Self-care is important to live well and improve both physical and mental health. Self-care helps to handle stress better, reduces the risk of falling ill, and increases energy. Since we are all busy in our lives, even the modest simplest practices can bring a significant difference in our day. It is meant to preserve and improve our health. Since the meaning of self-care varies from person to person, one must know what one need and value.
Though self-care is not the cure for mental illness, it can help control what triggers the symptoms and functions as a self-coping mechanism.
Dr. Ketam Hamdan, a therapist, posted on her recent Instagram post, “one of the key things to remember is that self-care isn’t something you do one and check off you’re to-do-list. We continually need to take measures to look after our well-being. Self-care is something that continually needs to be integrated into our daily life. That’s why it is important to be aware of things you can do that require very little time and can be done anywhere.”
The therapist also shared seven unique self-care tip that is helpful to one’s mood and boosts energy and feel-good hormones (oxytocin).
- Be playful by doing something childish such as sticking out your tongue or doing anything silly.
- Look at yourself in the mirror and say three things you like about yourself.
- Say a prayer or try to release your fears for a minute or so.
- Smell something that smells beautiful such as hand cream, light a scented candle, or smell fresh flowers.
- Hug someone. Wrap your arms around a friend, partner, family member, or pet. An average hug is 6 seconds, or try longer as it releases oxytocin (feel-good hormones).
- Scan your body and notice if you feel any pain or intense in any one part of your body.
- Relive a happy memory or cherish a special moment from the past by closing your eyes and thinking and feeling the happiness felt in the past.
