Understanding Self-Care and Its Crucial Role in Your Health
Self-care revolves around prioritizing your own needs. It involves dedicating time to nurture your physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health. Engaging in self-care is crucial on its own and equips you to support and care for others, perform effectively at work, and achieve your daily goals and desires. In essence, it helps you become the best version of yourself.
Paula Gill Lopez, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Psychological and Educational Consultation at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, emphasizes the importance of self-care. “We are facing an epidemic of anxiety and depression,” she notes. “Everyone is experiencing it.”
Self-care is essential for managing daily stressors, says Kelsey Patel, a wellness expert based in Los Angeles. The stress of work and the fast pace of daily life, accelerated by technology, is overwhelming. “People are feeling lonelier and less able to relax and slow down, leading to increased anxiety and feeling overwhelmed by even simple tasks,” Patel explains.
Explore more about self-care, including its importance, what it involves, and how it can improve your overall health.
Understanding Self-Care
Many organizations and scholars adopt a health-focused perspective when describing self-care. According to the World Health Organization, self-care is: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”
As defined, self-care encompasses all aspects of maintaining physical health—such as hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical care when necessary. It involves every measure you can adopt to handle the different stress factors in your life and look after your overall health and well-being.
Self-care involves regularly assessing your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Some individuals turn to self-care to cope with challenging news, while others engage in it to sustain their daily happiness.
Self-care varies from person to person. Each individual will have their own self-care routines, and your own understanding of self-care might evolve over time.
"What constitutes self-care for one person may not be the same for another, and what feels like self-care to you today might not feel the same tomorrow," explains Marni Amsellem, PhD, a licensed psychologist in the greater New York metropolitan area.
Types of Self-Care
There are several categories of self-care. The primary areas generally encompass physical, emotional and mental, as well as spiritual aspects.
“Self-care could be anything that brings you joy — anything that makes you happy,” says Dr. Gill Lopez. “It includes anything that makes you feel nurtured, even if it’s you nurturing yourself.”
Here are four of the main categories of self-care.
Emotional Self-Care
Engaging in activities that help you relax and unwind is essential. This may include positive self-talk, enjoying a weekly bubble bath, and learning to say no to stressful tasks.
Take a break, meet a friend for coffee, light candles, listen to music, or read a book in the garden—whatever brings you joy, and peace, and reduces stress.
Physical Self-Care
This could involve prioritizing sleep and practicing good sleep hygiene. It might mean adopting an exercise routine you can maintain or opting for healthy, nourishing foods over highly processed ones.
Spiritual Self-Care
Spiritual self-care includes spending time in nature, meditating, or incorporating regular acts of kindness into your day. Some people choose to keep a gratitude journal, and if you practice organized religion, this could also mean attending a service or ceremony.
Mental Self-Care
Mental self-care holds significant importance. It may involve activities that keep the mind engaged and sharp, such as learning a new language or exploring an intriguing subject. Engaging in puzzles and mind training games is another excellent method to stimulate your mind and practice mental self-care.
Additionally, mental self-care includes practicing acceptance and enhancing self-love.
Remember to incorporate self-care into your daily routine.
You can incorporate self-care into your daily routine by being more mindful during your commute and finding ways to make daily tasks, like showering, more enjoyable. Choose a soap with a scent you love and focus on the sensations of the shower. Be present and mindful for about 10 minutes in the shower.
Making your bed in the morning can be a form of self-care. It helps start your day with a sense of accomplishment.
How Self-Care Benefits Your Health and Well-Being
Psychologist Ellen K. Baker, PhD, says self-care practices like exercise, yoga, and mindfulness are linked to longevity and positive health outcomes.
In the 21st century, living longer depends on healthy habits like exercise, not smoking, and a balanced diet. Embracing a positive lifestyle and finding sources of satisfaction are also crucial for well-being. These self-care practices are linked to a longer life based on research.
Exercise
Individuals who engaged in two to eight hours of exercise per week throughout their lives reduced their risk of early death by 29 to 36 per cent.
Purpose
Having a strong life purpose has been associated with decreased mortality rates, according to studies.
Diet
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and white fish has been linked to longer life expectancy.
Sleep
Healthier sleep patterns have been found to significantly increase life expectancy according to research.
Spending Time Outdoors
Studies also revealed that time spent in green spaces is associated with a lower mortality rate.
The evidence supporting the long-term health benefits of self-care is still developing and more general studies are needed to examine its impact on overall health and longevity.
How to Start a Self-Care Routine
Discover various ways to start a self-care routine. Find activities that bring you joy, boost your energy, and restore your balance. These steps can help you get started.
Start small by choosing one habit to practice daily for a week. Reflect on your feelings afterwards. Seek support from loved ones, a coach, or a professional if needed. Remember, self-care doesn't have to be overwhelming from the start.
Here are a few ideas for activities that could help ease you into your self-care journey:
Start each day by journaling, focusing on your breath, and setting intentions. Eat breakfast. Reflect on gratitude each night. Put your phone on airplane mode for half an hour before bed. Call a friend to say hello. Take up a relaxing hobby and stick to a bedtime.
Note: If reading this makes you feel demoralized or sad due to the challenges of starting a self-care practice, it’s important to seek help and support. There may be barriers, such as past trauma, mental health issues, or family situations, making it more difficult to get started.
Seek support from trusted counsellors, mental health providers, a trusted primary care doctor, or a close friend.
Conclusions
Self-care involves actively taking measures to nurture your physical and emotional well-being, aiding in stress management and enhancing overall health. It's not about indulging yourself but engaging in activities that bring happiness and balance. Begin with simple daily practices that revitalize you, such as mindful breathing or setting daily intentions.