Studies have found that prolonged stress is associated with harmful health outcomes. While you can’t eliminate all stressors from your life, you can control your response by practicing self-care.
Continue reading for self-love techniques that will help you combat stress and take your health back into your own hands.
1. Give Priority to Sleep
Self-care starts with a good night’s rest, and not all snoozes are created equal. You can prioritize your sleep by making sure that you fall asleep in your bed (and not on the couch) each night. If you find yourself often delaying your slumber, you may be committing “revenge bedtime procrastination.” This characterizes a person’s choice to avoid bedtime due to their perception of lost free time due to work or other obligations.
As a result, your sleep suffers, and poor sleep quality is detrimental to your overall health. To avoid this, start incorporating a routine into your bedtime ritual. This can be having a warm mug of tea or reading a book; anything to signal to your brain that it’s time for sleepytime.
2. Stay Active With Physical Exercise
Minutes after exercise, your brain reaps immediate rewards. These benefits include improved cognition and an elevated mood. But it doesn’t stop there. You’ll get a better night’s sleep (see practice #1), and with regular exercise, you’ll also enjoy a longer, healthier life.
Remember, exercise doesn’t have to be grueling. For example, a nice, long walk around your neighborhood will give you the same health boosts.
3. Forest Bathing: Get Your Green On
Forest bathing is a way to connect to nature and has nothing to do with getting wet. Instead, it’s a Japanese practice, named shinrin-yoku, that was borne as a counteragent to the dystopian tech world of the ’80s. Scientists have studied the real-world impacts of forest bathing and found that adults emerged with lower blood pressure readings after time spent in the forest.
Practicing forest bathing is simple. The green space you choose should be dense with tree growth, and when you’re walking around, be mindful of absorbing the sights and sounds. Then, when you return home, be sure to burn some sage to cleanse your aura.
4. Eat Healthily: Show Your Body Some Self-Love
Both your brain and your body need high-quality fuel to sustain all of the complex tasks they accomplish throughout the day.
Carrots and hummus are a classic example of a healthy snack. When coming up with your own combo, consider high protein foods, raw fruits and veggies, and other high-fiber additions like nuts.
5. Create and Follow Your Self-Care Plan
A self-love plan tailored to your unique needs will equip you with the tools necessary to deal with life’s daily surprises. First, determine what you need to feel supported and fulfilled. These activities might be writing in your journal before bed, meditating, or waking early enough to do sun salutations with the sunrise; it all depends on what feeds your fire.
Then, implement everything into a routine and write them into your schedule. Like all other essential appointments, scheduling these tasks reminds you to make time for yourself and commits you to the task.
6. Self-Care Isn't Selfish
If you’re not used to taking time for yourself, you may feel a little selfish when you start. So if you do, it’s important to remember that you can’t fill anyone else’s cup if yours is empty.
Did you enjoy reading about self-care practices? If so, be sure to check out our other informative personal growth reads.
