Plus Self-Care Ideas to Help You Care for Your Mental Health
Life can get hectic and many of us have so many responsibilities. It can be easy to put your personal needs aside and focus on taking care of others or getting all of your tasks done. However, this can lead to burnout, stress, anxiety and even health issues. This is why self-care plays such a pivotal role in your physical and mental health.
The Benefits of Self-Care
Self-care isn’t just about pampering yourself. It’s about taking a holistic approach to your health and well-being. Self-care helps you destress, relax, rest and live in the moment. It can revitalize you and help you better manage future stress. Here are the benefits you can enjoy when you practice self-care:
Boost Your Physical Health: Self-care often triggers what is known as the “relaxation response.” It’s the counterpart to the fight-or-flight response. By routinely practicing relaxing self-care, you can help your body respond to stress better. How does this help your physical health? Chronic stress can have physical effects on your body, including increased heart rate and blood pressure, weight gain, stomach ulcers and more. By caring for your mental health, you are in turn caring for your physical health!
Improve Your Mental Health: Neglecting your own needs can lead to general feelings of unhappiness. If left unchecked over longer periods of time, it can lead to low self-esteem, feelings of resentment, anxiety, chronic stress and other negative feelings and emotions. By caring for your mental health, you are showing yourself and others that you value yourself. This can help contribute to long-term feelings of overall well-being and increased self-esteem.
Stress Relief and Management: Taking breaks is good! Balancing your leisure time and your responsibilities helps in a couple of ways. First, you are giving your body and mind a break which can relieve current stresses. Practicing self-care generates soothing feelings that help put you more at ease. Second, you are also learning to manage your time better, helping you better manage future stress, especially if you are taking the step of scheduling your “me time” (something you should do to make your self-care a routine).
Our Top 5 Favorite Self-Care Techniques
Now that you understand the amazing benefits of self-care, let’s take a look at our top 5 favorite ways to get in a little “me time.”
1 | Get a Massage: Massage is a relaxation technique for your mind and your body. It helps ease muscle tension, improve your circulation and improve mental clarity.
2 | Get a Facial: Feeling good can also stem from positive feelings about your physical appearance. Taking time to pamper your skin can zap acne (which can be inflamed by stress) and leave you feeling relaxed.
3 | Nourish Your Body and Mind: What goes into your body matters and that is why it is key that you properly nourish your body and mind. Eating nutrient dense foods and cutting back on sugars and bad fats is essential. You can also give your diet a boost with IV Infusion Therapy. It’s effective at delivering the nutrients your body and mind crave because they are directly administered into the bloodstream, making the nutrients available for immediate use by your body.
4 | Schedule Social Time: Self-care doesn’t have to be done alone. Maintaining your social connections is an essential part of self-care. So carve out time for your family and friends by going out to eat, seeing a movie or staying in for a game night!
5 | Talk to Someone: Caring for ourselves also means knowing when you need to seek help. It’s okay to not always feel okay. Remember to reach out and talk with someone you trust when depression gets you down.
We’re Here to Help!
The US Wellness Collective believes in a holistic approach to your health and well-being. We offer a range of services guaranteed to pamper you and help you look and feel better! Contact us today to learn about our wide variety of customizable services that will have you feeling more relaxed, happier and healthier!