Living in New York City is an exciting thing. This is a city that is full of joy and surprises, but it is also a place where challenges are everywhere. Making it here professionally or personally is no easy task, and it can really take a lot out of you.
If you’ve been living in New York City for a while, you might start to notice it taking a toll on you. You might feel worn-out and tired, or notice that your waistline is getting a little larger. You may feel overworked or sick of the dating scene. New York City burns us out, but that doesn’t mean that we are at its mercy. Here’s how New Yorkers can fight back and protect their physical and mental health from the ravages of big-city living.
Invest in your kitchen
New York City is notorious for its tiny living spaces. And when space is at a premium, as you have probably noticed, developers tend to skimp on the kitchens. Plenty of New York City kitchens are light on square footage, storage, and appliances. This can understandably make cooking a lot less appealing.
Combine this with the fact that New Yorkers work long hours and the fact that this city is full of fantastic takeout and restaurant options and you have a recipe (no pun intended) for a widespread lack of home cooking. That’s bad news for your budget and even worse news for your health because home-cooked meals tend to be a whole lot healthier than their restaurant and takeout counterparts.
That’s why New Yorkers would be wise to take a careful look at their kitchen and consider upgrades. What would make you cook more? Would better storage and organization do the trick? Can you make life easier by buying a slow-cooker? Examine your habits, too, and try to find ways to get yourself to cook when you otherwise wouldn’t.
Add parks to favorite activities
It’s no secret that New York City is full of stunning parks. Getting outside is good for our mental health, as is exercising. Too many of us ignore these wonderful opportunities, though.
Here’s an idea: Combine a visit to the park with something that you already do. If you’re going to read a book, why not read in the park? If you have a portable video game system, there’s no reason not to play in the shade of a tree in the park. Yoga, jogging, and sunbathing are no-brainers: Get yourself to the park, and let New York City’s green spaces ease your mind a bit.
Go to therapy
More people should treat their mental health as they do their physical health, with regular check-ups and proactive care. Few New Yorkers do, however, and that needs to change.
Therapy isn’t just for those with serious mental health conditions, explain the experts at Therapy Group of NYC. Though therapy can do wonders for anxiety and depression, it’s also great for those of us who are just a little stressed at work or want to be just a little more supportive to our loved ones. Therapy helps us understand our own thought patterns and improve our moods and our behaviors.
Buy blackout curtains and a white noise machine
New York City truly never sleeps, but if you never sleep your physical and mental health are going to suffer. So invest in your bedroom space! Get yourself some blackout curtains or blinds (or a sleep mask) and something to drown out or keep out the noise, like a white noise machine (or earplugs).
On top of that, try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. Doing so will help you get better sleep, even here in busy New York City. Do this right, and you’ll feel more energetic, happier, and more at peace with this big, crazy city.
