{"id":4498,"date":"2025-10-28T13:18:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:18:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/daily-habits-that-can-boost-your-mental-health-with-a-stoma-by-ayesha\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T13:18:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:18:13","slug":"daily-habits-that-can-boost-your-mental-health-with-a-stoma-by-ayesha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/daily-habits-that-can-boost-your-mental-health-with-a-stoma-by-ayesha\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily habits that can boost your mental health with a stoma | by Ayesha"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-947\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2025\/03\/Meet-our-ambassadors-page-scaled-2-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-70 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#6e6760\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-85777e33261313fbde86961401c8af7c text-center lg:text-center\">Daily habits that can boost your mental health with a stoma | by Ayesha<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"spacer\n    h-8    lg:h-24\"\n>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If I\u2019m not feeling myself, I\u2019ll do little things to improve my mood such as get my nails done, buying new pyjamas or watching my favourite movie or TV show. I\u2019ll try and have slow morning, take my time with my hair and make up, and try and give myself a little boost. Just all the things that fill my cup.<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"spacer\n    h-4    lg:h-12\"\n>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-purple-400-color\">Feeling your emotions<\/mark><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-xl lg:text-xl wp-block-paragraph\">Post-surgery, I struggled to speak my emotions and I found journaling really helped me, it\u2019s good to put your thoughts to paper, reflect on how far you\u2019ve came and practice gratitude. I\u2019m lucky to be in the position where I have more good days than bad but when the bad days creep in, it\u2019s a real setback! I find meeting with friends\/family, going a walk and grabbing a coffee is also a form of therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-purple-400-color\">Exercise<\/mark><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-xl lg:text-xl wp-block-paragraph\">Exercise is always my go to! I find running is so good to clear your mind, reduce stress and have you feeling good in yourself. I enjoy Pilates and find this is really helpful for my core after loosing my strength from surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-xl lg:text-xl wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve recently joined a Crossfit gym. As great as it is for socialising, I like the challenge of pushing myself to my limits while being careful and considerate with my stoma bag. I try to be careful and avoid any direct contact with my bag. Wearing a belt to the gym is really helpful with a stoma or sometimes I find I\u2019m well supported with leggings I\u2019m wearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-purple-400-color\">Support groups<\/mark><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-xl lg:text-xl wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m also very grateful for the friends I\u2019ve gained in the stoma community, it\u2019s the best form of support and it\u2019s so nice being able to speak to people who just get it and we all have the same goal to help others and break stigmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-purple-600-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-649c51c1cba161912fdfc58c6fb67e6a text-xl lg:text-xl wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ayeshaduffy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Ayesha<\/strong><br><strong>@ayeshaduffy<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"spacer\n    h-8    lg:h-8\"\n>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div>\n    <div class=\"stories-carousel\">\n        <div class=\"glide__track\" data-glide-el=\"track\">\n            <ul class=\"glide__slides\">\n                                    <li class=\"glide__slide story-slide\">\n                        <a class=\"group\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/navigating-my-hen-do-with-a-stoma-bag-by-poppy\/\">\n                            <picture class=\"block z-0\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\"\n                                    loading=\"lazy\"\n                                    class=\"aspect-square object-cover\"\n                                    src=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/94875afd-6bf6-45ed-9fee-83f9b04bcce2.jpg\"\n                                    srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/94875afd-6bf6-45ed-9fee-83f9b04bcce2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/94875afd-6bf6-45ed-9fee-83f9b04bcce2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/94875afd-6bf6-45ed-9fee-83f9b04bcce2-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/94875afd-6bf6-45ed-9fee-83f9b04bcce2-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/94875afd-6bf6-45ed-9fee-83f9b04bcce2-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/94875afd-6bf6-45ed-9fee-83f9b04bcce2.jpg 1536w\"\n                                    alt=\"A woman holds a glass up high as she stands on the deck of a boat in a blue bikini\"\n                                \/>\n                            <\/picture>\n                            <span class=\"block font-bold text-lg\">Navigating my hen do with a stoma bag | by Poppy<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"reading-time block\">3 minutes<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"group-hover:underline read-more block relative z-20\">Read more<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"glide__slide story-slide\">\n                        <a class=\"group\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/travel-diaries-packing-my-life-and-stoma-supplies-into-a-backpack-by-summer\/\">\n                            <picture class=\"block z-0\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\"\n                                    loading=\"lazy\"\n                                    class=\"aspect-square object-cover\"\n                                    src=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer.jpg\"\n                                    srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Summer.jpg 1920w\"\n                                    alt=\"A blonde woman stands in an airport, with a blue backpack on her back and a pink bag on her front.