Today, Monday 24 July, is recognised as International Self-Care Day. This day was first celebrated in 2012 and was created to encourage people to practice self-care and to take time for themselves.
There are so many ways that you can practice self-care and now is the perfect opportunity to set some time aside to relax and recharge.
What is self-care?
The World Health Organisation defines self-care as: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”
According to this definition, self-care includes everything related to staying physically healthy — including hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical care when needed. It’s all the steps an individual can take to manage stressors in their life and take care of their own health and well-being.
Self-care does not make you selfish or mean that you are self-indulgent. Self-care is just what it sounds like: taking care of yourself.
Common examples of self-care include having a regular sleeping routine, eating healthy, spending time in nature and doing a hobby that you enjoy. We all have different interests, so self-care can look different for everyone.
Why is self-care important?
Self-care is an important part of living a healthy and happy lifestyle. Looking after yourself both mentally and physically is crucial to taking control of your health.
We lead increasingly busy lives and it can be easy to forget to put yourself first, especially if you have multiple responsibilities and other people to care for. But looking after yourself will make you feel better, and the better you feel, the better you will be in all areas of your life.
Taking time to practice self-care is important, it allows you to take a step back and re-evaluate your life. Prioritising your mental health and taking the time to relax prevents burnout and allows you to be more productive and successful in all aspects of life.
By making sure you get enough rest, exercise, nutrition, and leisure activities, you will give yourself the opportunity to stay physically and mentally healthy. Practicing self-care can also help reduce stress levels, improve our moods, and give us an overall sense of wellbeing.
Taking time for yourself not only benefits you, but also the relationships you have with others. Not only does having more energy make you more enjoyable to be around, but by practicing self-care you can set a good example for other people in your life and encourage them to prioritise their own wellness as well!
Summer Perfect self-care practices
As it’s July and we’re starting to see warmer temperatures (well mostly!), I thought it would be great to share some self-care ideas for the summer months ahead.
Stay Hydrated
Summer heat and humidity can cause dehydration, which can lead to many health problems, even low levels of dehydration can make you feel tired and dizzy. So, remember to drink water, or if you are not a fan of water alone, try flavoured waters, infused water, squash or herbal teas.
You can also get water from foods such as fruits and vegetables. Try including cucumber, grapes and watermelon in your daily meals and snacks.
Get Outside
Whether that is for daily walks, or a nice long weekend walk in an area of your choice, or perhaps spending time in the garden relaxing or doing a bit of gardening. Being surrounded by nature, plants, and greenery can lower your stress levels quickly.
Rest
The warm weather can often inspire us to do more, going out on adventures and spending more time socialising, but remember to take time to rest to avoid feeling exhausted.
Self-care practices that I enjoy…
Prior to becoming a mum, I really enjoyed regular visits to a beauty salon, I loved having a massage or a nice pedicure. I enjoy being out on the water and also in the woods, the woods are definitely where I feel most at peace, I like to practice mindfulness there. I’m also learning to identify plants, trees and mushrooms as my partner is into foraging and loves to share his knowledge.
Time around animals can make me feel very calm, whether that is a simple cuddle with one of my cats or going to the forest to be near the horses or even a farm to be around pigs, cows, chicken and sheep.
As a busy working parent, you can often feel like you do not have much time to yourself, so when the time does allow it, I will spend some time resting and relaxing, either at home, in the garden, or by having a bath, or by popping out to a coffee shop. Other times, I enjoy listening to music, dancing around and playing on the pc.