Self-care is a common trend that everyone is dying to indulge in nowadays. It’s a buzzword that you see everywhere, and it is also a common marketing tool for many companies. According to The National Center for Biotechnology Information, 20.6 percent of Americans above the age of 25 spend two hours or more on self-care each day. Although self-care can include spa-days, pedicures, manicures, and facial masks, it mainly means making lifestyle changes that focus on your all-around health. If you’re looking to improve your overall wellness, consider the following tips.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Following a healthy diet is a crucial part of self-care. A report by Statista found that 100.2 million Americans began watching their eating habits in 2019 for the purpose of losing weight. Although weight loss is one of the top reasons to follow a healthy diet, it isn’t the only one. For example, fried food and other junk foods are the number one culprits for poor cholesterol. Unfortunately, many tasty snacks and desserts come at a cost.
When it comes to eating, it’s also possible to have too much of a good thing. For example, consuming too much dairy contributes to irritated acne. If you want to improve your overall health, you need to maintain a balanced diet that includes all the necessary vitamins and correct portions of the major food groups. It’s never a bad idea to add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your daily meals.
Establish a Sleep Routine
As a kid, you probably signed with frustration when your parents enforced bedtime rules and always reminded you of the importance of sleep. However, once people reach adulthood, they tend to crave sleep and constantly feel like they haven’t had enough.
It’s vital to your health to establish a proper sleep routine and stick to it. Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per day, and denying your body sleep puts you at risk for developing certain diseases. Of course, lack of sleep also causes fatigue, weight loss, and lack of memory retention.
But getting good sleep is easier said than done. To form a healthy routine, you should stop using your phone or other blue light screens close to bedtime, limit caffeine consumption to morning hours, and get proper exercise.
Address Your Personal Needs and Pain Points
Everybody is different, and your personal needs will be different from everybody else’s. To practice the best self-care, you need to address your body’s specific needs:
- Discomfort or Body Pain- Understanding the kind of pain you experience is essential. Before making changes to your routine or diet, take stock of exactly which parts of your body hurt. For example, try to discern if the discomfort you’re feeling is joint pain or muscle pain. From there, you can start researching ways to alleviate the symptoms.
- Cosmetic Issues- Address any specific cosmetic issues you have and where you want to see improvement. Instead of trying to change your beauty routine from top to bottom, target areas to focus on for a couple months at a time. For example, you may choose to work on your skin, hair, or nail health first.
Take the Right Supplements
The Food and Drug Administration shows that there are more than 29,000 different dietary supplements available and more than 1,000 new supplement products launch every year. There are a plethora of nutritional supplements available in the market to meet every consumer need. However, no one needs to use too many at once. Instead of looking for a cure-all, people should start by addressing just their pain points and cosmetic goals, as discussed above. Once you’ve figured out what issues you’re facing, start researching and looking for supplements or treatments that meet your personal needs.
For example, if you decided to focus on growing long, healthy hair, you may look into keratin supplements. Are you interested in muscle gain? Then spend some time researching the different protein powder options. Do you want smooth, glowing skin? Consider the many benefits of collagen supplements. Remember, you should always consult your doctor before adding supplements to your health regimen or making any major lifestyle changes.
Sit Back and Relax
Apart from the many other ways to indulge in self-care, the most important way is to rest and relax. Aside from sleeping, indulging in your hobbies, getting a massage, going to a spa or just having an afternoon nap is a great way to take care of yourself. After painting the town red, let go and take the rest of the day off because that’s what self-care is all about.
Image Credits: Brooke Lark
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