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What Is Self-Care and Why Is it Important?

Photo by Madison Inouye from Pexels


Self-care looks different to a lot of people, and with that, it is important to note that it should be tailored to you and what you feel you need at that moment.


It’s important to look after yourself, after all, that’s what self-care is all about. We care and look after so many different people in our lives, so we must take the time to slow down and care for ourselves.


Self-care is a form of nurturing your physical, mental, and emotional health. All three are important. With practice, it will help reduce your stress and add to your happiness and well-being. Practicing self-care isn’t easy, and that’s why we can often fail at it. It’s hard to slow down during our busy and stressful lives. It’s human nature to feel guilty when we choose to focus on just ourselves. However, there are easy ways to start making space in your day for self-care and simple ways to start practicing it and making self-care a priority.

SLEEP

Getting enough sleep should be a non-negotiable form of self-care. It is recommended we get at least eight hours of sleep a night, but many find it hard to get even half that amount. Sleep is the ultimate cure. It helps with reducing stress and anxiety, boosting your mood, strengthening your immune system, and increasing your productivity and energy levels for the next day.


WATER

Drinking enough water is essential for practicing good self-care. Water has so many beneficial factors that we normally don’t think about other than just quenching our thirst. Drinking water aids in digestion, helps rid your body of toxins, lowers stress levels, helps with weight loss, and keeps your skin hydrated. Try buying a fun new water bottle to stay motivated and be reminded to drink more water!


DIET

What you put in your body is a huge part of self-care. You need to fill your body with nutritious and nourishing food. What we eat doesn’t just affect our weight, it affects our skin, mood, energy, and other general health factors. Consider including an allergen-free histamine supplement in your diet. Although your new diet is healthy, it may still lack the nutritional content you need daily.


EXERCISE

Moving is vital to practicing healthy self-care. Even just moving your body for 15 minutes a day can make a huge impact on your health. If you’re not a fan of the typical gym scene, or just running for an hour on a treadmill, try workouts that make you want to exercise instead. Wanting to do something and the mindset behind why you’re doing it is just as important and proven to be a huge contributing factor in how you exercise. Try a spin class, barre, Zumba, swimming, going for a hike, or some quick at-home ab routines. Be creative!


GUT HEALTH

Sleep, water, and exercise all play a part in your health. Health regarding self-care is about healing your gut. Poor gut health influences our weight, mood, and digestive system. Support your gut by supporting your immune system. Try adding supplements to your diet like Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc.


SKIN

Skincare is probably the first thing you think about when you hear self-care. Having a good skincare regimen is crucial to starting your mornings and winding down your nights right. Use a face wash that caters to your specific skincare needs and follow with a hydrating moisturizer. Using serums, like Illuderma and face masks is also a fun and beneficial step you can add to your routine. It’s important to take time to treat your skin right. It can be tricky to find products that work well with your skin and get a routine down that makes your skin glow.


My favorite skin products recently have been from The Better Skin Co. All of their products are vegan, paraben-free, gluten-free, and cruelty-free so they don’t break out my sensitive skin. After washing my face, I use the U Complete Me! Mirakle Cream.

This face moisturizer is amazing as it puts all my products into a one-stop, all-purpose cream. If I’m breaking out, I reach for my Zit No More spot treatment. This saves the day when it comes to acne, breakouts, and even ingrown hairs! Lastly, I like to follow up with a serum and my favorite is the Epik C Serum that tightens and lifts my skin while brightening and reducing the appearance of fine lines.


Make sure to use a face wash that caters to your specific skin care needs. Face masks, sleeping masks, and exfoliating scrubs are also super fun and a beneficial step that you can add to your skincare routine.


When it comes to shaving, the surface your razor works on will be smoother if your skin is hydrated, which will lead to fewer cuts. A significant factor in your shaving routine is the razor you choose to use. Using a straight razor kit is an underrated option for most men since it is less likely to result in typical skin infections like burns or ingrown hairs than shaving with a cartridge or electric razor.


PAMPER YOURSELF

This goes along with skincare and is one of my favorite things to schedule into my day, especially on Sundays after a long week is over. One fun thing you can do to pamper yourself is take a bath. Add in some bath salts or a good smelling bath bomb! Put on a face mask while you are in the bath to take care of your skin. Sheet masks, peel-off-masks, and clay masks are some of my favorite to use. End the night by watching your favorite movie or TV show, for me, the Bachelor is the perfect way to end my night.

 
 

GET OUTSIDE

With the pandemic pushing us more and more inside with virtual work meetings and online classes, it’s important to get outside. Fresh air helps clear your mind and relieve your stress. If it’s nice outside, go for a walk or try doing whatever works—you could sit outside on a blanket.


TECHNOLOGY

Another part of going outside is taking a break from technology. Technology can cloud our brain and overwhelm us or harm our mental health. Take time to put down your phone and live in the moment. This is a great way to overcome burnout.


SAY ‘NO’

Learning how to say no is the last way to practice self-care. You have to make time for yourself and your mental health. I know it may be tempting to say yes to everything and try to fit everything you possibly can into your day or week, but sometimes you just have to say no. That person will understand and there will always be time to re-schedule.


By truly listening to yourself and your body, you are practicing self-care and improving your lifestyle choices. So, next time you have some downtime or are thinking of making a change to add time for yourself, practice some of these self-care tips and say yes to yourself!

 

Check out The Better Skin Co. at www.thebetterskinco.com and on Instagram @betterskinco

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