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If you think you’ve been hearing more about the topic of self-care in recent years, you’re definitely right. Self-care is more than just a trend though – it’s here to stay for long because practicing self-care means taking care of yourself so you can be healthy, be well, and do all the things you need and want to accomplish in a day.
The need for self-care is also more important now than ever, especially since technology has hastened our pace for life and made it harder to unwind, slow down, and reflect.
In this guide to self-care, we’ll explore what it is and why it is important at every age, the many health benefits from self-care, and ways you can start adding simple self-care routines into your daily life to improve your overall health and wellbeing.
What Is Self-Care and Why Is It Important For Your Wellbeing?
For the World Health Organization, self care is “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote their own health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”
Researchers and organizations have taken a health-oriented approach when defining self-care, but as the topic became more mainstream, definitions tended to focus on tuning into one’s needs and doing things for yourself that feels nourishing and refreshing.
The great thing about self-care is that it’s completely customizable to your needs and preferences, so self-care for one person will likely differ from your own version. Ultimately, it’s all about the steps and routines you take to tend to your physical and emotional health, check in with yourself, and maintain your happiness day to day.
Take a look at a few different categories of self-care:
Physical self-care helps you stay fit and healthy with enough energy to accomplish your everyday goals and commitments.
- Examples: prioritizing a regular sleep schedule, adopting an exercise routine, or choosing more healthy foods over processed ones
Emotional self-care allows you to set boundaries and experience your full range of emotions instead of unhealthily suppressing them.
- Examples: giving positive self talks in the morning , learning to say “no” to things that cause unnecessary stress, or developing supportive friendships
Psychological self-care helps you feel clear-headed and creates time to enjoy activities that you love.
- Examples: taking dedicated breaks from electronics, keeping a gratitude journal, or engaging in a hobby
The underlying theme here is that self-care doesn’t have to cost a thing – it can be something simple that brings you sustained joy and wellbeing in the long run. Engaging in intentional self-care can also help you put your best foot forward because when we are regularly taking care of ourselves, we are better able to react to stress in our lives and maintain positive wellbeing.
What Are The Health Benefits of Practicing Self-Care?
The benefits of regular self-care are broad and have even been linked to reduced stress, higher productivity, positive health outcomes, and increased longevity.
In an article published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, healthy longevity in the 21st century was noted to depend on healthy self-care practices that embrace mindfulness and a positive lifestyle all around. In particular, paying attention to your well-being involves asking yourself big questions such as ”What brings me joy and satisfaction?” and then finding ways to get there through healthy routines and intentional self-care practices.
While you certainly don’t need clinical research to realize positive changes in your physical, mental, and emotional health as a result of practicing self-care, here are some self-care tips that have been well-researched and proven to be linked to healthy longevity:
- Regular Sleep Schedule
- Healthy Diet
- Getting Outside
- Finding Purpose
- Practicing Mindfulness
How Can You Start Your Own Self-Care Routines?
Now that you have a better understanding of what self-care is and the benefits from establishing your own healthy routines, let’s explore how you can start your journey to better self-care today.
Since your self-care practices are completely personalized to what works for you, begin finding yours with this simple 4-step process:
- Brainstorm a list of activities that bring you joy and replenish your energy
- Start small and choose one behavior or activity you’d like to add to your daily life in the upcoming week
- Build up to practicing that self-care routine for a couple weeks
- Reflect on how you feel from the process and add in additional self-care practices as you feel ready
For more inspiration, here are a few easy self-care ideas that you can ease into your self-care journey:
- Pick a bedtime and stick to it
- Put your phone and other electronics away 30 minutes before bed to avoid getting distracted from notifications
- Journal about your thoughts, feelings, and goals for the upcoming week or month
- Start a daily stretching routine
- Eat a healthy and nourishing breakfast each morning
- Take up a relaxing hobby such as yoga, crocheting, or watercoloring
- Indulge in something fun like a pedicure or a bubble bath
- Spend some time outdoors by taking a walk each evening
- Call a family member or friend to say hello and catch up
Keep in mind that practicing self-care doesn’t need to require a lot of heavy lifting and it shouldn’t become a chore that you dread doing. As long as you feel refreshed and practice healthy habits that you know are good for your body and mind, self-care can be something that’s simple and enjoyable.
A Healthy Body, Mind, and Life
The bottom line is that self-care is a choice that each person can make to proactively take care of their wellbeing. Engaging in intentional and regular acts of self-care can have a positive effect on your health and outlook, and it tends to be well worth any money or time you spend on it. Moreover, it helps remove the stigma that being kind and taking care of ourselves is self-indulgent and selfish.
Enabled by resident-focused amenities, events, and local partnerships, our Arden 55+ Living community hopes to inspire you to embrace proactive self-care and healthy habits in order to live a happy and active lifestyle. If you are interested in joining our community, please fill out our contact form here for more information, and our friendly team will reach out to you shortly!