings is to develop a consistent self-care routine. Self-care involves taking intentional steps to care for your physical, emotional, and mental well-being, and for veterans, it can play a key role in maintaining mental health.

In this blog, we’ll explore practical ways veterans can develop a self-care routine that promotes mental health, including relaxation techniques, mental health practices, and how to access VA mental health resources. Organizations like Warrior Allegiance offer essential support to veterans looking to incorporate self-care into their daily lives, helping them maintain mental well-being and resilience.

1. Understanding Self-Care for Mental Health

Self-care is the practice of taking active steps to protect and improve your physical, emotional, and mental health. For veterans, a self-care routine can be a powerful tool for managing stress, coping with difficult emotions, and maintaining overall well-being. While self-care doesn’t replace professional treatment, it can complement therapy, counseling, or medication by providing veterans with everyday habits that promote mental health.

• Benefit: A self-care routine helps veterans build resilience, reduce stress, and manage symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

2. How to Build a Self-Care Routine: Practical Steps for Veterans

Creating a self-care routine doesn’t need to be complicated. By incorporating simple habits and practices into your daily or weekly schedule, you can maintain mental well-being and prevent burnout. Here are some practical steps for veterans looking to create a self-care routine.

Start with Daily Mental Health Practices

Mental health is the cornerstone of a successful self-care routine. Incorporating daily mental health practices can help veterans manage stress, regulate emotions, and maintain a positive mindset. Here are a few techniques to include in your routine:

• Mindfulness and Meditation: Mindfulness practices like meditation can help veterans stay grounded and focused on the present moment. By dedicating 10–15 minutes each day to mindfulness, veterans can reduce stress and anxiety. Simple meditation apps like Headspace or Calm can guide you through these practices.
• Gratitude Journaling: Writing down a few things you’re grateful for each day can improve mental health by shifting your focus from stress to positivity. Veterans can use a notebook or journal to reflect on moments of gratitude, which can help combat feelings of hopelessness or anxiety.
• Breathing Exercises: Incorporating deep breathing exercises can be a quick and effective way to reduce tension and relax. Practices like box breathing (inhaling for four seconds, holding for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and holding for four seconds) can help veterans manage stressful situations.
• Action Step: Start small by dedicating a few minutes each day to mindfulness, journaling, or breathing exercises. Over time, these practices will become a natural part of your routine.

Schedule Regular Physical Activity

Physical activity is essential for both mental and physical health. Regular exercise can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, increase energy levels, and promote better sleep. Veterans can tailor their fitness routines to fit their needs and preferences, whether that’s engaging in structured workouts or enjoying outdoor activities like hiking, walking, or cycling.

• Low-Impact Exercises: Veterans can incorporate low-impact exercises like yoga, swimming, or walking to stay active without putting too much strain on their bodies. These exercises also promote relaxation and help reduce stress.
• Outdoor Activities: Spending time outdoors has been shown to have significant benefits for mental health. Veterans can participate in activities like hiking, gardening, or even taking a daily walk in a nearby park to boost their mood and reduce anxiety.
• Action Step: Schedule at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily routine, whether it’s a walk, a gym session, or yoga practice. Choose activities you enjoy to make exercise a sustainable habit.

Prioritize Sleep and Rest

Getting enough sleep is essential for mental health. Many veterans struggle with sleep-related issues like insomnia, nightmares, or disrupted sleep due to PTSD or anxiety. Establishing a regular sleep routine can help veterans improve the quality and duration of their rest.

• Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment: Veterans should focus on creating a calm and quiet sleep environment. This can include reducing noise, limiting screen time before bed, and ensuring the room is dark and comfortable.
• Set a Regular Sleep Schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body’s internal clock. Veterans should aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night.
• Relaxation Techniques Before Bed: Incorporating relaxation techniques like reading, journaling, or listening to calming music before bed can help ease the mind and prepare the body for sleep.
• Action Step: Try developing a pre-sleep routine that includes relaxing activities like reading or listening to calming sounds. Set a consistent sleep schedule to improve your sleep quality.

Incorporate Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques can help veterans manage stress and anxiety, especially after a challenging day or week. These techniques are simple and can be easily incorporated into a self-care routine. Some effective relaxation techniques include:

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): This technique involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups to reduce physical tension and promote relaxation. PMR can help veterans release stress and feel more at ease.
• Visualization: Visualization exercises involve imagining peaceful or calming scenarios, such as walking on a beach or sitting by a quiet lake. These exercises can be especially helpful for veterans dealing with stress or PTSD.
• Music Therapy: Listening to calming or uplifting music can be an effective way to improve mood and relieve stress. Veterans can create playlists of their favorite relaxing songs and listen to them during downtime.
• Action Step: Incorporate one or two relaxation techniques into your daily or weekly self-care routine. Whether it’s progressive muscle relaxation or simply listening to music, these practices can make a difference in your mental health.

3. Accessing VA Mental Health Resources

In addition to developing a self-care routine, veterans can access professional mental health services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA provides a wide range of mental health resources to support veterans in managing conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

VA Mental Health Services

Veterans can access individual therapy, group counseling, medication management, and crisis intervention through their local VA medical centers or VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). These services are available for veterans with service-connected mental health conditions, as well as those facing non-service-related mental health challenges.

• VA Mental Health Apps: The VA offers a range of mental health apps that veterans can use to manage their mental health on a daily basis. Apps like PTSD Coach, Mindfulness Coach, and VetChange provide tools for coping with stress, anxiety, and substance use.
• Telehealth Services: Veterans who prefer to access mental health services remotely can use the VA’s telehealthplatform to connect with mental health providers for virtual counseling sessions.
• Action Step: Veterans can visit their nearest VA medical center or call the VA Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255(Press 1) to access mental health resources. Veterans can also explore VA mental health apps for self-care support.

4. How Warrior Allegiance Supports Veterans in Developing Self-Care Routines

Warrior Allegiance is committed to helping veterans create and maintain effective self-care routines. The organization offers:

• Mental Health Resources: Warrior Allegiance provides veterans with guidance on how to access VA mental health services, including counseling, therapy, and crisis intervention.
• Workshops and Support Groups: The organization hosts workshops and support groups focused on self-care, mindfulness, and mental well-being. These programs allow veterans to connect with others and learn new self-care techniques.
• Ongoing Support: Warrior Allegiance offers veterans ongoing support as they navigate the challenges of maintaining their mental health after service.

Conclusion

For veterans, creating a self-care routine is essential to maintaining mental health and well-being after service. By incorporating daily mental health practices, physical activity, relaxation techniques, and prioritizing rest, veterans can build a sustainable routine that helps them manage stress and anxiety.

Additionally, veterans can access professional support through VA mental health resources, including individual therapy, counseling, and telehealth services. Organizations like Warrior Allegiance are dedicated to providing veterans with the guidance and support they need to thrive mentally, emotionally, and physically.

If you’re a veteran looking to improve your mental health, start by building a self-care routine and reaching out to resources like Warrior Allegiance for additional support.