Self-Care: What It Is, How To Do It, And Why It Matters

From the time we’re young, we’re conditioned to think of our health in physical terms. But mental health, which includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being, is just as critical as physical health and just as essential to our overall health and quality of life. That’s because it affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others.

One of the best ways to maintain our mental health is through self-care. It’s the process of taking the time to do things that help us live well and improve both our physical and mental health. Self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. And even small acts of self-care in your daily life can have a big impact.

So how do we engage in self-care? Here are some tips from the National Institute of Mental Health and a few other pieces of advice to help you get started:

Get regular exercise.

Just 30 minutes of exercise every day – even something as simple as walking – can help boost your mood and improve your physical and mental health. And small amounts of exercise add up, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t do 30 minutes at one time. Start small and build from there. Here are some tips:

• Start moving. The type of exercise you do is not as important as just getting started and keeping it up. Find something you enjoy doing, whether it’s walking, biking, swimming, taking your dog for a walk, or any other physical activity, and start doing it for at least 30 minutes a day.
• Workout with a friend. No one keeps us more accountable than family members and friends, so join them when they exercise or ask them to join you. It will make the time go faster, you’ll both feel better, and you’ll spend some quality time together while you’re doing it.
• Take a class. There are group exercise classes available at health clubs, community centers, and parks almost everywhere. They take the monotony out of exercising and make almost every activity more fun. So join in. And don’t worry; there are always lots of beginners just like you.

Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated.

A balanced diet and plenty of water will do more than make you feel better and be healthier; they can improve your energy and focus throughout the day. Try these tips:

• Make a healthy menu for the week. Eating right doesn’t just happen. It takes planning. So plan your meals each week, shop for fresh meat and produce, and try cooking light instead of dining out. You’ll eat better and feel better.
• Have a family dinner. Taking time to slow down, make a healthy meal together, and eat together is a great way to slow down, reconnect, and reset at the end of the day. That’s good for everyone.
• Drink some water first thing in the morning. We often wake up slightly dehydrated, so drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up is a healthy way to start the day.

Make sleep a priority.

Stick to a schedule, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Blue light from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep, so reduce blue light exposure from your phone or computer before bedtime.

• Go to bed. According to a 2014 CDC study, 35.2 percent of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep a night. Healthy adults should average seven to nine. Do that and you’ll be engaging in self-care while you sleep!
• Stop hitting the snooze button. It’s easy to hit the snooze button thinking that it is a gentler way to wake up. However, you won’t be getting healthy sleep for those extra five minutes, and it could leave you feeling sleepier. Instead, try going to bed five minutes earlier or set the alarm for the time that you actually want to get up. This way, your body will be prepared to wake up at that time, and you’ll feel less tired.
• Make your bedroom a screen-free zone. Phones, TVs and laptops disrupt sleep and relaxation., Giving your brain a break from them will encourage better sleep and enhance your mental health.

Try a relaxing activity.

Relaxation is great self-care. Explore relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which often incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Or try some basic relaxation strategies like these:

• Take five minutes to decompress every day. That can be as simple as putting your phone away for five minutes, taking deep breaths, or just sitting with your own thoughts.
• Get outside. Research suggests that spending time outside helps you sleep better at night, reduces stress levels, boosts mental health, and stimulates the immune system.
• Read a book. Find one on self-care or just about any subject that interests you. It’s more relaxing than your phone, and you can learn a thing or two while you’re chilling out.
• Take a break. Take a vacation. Take a staycation. Take a road trip. Just get away from your everyday routine for a bit and relax. Do some things that bring you joy and don’t apologize for it for a second.

Set goals and priorities.

We can’t do it all. It’s not possible and it’s not healthy. So decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. And take small steps, trying to be mindful of what you’ve accomplished rather than what you’ve been unable to do.

• Say no to others and yes to yourself. It’s great to make plans and spend time with others, but sometimes it’s better to say no if you’d rather and just spend your free time alone or with loved ones. It’s hard to engage in self-care when you have to engage with other people at the same time.
• Organize your life. If you’re trying to get out from under a mound of tasks or a pile of clutter, it probably can’t happen all at once. So spend 10 minutes a day getting a few things put away or off your to-do list. You’ll find you’re slowly getting on top of your task list and feeling a sense of accomplishment and relief as you do.

Practice gratitude.

Gratitude feels good. It brings us a sense of peace and satisfaction. That makes it good self-care. So give thanks, pay it forward, and remind yourself often of the things you’re grateful for. Here’s how:

• Say thank you as often as you can.
• Try to do something nice for someone else every day. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. Just find small ways to make other people’s lives easier and you’ll be surprised how much easier your life feels as a result.
• Keep a gratitude journal. It’s easy to forget the things we’re thankful for, so start by writing down five things you’re thankful for each day. You’ll be amazed how blessed you feel when you go through them all at the end of the year.

Focus on positivity.

Like gratitude, being more positive is a great way to change the way you view your everyday life. It lightens the load and takes some of the pressure out of things that might otherwise weigh you down. Here are some ways to start.

• Confront your negativity – on paper. Growing In Gratitude author Alexandra Elle says to write down the lies—the negative self-talk and self-doubt—and then combat that with what you know to be true and what you're capable of. “Putting that on paper helps to acknowledge the negative, while not letting it overtake the positives in your life.”
• Read a happy story each morning. One of the best expert-approved self-care tips is to trade your morning perusal through your Facebook feed or news sites with something positive like an uplifting book, or a happy podcast.
• Practice positive self-talk. You’d be amazed how much just reminding yourself about all the good things in your life and to stay positive in the face of difficulty can improve your outlook and your mindset.

Stay connected.

Self-care doesn’t just have to come from yourself. You can get it from others, too. Especially those whose love and support you depend on the most. So when you need a little love, reach out to family members and friends and ask for the emotional support and practical help you need.

Self-care looks different for everyone, and it’s important to find what you need and enjoy. It may take trial and error to discover what works best for you. And while self-care is not a cure for mental illness, understanding what triggers you and what coping techniques work for you can definitely help you manage your mental health and live the life you imagine.