\"\n                                \/>\n                            <\/picture>\n                            <span class=\"block font-bold text-lg\">Travel Diaries: Packing my life (and stoma supplies!) into a backpack | by Summer<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"reading-time block\">5 minutes<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"group-hover:underline read-more block relative z-20\">Read more<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"glide__slide story-slide\">\n                        <a class=\"group\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/how-the-stoma-community-changed-my-life-by-rachel\/\">\n                            <picture class=\"block z-0\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\"\n                                    loading=\"lazy\"\n                                    class=\"aspect-square object-cover\"\n                                    src=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Finding-your-stoma-community-e1786522290368.jpg\"\n                                    srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Finding-your-stoma-community-e1786522290368-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Finding-your-stoma-community-e1786522290368-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Finding-your-stoma-community-e1786522290368-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Finding-your-stoma-community-e1786522290368-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Finding-your-stoma-community-e1786522290368-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Finding-your-stoma-community-e1786522290368.jpg 1440w\"\n                                    alt=\"Three brunette women smiling at the camera, sitting in front of a kitchen table\"\n                                \/>\n                            <\/picture>\n                            <span class=\"block font-bold text-lg\">How the stoma community changed my life&#8230; | by Rachel<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"reading-time block\">6 minutes<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"group-hover:underline read-more block relative z-20\">Read more<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"glide__slide story-slide\">\n                        <a class=\"group\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/what-does-daily-life-with-a-stoma-look-like-by-rachel\/\">\n                            <picture class=\"block z-0\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\"\n                                    loading=\"lazy\"\n                                    class=\"aspect-square object-cover\"\n                                    src=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Life-with-a-stoma-e1786459605585-1.jpg\"\n                                    srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Life-with-a-stoma-e1786459605585-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Life-with-a-stoma-e1786459605585-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Life-with-a-stoma-e1786459605585-1-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Life-with-a-stoma-e1786459605585-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Life-with-a-stoma-e1786459605585-1-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/08\/Life-with-a-stoma-e1786459605585-1.jpg 1440w\"\n                                    alt=\"A woman smiling at the camera, pointing to the logo on her t-shirt that reads \"Hirschsprung Disease UK\" in white letters.\"\n                                \/>\n                            <\/picture>\n                            <span class=\"block font-bold text-lg\">What does daily life with a stoma look like? | by Rachel<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"reading-time block\">5 minutes<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"group-hover:underline read-more block relative z-20\">Read more<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"glide__slide story-slide\">\n                        <a class=\"group\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/hot-weather-and-stoma-care-tips-by-phillipa\/\">\n                            <picture class=\"block z-0\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\"\n                                    loading=\"lazy\"\n                                    class=\"aspect-square object-cover\"\n                                    src=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/Phillipa-evergreen-oiefjkd-1-e1784115905934.jpg\"\n                                    srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/Phillipa-evergreen-oiefjkd-1-e1784115905934-300x288.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/Phillipa-evergreen-oiefjkd-1-e1784115905934-1024x982.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/Phillipa-evergreen-oiefjkd-1-e1784115905934-150x144.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/Phillipa-evergreen-oiefjkd-1-e1784115905934-768x736.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/Phillipa-evergreen-oiefjkd-1-e1784115905934-600x575.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/Phillipa-evergreen-oiefjkd-1-e1784115905934.jpg 1450w\"\n                                    alt=\"\"\n                                \/>\n                            <\/picture>\n                            <span class=\"block font-bold text-lg\">Hot weather and stoma care tips| by Phillipa<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"reading-time block\">6 minutes<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"group-hover:underline read-more block relative z-20\">Read more<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                    <li class=\"glide__slide story-slide\">\n                        <a class=\"group\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/blog\/the-advice-id-give-to-someone-newly-diagnosed-with-ibd-by-summer\/\">\n                            <picture class=\"block z-0\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\"\n                                    loading=\"lazy\"\n                                    class=\"aspect-square object-cover\"\n                                    src=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/IMG_1109-e1784115230284.jpeg\"\n                                    srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/IMG_1109-e1784115230284-300x282.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/IMG_1109-e1784115230284-1024x964.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/IMG_1109-e1784115230284-150x141.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/IMG_1109-e1784115230284-768x723.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/IMG_1109-e1784115230284-600x565.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2026\/07\/IMG_1109-e1784115230284.jpeg 1264w\"\n                                    alt=\"\"\n                                \/>\n                            <\/picture>\n                            <span class=\"block font-bold text-lg\">The advice I\u2019d give to someone newly diagnosed with IBD | by Summer<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"reading-time block\">5 minutes<\/span>\n                            <span class=\"group-hover:underline read-more block relative z-20\">Read more<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"glide-navigation-wrapper\">\n            <a href=\"\/us\/blog\/\" class=\"btn btn-gradient w-full text-center lg:w-fit\">Explore all stories and advice<\/a>\n            <div class=\"glide-navigation\">\n                <div class=\"bullets\" data-glide-el=\"controls[nav]\">\n                                            <button class=\"bullet\" aria-label=\"Go to slide 0\" data-glide-dir=\"=0\"><\/button>\n                                            <button class=\"bullet\" aria-label=\"Go to slide 1\" data-glide-dir=\"=1\"><\/button>\n                                            <button class=\"bullet\" aria-label=\"Go to slide 2\" data-glide-dir=\"=2\"><\/button>\n                                            <button class=\"bullet\" aria-label=\"Go to slide 3\" data-glide-dir=\"=3\"><\/button>\n                                            <button class=\"bullet\" aria-label=\"Go to slide 4\" data-glide-dir=\"=4\"><\/button>\n                                            <button class=\"bullet\" aria-label=\"Go to slide 5\" 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mood.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[84],"class_list":["post-4498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-ayesha"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4498"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4498\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eakinostomy.com\/US\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}