Today, everyone talks about self-care, mental health, and emotional needs.
Many applications have been developed, both free and paid, that act as therapy for you.
While it's not a new concept, my motive for writing a self-care blog post is that we could get more clarity and understanding behind it. Only by prioritizing self-care can we meet our mental and emotional needs.
Do you know self-care can improve your mental health?
Let's talk about what self-care is and how we may include it in our everyday routines.
What is self-care?
Everyone has a different approach to self-care.
For an extrovert person- it might be going out and chilling with his friends. On the other hand, an introverted person is happier spending time alone in his home.
Self-care is nothing but taking care of one's emotional, mental, and physical needs.
Some believe that doing daily chores such as getting up in the morning, brushing their teeth, taking a shower, etc, is self-care.
While for others, these things may be an achievement, those who do not understand the meaning of self-care need to pay adequate attention to it.
Relationship between self-care and mental health
Self-care includes taking care of your physical, emotional, and psychological well-being and it plays a great role in your mental health.
Taking care of yourself entails taking care of the thoughts that run through your mind. People who face mental illnesses are not aware of their thoughts. This is why whenever they face stress, anxiety, or panic attacks, they are not able to handle themselves and end up getting sick.
Self-care is based on increased self-awareness, which can even benefit people suffering from mental illnesses. Self-awareness practice can assist you in recognizing patterns in your emotions, such as events or situations that can trigger worsened symptoms.
Also, this does not mean that self-care is the cure for any prolonged disease that you may have. It simply means that if you take care of yourself properly, you will not face any adverse situation.
How to practice self-care to avoid mental health issues?
Due to lack of time, hopelessness, or any other consideration, many people find it difficult to devote time to "me-time." Although they do take out time to visit a doctor for any mental or physical ailment, they cannot take a few minutes a day for themselves.
Hence, it is a must to practice self-care every day to set up your routine which will ultimately upgrade your lifestyle.
Having a written list can also help you quickly figure out what to do if you feel like you need some extra attention, making it easier to provide self-care when you're feeling down.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started on giving yourself the attention you deserve.
1. Pay attention to your body- Our mind and body are connected. One cannot be in high spirits if something is not right with their health. Regular exercise has been shown to raise the level of serotonin in our bodies, which improves mood and vitality. Deep breathing exercises should also be practiced because they will assist you in releasing stress from all parts of your body. It will only take a few seconds but can make a significant difference right away.
2. Get an adequate amount of sleep- Too many people are sleep deprived, which hurts their physical and mental health. Your body requires rest and renewal. Daytime naps are also beneficial for rehydrating our bodies and improving our concentration. Going to bed earlier, making your bedroom comfortable and quiet, and practicing good screen-time habits before bed can all help you get a better night's sleep.
3. Eat healthily- We tend to neglect our health and eat junk because we feel we don't have time for ourselves. Imagine your heart saying to you that it does not have time to beat or your kidneys do not have time to remove waste and fluid from your body. Can you live then? Of course not! So it's high time to listen to your body's needs and start eating what's good for your body, mind, and soul and not just for your taste. Even healthy foods can be tasty.
4. Think deeply & peacefully- A tough situation can make us overthink a lot of things, which may cause unnecessary pain or sadness in our lives. This is why it is important to think calmly and focus on what is bothering you and why it is bothering you. If you sit with yourself and try to seek the answers within, you will surely find the solution.
5. Count your blessings- Whenever something bad happens to us we focus all our energy on dwelling over the pain and hurt and forget all that we have got. I know it is not easy to change your mindset. At least we can try. If we adopt a gratitude mindset, we will focus less on pain and more on happiness.
6. Set a me-time- We are often surrounded by people who need our time but we forget to take time for ourselves. Setting aside time for yourself is never wrong or selfish. Hence, try taking out some time for yourself every day either for skincare or to read a book. Whatever it is, do it for yourself!
Conclusion
Self-care is different for everyone. You have to find what suits you. You cannot let your emotions or situations take a toll on your happiness. Figure out the problem and find its solution. Once you decide you want a better life, go and get it. Don't wait for anybody.
Do let me know what your self-care practices are!
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