Does self-care ever feel like another thing on your to-do list? Maybe the idea of taking care of yourself when you have a million other items on your list makes you feel guilty. Or maybe indulging in a bubble bath and tub of Ben & Jerry’s seems silly. You may recognize that taking care of yourself is important, but you’re not sure how. We’re here to show you what that may look like.
What is Self-Care?
Self-care means prioritizing time to do things that help you live well and improve your physical and mental health. Practicing self-care may look different for everyone, but it’s important to experiment and discover what you need and enjoy.
While a pint of ice cream can serve as a way to treat yourself, the truth is that an ideal self-care routine includes a variety of actions and mindsets. It includes your physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health. Breaking down self-care into these five categories can help you best recognize what needs work in your life instead of trying to do everything at once.
Why Is Self-Care Important?
With U.S. depression rates reaching an all-time high, the need to take care of ourselves grows with this statistic. Clinical depression in the U.S. has been climbing but since the pandemic, it has notably increased even more. Factors may have been social isolation, loneliness, psychological exhaustion, and even fear of becoming physically sick. While the six-foot distance rule and other Covid-19 precautions may have been lifted, the long-term chronic rate of depression remains.
Self-care is part of the answer to reducing depression rates and coping with daily stressors. Engaging in a self-care routine can reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, and increase happiness. Understanding what self-care practices and coping mechanisms work for you can make managing your mental health easier. You’ll find yourself accepting change, building healthy relationships, and jumping back from setbacks stronger than ever before.
How to Practice Self-Care
Self-care is not synonymous with being selfish or indulgent. It means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy holistically, allowing you to perform your best, take care of others, and accomplish your goals. The steps you take towards better understanding what you need to feel and act your best are part of taking care of yourself. We’ve broken down self-care into five categories that can maintain your positive well-being in the long run.
Physical Self-Care
Physical self-care refers to any activity that you deliberately engage in that enhances your physical well-being. Engaging in physical activity can boost your mood and increase your energy levels. Physical self-care doesn’t just mean exercise, but making sure you are fueling your body with the proper nutrients, getting enough sleep, and practicing good hygiene is just as important.
Ways to practice physical self-care:
- Stay properly hydrated
- Eat consistent, healthy meals
- Take vitamins daily
- Get enough sleep (7-8 hours)
- Engage in regular physical activity
- Get a massage
Mental Self-Care
Mental self-care encompasses anything you do to stimulate your mind and cultivate a healthy mindset. Focusing on your mental self-care teaches you how to best manage your thoughts, set clear boundaries, and recognize when you need to reach out for help. Through mental stimulation, you will be able to grow your skill set, reduce stress, and enhance your knowledge and creativity.
Ways to practice mental self-care:
- Write (this can include poetry, journaling, song-writing, stream-of-consciousness writing, and more)
- Listen to a stimulating podcast
- Read a book
- Take a break from technology and engage your brain in a new way
- Meditate and practice mindfulness
Emotional Self-Care
Emotional self-care is our ability to take care of matters of the heart by connecting with our emotions and processing them in a healthy way. Regulating our emotions and coping with difficult feelings is vital to our happiness and overall quality of life. By tapping into emotional self-care, you can best understand your heart and mind, deal with challenges, and develop healthy responses to emotional triggers.
Ways to practice emotional self-care:
- Journal your emotions
- Write down positive affirmations
- Talk to a therapist, life coach, spiritual mentor, or other counselors
- Set boundaries to protect your time, heart, and energy
- Take up a relaxing hobby
- Practice gratitude  Â
Social Self-Care
Social self-care, or nurturing our relationships with others, is essential because as humans we need connection on a regular basis to thrive. Engaging in healthy relationships with people helps us create a sense of belonging and acceptance. Socializing with others isn’t just a privilege, it’s a necessity for your emotional well-being.
Ways to practice social self-care:
- Schedule regular phone calls with long-distance family
- Host a game night with your friends
- Plan a date night with your significant other
- Join a support group
- Engage in a community or organization with your shared interests
Spiritual Self-Care
Spiritual self-care involves taking care of your soul through intentional activities that provide a sense of purpose and direction to your life. Whether you are religious or agnostic, this form of self-care applies to everyone. Practicing spiritual self-care can help you find more meaning in your life, feel more grounded, and feel a sense of belonging. Spiritual self-care is a great tool to help cope with grief and loss, financial burdens, or other challenges you face in your life.
Ways to practice spiritual self-care:
- Spend time in nature
- Identify your values and what’s important to you
- Volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about
- Connect to a higher power
- Create a vision board
Nova Vita Solutions
Self-care is undoubtedly a crucial part of an ideal healthy lifestyle. Wherever you may be on your holistic journey, Nova Vita Wellness Centers are here to help. Evaluating what areas of self-care you need will allow us to formulate a personalized treatment plan just for you.
To assist in prioritizing your self-care routine, our IV vitamin infusions ensure your body has all the nutrients it needs to function correctly. We also offer ketamine therapy for mental health and pain relief, ozone therapy to reduce inflammation and improve your immune system, hydrafacials for skin hydration, and more.
From identifying low nutrient levels to chronic disease diagnosis to learning how to take care of yourself in a holistic way, our medical experts will help navigate your health journey. Contact us today and discuss your health needs with an experienced medical professional.
