How to Practice Self-Care

Reduce the stress, anxiety, and psychological load that lead to mental and health challenges. Knowing how to include or increase self-care activities in your routines will help you better manage serious life events and live a healthier life.

yourfootpalace.com gathered essential information on activities, habits, and subtle changes you can make to improve your self-care awareness and routines.

What is Self-Care?

Self-care is the process of taking care of oneself with behaviors and activities that promote health and active management or prevention of illness. Individuals engage in some form of self-care daily through food choices, exercise, sleep, meditation, and dental care.

Types of Self-Care

Although self-care is a relatively simple concept, it is frequently overlooked as our habits, obligations, finances, illnesses, and daily stressors can occupy and consume our thoughts and activities. Consider the following breakdown of self-care types and how you can apply them in your routines:

1 – Spiritual Self Care – Activities that nurture your spirit and allow you to expand your thoughts. Spiritual self-care does not have to be religious in any way, although for some, it is.

Examples: Meditation, yoga, visiting a church or other place of worship, spending time outdoors in nature, and dedicating time for self-reflection.

2 – Emotional Self-Care – Activities that help you recognize, connect, process, and reflect on your thoughts and emotions.

Examples: Regularly seeing a therapist, keeping a daily journal, creating art, or playing music.

3 – Social Self-Care – Activities that nurture and provide substantial depth to the relationships with friends and relatives in your life.

Examples: Brunch with friends, going on a movie date, making time to regularly call your mom, dad, siblings, and friends.

4 – Practical Self-Care – Essential tasks that fulfill core (primary) aspects of your life to prevent difficult, confusing, or stressful situations.

Examples: Following a budget, taking professional development courses, organizing your kitchen, garage, and closet.

5 – Mental Self-Care – Activities that stimulate your mind or your intellect.

Examples: Reading a book, painting, crafting, solving puzzles, playing chess, going to a museum, or attending a lecture.

6 – Physical Self-Care – Activities that improve your physical health.

Examples: Taking a walk during lunch breaks, sleeping at least eight hours a day, and staying hydrated.

Note: How you treat yourself physically can have far-reaching implications and significantly influence every other self-care type.

Physical Self-Care Needs

Physical self-care includes how you are fueling your body, how much quality sleep you are getting, how much physical activity you are getting, and how well you are caring for your physical needs. Consider the following:

Food, Drink, and Diet – Your short and long-term health depends on the food and beverages (and quantities) you consume.

Here are some ways to improve your eating habits:

• Eat more slowly
• Eat when you are truly hungry, not when you are tired or anxious
• Plan your meals ahead of time to ensure that you eat healthy, well-balanced meals
• Avoid fast food as a quick fix (slow down and cook your meal)
• Choose healthier, more nutritious snacks like fruit or unsalted nuts

Tip: Consult a nutritionist to help you develop a healthier, more impactful diet.

Here are some ways to improve your drinking habits:

• Consume Adequate Fluids (Water, Juice, etc.) – The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has determined that an adequate daily fluid intake (in a temperate climate) is approximately 124 ounces of fluids a day for men and about 92 ounces for women.
• Reduce or Eliminate Alcohol Consumption – Controlling your alcohol consumption can lower your blood sugar, help you lose weight, and reduce incidences of headaches or heartburn.

Note: There’s no reason to be concerned that water may dilute or interrupt your digestive enzymes. According to the Mayo Clinic, drinking water during or after a meal helps how your body breaks down and processes food.

Here are some perspectives on diets:

• Avoid “Fad Diets” – Popular or fad diets can cause severe health problems like nutritional deficiencies, nutritional excesses, worsening medical conditions, eating disorders, and feelings of distress or social isolation.
• Consult a Nutritionist – A nutritionist can help you assemble a healthy, balanced, and safe diet to help you gain or lose weight in a controlled manner.

Note: A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy can reduce your risk of heart disease by helping you maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Exercise – Being physically active can significantly and steadily improve your brain health, help manage your weight, reduce risks of disease, strengthen bones and muscles while improving your ability to do everyday activities. Consider the following exercises:

• Walking – This exercise is simple, natural, and powerful
• Biking – This exercise strengthens your core and lower body
• Swimming – Excellent cardio and full-body workout
• Running – Jogging and running are considered aerobic exercises
• Dancing – This is another full-body workout hinged on cardio strengthening
• Weightlifting – This involves moving parts of your body against some kind of resistance

Note: Weight training applies stress to the muscles that cause them to adapt and get stronger, similar to how aerobic or cardio exercises strengthen your heart.

Sleep – Sleep is an essential function allowing your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up. Healthy sleep also assists the body in remaining healthy by combatting diseases and healing after injury. Without sufficient sleep, the brain cannot function properly. Consider the following:

• Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature
• Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime
• Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smartphones, from the bedroom
• Exercise

Note: National Sleep Foundation advise healthy adults to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.

Massage – It is well-established that massage is a highly effective treatment for reducing stress, anxiety, and headaches. Therapeutic massage elevates these benefits by giving your body a chance to relax, unwind, and repair itself. Consider the following:

• Schedule regular spa days
• Plan a couples massage
• Include facial massages in your nightly routine

Tip: A general recommendation is to have a massage every 1 to 3 weeks, especially if there has been a specific injury, strain, or tension in any area.

Self-care means taking the time to participate in activities that help you live well and improve your physical and mental health. Regarding mental health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower the risks of illness, and significantly increase your energy.

Practicing Self-Care

In this article, you discovered how to define self-care and adopt activities, habits, and changes that improve your health and well-being.

Practicing self-care will help you stay healthy, avoid chronic illnesses, remain active, and adapt or respond well to adversity.

Ignoring your need for self-care can leave you overly stressed, anxious, sick, prematurely aging and overall less well.

Sources:

mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/digestion/faq-20058348
cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/
thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/

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