How often do you reserve self-care time for yourself? September is National Self-Care Awareness Month focusing on the importance of prioritizing one’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being. There are many ways to do self-care at home, probably more than you think. While some are small activities, they can go a long way and make a big difference in your health.
On average a person spends 10 to 15 minutes of self-care alone. There are 10 different types of self-care, but the five most well-known ones are physical, mental, emotional, social, and spatial.
Physical is one of the most common types of self-care, and you see it everywhere. There are vitamins you can take to improve physical health. Vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and B1, B6, and B12 play key roles in good physical health. Activities such as walking on the treadmill, jogging, swimming, and yoga are also good for your physical well-being.
The main focus for mental self-care is relaxation through activities centering around cognitive and behavioral health. Meditation is one of the most common activities you can do to improve mental health. There are many types of meditations, but the two top ones are movement and mantra.
Yoga and Tai Chi are good examples of movement meditation. They promote balance, breathing, and attention, which are the main focus on movement meditation. My dad has been doing Tai Chi for several years.
Another type is mantra meditation, which is when you repeat a word, sound, or phrase to help quiet the mind and improve focus. Remember Dory from Finding Nemo? She repeated, “Just keep swimming,” to keep her from panicking and to focus.
Emotional self-care is an important one. This could involve painting, nature, reading, music, etc. You can create a painting that reflects your emotions in a healthy way. You could go outside and connect to nature.
Reading a book could be another good way to express your emotions in a safe way. My mom and I both enjoy reading; it can be exciting or relaxing, depending on what you choose to read.
In many ways music can improve your well-being without you realizing it. Music increases dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins to your brain which make you feel relaxed and happy. Music can also distract you from negative thoughts and emotions, which gives you a positive outlook on life and provides temporary escape.
Music can improve cognitive function as well. It could even trigger personal memories as well as feelings of joy and nostalgia. Music even has some physiological effects, such as regulating your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing patterns. Music that is soothing can promote relaxation and reduce stress while upbeat music can excite and improve mood.
Social self-care is just as important as mental health because humans are naturally very social beings. While social self-care focuses on mostly connection, boundaries, and community, it is more than that. Building and maintaining healthy relationships increases self-esteem, reduces stress, and helps fight loneliness and burnout. All of that will enable you to cope better with challenges and difficulties. Also, socializing in general makes you feel like you are valued.
Spatial self-care involves intentionally interacting with and tending to your physical environment to improve your mental focus, emotions, and overall well-being. For example, you can create your own little space in a room at your home dedicated to relaxation, kind of like a built-in vacation spot for yourself.
Then think of some items that will be useful for your own little space. Perhaps invest in a journal so you can write down your thoughts, a little table for convenience, small plants to add some life to your room, and maybe a bookshelf for your favorite books.
Having basic painting supplies will go great for your spot as well because painting your emotions is one of the healthiest ways to embrace them. Having a notebook in the room to write ideas or to sketch a drawing is another good idea.
Last but not least, a scrapbook and a candle of your favorite relaxing scent would be good for your spot. With the scrapbook you could make beautiful collage artwork based on your emotions. Scents like lavender not only smell good, but are known to relax the brain and increase melatonin, which is a sleep hormone.
You should not ignore self-care altogether. It is just as important as your everyday routine, and it barely takes any of your time. Treat yourself with self-care and see how it affects your well-being and health. Who knows, maybe you could start a new and healthy habit that benefits your body in ways you can’t even imagine right now.
