You might have heard the term “self-care” a lot recently, as it’s something more and more people are talking about. But what exactly is self-care, and why is it important?
The World Health Organization defines self-care as “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.”(1) Since that definition can encompass so many things, read on for a deeper understanding of what self-care is and why it’s important for everyone.
What Is Self-Care?
When thinking about the meaning of self-care, your mind may jump to bubble baths or massages. While those activities are lovely (and ones you can incorporate into your own routine), the definition of self-care is much deeper.
Self-care is the practice of individuals maintaining their health through good lifestyle and health choices, responsible use of medication, self-monitoring of their health, and self-management of disease and symptoms.(2) The resulting improvement in physical, mental and emotional well-being can have a huge impact on people’s longevity and quality of life. In short, self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s an essential part of a healthy life for everyone.
A woman sleeping.
Types of Self-Care
Since self-care is an overarching concept, it’s important to understand the different types(3) and how each one plays an important role in taking care of yourself. There are five pillars to self-care:
- Emotional Self-Care
The importance of emotional self-care cannot be overstated. Emotional health often gets put on the back burner because it might feel as though taking time for yourself is selfish. But the ability to deal with emotions like anxiety, sadness or anger are key to your overall health. Some ways to protect your emotional health include:
Taking time for yourself to relax and do activities you enjoy.
Talking about your emotions with someone you trust.
Saying no to activities you don’t want to do.
Seeing a therapist.
- Mental Self-Care
Mental self-care has two aspects: keeping your mind sharp through mental activities and practicing self-acceptance and self-compassion. Examples of how to practice mental self-care include:
Stimulating your mind through educational books and films.
Playing games and putting together puzzles.
Reflecting on your thoughts and going easy on yourself for choices you’ve made.
- Physical Self-Care
When it comes to physical self-care, the most important aspects are eating healthy and exercising. But getting enough sleep, monitoring your overall health, maintaining proper hygiene and getting regular doctor checkups are other important steps to take. Here are some things you can do to maintain physical health:
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that focuses on plants, lean meats and whole grains.(4)
Exercise 150 minutes per week.(5)
Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.(6)
Visit your doctor for your annual physical and anytime you have health concerns.
Follow good hygiene habits, like showering regularly.
- Social Self-Care
With jobs and day-to-day stress, maintaining relationships often falls to the bottom of people’s priority lists. However, social self-care is key to your well-being. Spending time with people you love and building new relationships are an important part of leading a happy and healthy life. Steps to take in practicing social self-care include:
Participating in social activities with friends, such as going to dinner or taking a walk together.
Calling or video-chatting with friends you can’t see in person.
Being open to meeting new people.
Avoiding interacting with negative people.
- Spiritual Self-Care
Spirituality is the belief that there is something deeper beyond the physical world, and there are a multitude of ways to practice spiritual self-care. While conventional religions are one option, they are far from the only way to explore your personal spirituality. Some options to consider when establishing a personal connection with the universe include:
Meditating.
Practicing yoga.
Exploring new religions.
Attending religious services.
How to Develop a Self-Care Plan
While the basic guidelines of taking care of your physical and mental health remain the same, every individual needs to find the best self-care plan for themselves. Certain practices that work for your best friend in terms of schedules, activities and spirituality may not be what’s best for you. Self-care is meant to prevent stress, so if you feel overwhelmed by taking care of yourself, you may need to consider taking different steps in your wellness journey.
Self-care is an intentional and thoughtful way to live life. Taking each pillar of self-care seriously and addressing your personal needs within each is key to living a longer, healthier and ultimately happier life. Start taking care of yourself by trying these self-care ideas today.
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