Self-care has become a trendy buzzword in the post-Covid era but the benefits to practicing regular self-care are undeniable. But first, let’s talk about what self-care is and what it isn’t. Self-care is taking steps to address your physical and emotional health needs to the best of your ability. Self-care is not being selfish or self-indulgent. 

And nobody knows the importance of self-care better than moms. Yet moms are usually the first to put themselves at the bottom of the list in terms of self-care. But we don’t all have to be moms to have an overwhelming to-do list that depletes us mentally and physically. Just like a healthy diet and regular exercise, self-care is the next key to great physical and mental health.

The best part about self-care is that it includes a variety of activities that can range from exercise, yoga, hiking in nature, or bike riding, to quieter outlets like reading, meditation, prayer, or a warm bath. It really is up to you to determine what outlet is best for you. 

Be Your Best Self

Self-care really boils down to this simple truth: if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t be there fully to take care of others. If you continue to drop your needs down that to-do list and you miss out on healthy meals or an activity that charges your batteries, you might just be slowing yourself down and holding up your progress over the long term. For example, a 2018 study found that medical students who regularly practiced self-care reported less stress and a better quality of life than those who didn’t.

Overall Wellness

At our core, we probably all understand that taking care of ourselves is important. We all know we should eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly but that doesn’t always happen, especially if we have others in our lives that depend on us to take care of their needs as well. This is where it helps to really take a look at what you find enjoyable and what really provides you with energy and fulfillment. 

If nothing comes to mind immediately, try a few different activities to see what works for you. If yoga or hiking isn’t your thing, maybe try something else like a Zumba workout class or something on the quieter side like learning to quilt or sew. If something isn’t working, don’t hesitate to move on to something else. Your version of self-care doesn’t have to look like someone else’s. Your version of self-care could be a regular coffee visit with friends, tennis lessons or joining a book club. There is freedom in finding out what works best for you.

Awareness of Personal Needs

Finding out what works best for you is really how you develop an awareness of what it is you need to refocus and find that all important balance in your life. And that awareness includes your physical, mental, and emotional needs. It’s important to find activities that address all facets of the mind-body connection, and you care for your whole self. 

Develop Resilience

Proper self-care also allows you to develop resilience as you are better able to handle challenges that come your way when you are caring for your own mental and physical well-being. The anxiety and overwhelming feelings that can tumble your way throughout the day’s challenges don’t seem to have the same impact when you are maintaining your mental and physical strength through self-care. 

Talk to your acupuncturist about different self-care ideas. They have a picture of your body’s balance (or lack thereof) depending on what health issues you are dealing with. They will take a complete health history and work with you to address your physical, mental, and emotional health needs. They can also counsel you on nutritional deficiencies and offer possible herbal supplements to help you find balance as you begin to develop that awareness of your needs and how to find balance in your life. Make an appointment today and get started on your self-care journey. You will be happy that you did!

Just as we develop our physical muscles to gain strength and maintain our health, we also need to pay attention to strengthening our mental muscles. Learning to develop mental strength can help in many ways from overcoming challenging situations, to learning from and bouncing back from failure to viewing these challenges as opportunities for growth. Read on for six healthy habits you can develop to maintain your mental strength. 

Exercise Regularly

Not only is regular exercise good for our physical health, but it also does wonders for our mental health. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which trigger all sorts of benefits. Exercise ties your brain and body together and can improve your mood and energy levels over the long term. And this benefit isn’t limited to one specific exercise. Everything from running/walking to weight or resistance training to yoga and meditation can boost your brain power. 

Sleep is More Important that you Think

While everyone is different, most experts agree that people should regularly get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Not maintaining regular, good sleep can cause a variety of issues. If you have had multiple nights of tossing and turning then you know the brain fog, stress and anxiety that can come throughout the next day. Create a nighttime routine that helps to set you up for success. 

Be a Lifelong Learner

One advantage to exercising those mental muscles can provide an important long-term benefit. Harvard Medical School believes that learning a new skill may slow down cognitive decline as you age. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself by learning a new language, instrument or taking up a new hobby like photography or painting. If none of those options sounds appealing, try puzzles or crosswords which have also been found to help with improving memory and cognitive functioning. 

Practice Gratitude

This is a key trait among many mentally strong people. Being thankful, or practicing gratitude, can be a powerful tool with scientifically proven benefits. Rather than focus on the negative and let a problem boil over, people who practice gratitude improve empathy and can keep toxic responses in check (nobody wants to be around someone resentful or envious). 

One study found that gratitude did, in fact, increase mental strength as it helped to improve resilience following the attacks on September 11, 2001. No matter how traumatic the event, being thankful and recognizing the positive developed strength and resilience. 

Self-Care is Key

Not everyone falls into the same self-care routine. While it can look different for most everyone, prioritizing a few things like sleep and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, exercising, and finding ways to relax and unplug can be essential to maintaining a healthy body and mind. 

Practice Generosity

You may read that statement and think, “I barely have enough money myself! How can I practice generosity?” We’re not simply talking about money here, although you could certainly be generous with your finances. Another way to practice generosity is to spend time with people who could use a little extra kindness in their lives. For example, you could donate some time to a retirement center or volunteer to be a big brother/big sister. You could lend your talents to help fund a cause you care about or simply donate the money you would spend on lunch once a week to your favorite charity. There are a lot of ways to practice generosity that don’t involve money at all!

As you can see, our mental strength is tied to many different healthy practices. By adopting positive habits, you can reduce your risk of cognitive decline and be well on your way to greater physical and mental well-being.