What Is Self-Care, And Why Is It Important For Your Overall Health?
Have you felt emotionally, physically, and mentally drained lately? With the stresses of daily life, it’s easy to forget to take care of your basic needs to keep your overall body healthy. When you feel anxious or overwhelmed, you must step back and take a break to focus on yourself.
What is self-care?
Self-care manages your emotional, physical, and mental health – including stepping outside for fresh air or getting enough sleep at night. It’s important to be conscious of how you’re caring for yourself to ensure you’re taking care of your mind, body, and spirit.
Why is self-care important?
The benefits of self-care promote living longer and being able to manage stress. Although self-care is a great way to prevent future health problems, it is not a cure for illness or disease. Self-care will help manage symptoms and improve your emotional well-being.
Self-care can be different for everyone. Here are a few good self-care ideas that promote a longer life:
Maintaining a healthy diet. Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables has been shown to lower cardiovascular disease and cancer risk.
Exercise. Regular physical activity can positively relieve anxiety, tension, depression, stress, and anger. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking 30 minutes a day for five days a week.
Regular sleep routine. A good night’s rest (7-8 hours) helps give your brain time to reset. Sleep helps promote mental wellness by helping to prevent anxiety, depression, and irritability.
Other examples of self-care include meditating, journaling, getting a massage, listening to music, doing a hobby you enjoy, taking a trip, or getting away for the weekend to disconnect from the daily hustle and bustle and just relax. Self-care doesn’t have to be costly; simply find activities that you enjoy away from your regular routine.
How to develop a self-care routine
Taking out “me-time” is often last on the list because you may be crazy busy. But the best way to develop a self-care routine is to start small. Choose one activity that brings you joy that you’d like to add to your daily routine. Practice that activity every day and notice the positive changes and how it makes you feel. When you are ready, add other activities to your routine.
When you are regularly taking care of yourself, you can better handle things in your life. Self-care is not the same for everyone as people enjoy different self-care practices. However, engaging in self-care regularly, can help you feel your best physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
Self-care isn’t always easy to practice, and it requires a commitment. But it has a positive effect on your overall health and is worth the investment into your well-being.
When was the last time you checked in with yourself to see how you’re doing?