You hear a lot about self-care on social media these days. Bloggers and influencers talk about the importance of self-care while promoting sponsored products. Self-care doesn’t require a lot of money. Just a few lifestyle changes to make your life better. With the world as chaotic as it is, it’s vital to our health to practice self-care. We’ll give you the rundown on self-care and how it can help you improve your overall wellbeing.

What is Self-Care?

Self-care is basically being good to yourself and doing things that are good for you so that you feel better. Sometimes we don’t have enough time in the day to make the best choices. Sometimes stress gets the best of us. It’s at those moments when we have to take a step back, focus on our wellbeing and make sure we take care of ourselves. It’s also avoiding things that are not healthy for us, such as drugs, alcohol, or even toxic people. Self-care is caring for yourself like you would a friend in need.

Self-Care for Your Mind.

If you feel like you’re too stressed out, can’t focus, can’t concentrate, and are starting to get depressed, then you are suffering from some mental exhaustion. So how do you get a clearer head? One thing you can do is meditate. Take 30 minutes each day to sit in a quiet room, close your eyes, and just focus on your thoughts while taking deep breaths. Meditation is a great way to relieve some of your mental burdens.

Another thing you can do is take a social media break or internet break. There’s way too much information out there and our brains can’t handle it. Reading a relaxing book before going to sleep is also a great way to decompress. We all love TV but books can stimulate our brain while helping us take it easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, give your brain a break from all the noise. Mental health is important and it’s not something we should take for granted.

Self-Care for Your Body.

Taking care of your body is an essential part of self-care. If your physical health is in good shape, most likely your mind and spirit will be as well. This means taking steps to avoid fast food and junk food. These foods are high in salt and sugar and can mess with your brain. They also increase your blood pressure which can make you feel more anxious and stressed. When we’re stressed, we tend to gravitate towards comfort foods and fatty foods but while they make us feel good in the short term, they can wreak havoc on our bodies long term. It’s important to eat healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.

Self-care for your body also means exercise. You need to work out at least 45 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week. This will trigger endorphins in your body which will actually help you to feel good and relax. Exercise is a great stress reliever and it doesn’t need to be all dumbbells and barbells, but if you miss the gym days I recommend combining IV drips with your routines to enhance your workouts.

Going for a walk outside in nature can also help your mental health. You can also practice yoga, which emphasizes mind-body-spirit balance. There are so many great fitness routines you can choose from to help you care for your body.

Self-Care for Your Soul.

Emotional health is important as well. We often take for granted the emotions we feel and don’t express them in healthy ways. Journaling is a good way to get in touch with what you are feeling. Expressing what is going on in your mind on paper can give you some perspective on the situation. Painting or drawing can be a good release for your emotions. Listening to music or playing music yourself are some other creative ways to beat the blues.

Reaching out to friends and family just to talk can release some of the feelings you may have bottled up. If things are bad you can also find a good therapist to talk to about your problems. They can help give you some strategies to change your thinking and feel better. Whatever you decide, don’t bottle up your feelings, because eventually they will come out in one way or another.

Other Self-Care Tips.

Besides the above mentioned, there are a few other tips to take care of yourself. One important thing to do is make sure you are getting a good night’s sleep. You should be sleeping 6-8 hours every night but it varies from person to person. Some people need more rest than others. Also make sure you are taking care of your hygiene as well. A long shower or bath can be great for melting off the stress. Make sure to avoid alcohol or drugs when dealing with stress. They can only make the problem worse. You can drink herbal teas to help you relax and improve your immune system.

Just remember to be good to yourself. You have to treat yourself like a friend and be kind. We often are our own worst enemies and we indulge in our worst impulses. Try to focus on your best impulses and be your best self. Care for yourself when you need it. You will thank yourself in the future.