As a mom, finding time to care for your health can be difficult, especially when you’re focused on your children. However, taking care of yourself is a must that cannot be overlooked, especially since you may be one of the 40 million moms a year who struggle with lasting health problems after childbirth. Without the proper care, going about your daily life and enjoying time with your family can become more challenging. Healthy habits are crucial for helping you make the most out of your life as a mom and a human being. They don’t have to be massive changes; simple adjustments can make a big difference. Here’s how you can stay healthy as a mom:

Plan nutritious meals

Thinking about what to eat and whether your meals are nutritious enough can add to the mental load you already have while taking care of your children. Instead of worrying about your food every day, create a healthy meal plan for the whole week so you can quickly figure out what ingredients to shop for and what to cook on which days. You can consider batch-cooking your nutritious dishes. Meal prepping can allow you to cook multiple days worth of food and maximize the freshness of your ingredients, so you won’t have to worry about it for the rest of the week. And when you have food at home, you won’t be as tempted to order takeout; you can heat up what you’ve cooked and enjoy a delicious, nutritious meal. You can also plan for cheat days, like if you’re planning your child’s birthday party, visiting a restaurant your family has been wanting to try, or having dinner with your friends.

Wear blue light glasses

Spending time on your phone, computer, or TV may be your way of unwinding from a busy day caring for the kids. However, your digital devices emit blue light, which can lead to various issues. Prolonged exposure to blue light can make your eyes feel fatigued, dry, and blurry and even cause headaches. It can also slow your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. This can make it harder for you to fall asleep, which can affect your health and energy in the long run, especially since you may already lack sleep due to childcare. To mitigate the impacts of blue light, you can wear blue light glasses that filter a percentage of blue-violet light. If you struggle with near vision, blue light reading glasses can offer magnification to readers, along with blue light-filtering technology. They also come in stylish models like the Wave Blue Light Reader or the Highland Blue Light Reader from Readers.com. You can put them on while browsing the web, sending texts and emails, watching your child’s favorite show with them, and more.

Involve your kids in your exercise

Finding time to work out is a healthy habit many moms struggle with, especially since most of their time is spent caring for the kids and the home. However, you can include your family in your exercise routine to help you get active while still keeping an eye on them. Go to your backyard or head to a park and play sports or games, or make playtime more active with dancing or interactive play. Even babies and toddlers can enjoy activities like walking; you can point out and name things in their surroundings or have your kids touch them to give them a better awareness of the world around them, and you can get your steps in simultaneously.

Carry a reusable water bottle

Staying hydrated is essential for keeping your body and brain functioning, but it can be challenging to remember to drink water when busy with your children and other household tasks. Carrying a reusable water bottle with you can make it easier to drink water throughout the day, whether you’re running errands, doing chores, picking your kids up from school, and more. An insulated water bottle like those from Hydro Flask can keep your water cool for hours so you can be instantly refreshed, even if it’s been a while since your last refill. For more flavor, add fruit like cucumbers and lemons to make it more enjoyable to drink. Hydration will give you the energy to get you through the day and give you the energy to enjoy time with your kids.