In our recent history, the phrase “self-care” has become a popular synonym for bubble baths and shopping sprees.
However, it can be much more impactful when focused around mental health rather than pampering (we aren’t against pampering, for the record).
By taking care of your mind and spirit, you can work to decrease anxiety, depression, and stress while giving yourself more joy and relaxation.
Keep reading to find out 6 mental self-care tips that you can use today.
1. Make Your Mornings Intentional
From the moment we wake up, our mornings set the tone for the rest of the day. It can also be a time where you prioritize your mental health by creating a morning ritual.
You don’t have to allocate hours to having a serene morning routine. It can be as simple as making your bed and giving yourself 15 minutes to wake up before starting to do anything.
Research suggests that our moral awareness and self-control are stronger in the morning. This means that if you focus this crisp energy on yourself, you won’t let days go by without doing any self-care.
Your morning ritual will vary based on what’s important to you. Things you can include are journaling, meditating, stretching, focusing on your breath, or sitting outside in silence while you drink your morning beverage.
2. Check-In With Yourself
Whether you decide to add it to your morning routine, your lunch break, or your decompression before bed, set the habit of checking in with your mental state.
You can approach this in a multitude of ways. You can write in the stream-of-consciousness style to see what’s on your mind and allow it to be expressed.
You could write down the following questions and ask them daily:
- What is my general mood?
- What are some light aspects of myself and my environment?
- What are the shadow aspects of myself and my environment?
- What are my needs?
- What are my desires?
By giving yourself space to check-in, you will feel more in tune with where you’re at so that you can then change your actions and environment to better suit you.
If you prefer a more structured tactic, consider doing a daily assessment of your 7 spheres of lifestyle synergy. Rather than focusing on where you would like to improve, focus on where you’re feeling powerful and give yourself praise.
3. Take Care of Your Body
Our bodies and our minds are interconnected in a way that makes it difficult to discern which is which. For example, when we feel nervous, our stomach feels fluttery and unsettled.
Therefore, taking care of your body in the following ways can have a direct result on your mental health.
Feeding Your Gut
One of the best self-care practices you can work towards is eating a balanced diet.
Healthy food gives us energy, which allows us to move through life as we want to. Not only that — it feeds the 100 trillion bacteria in our digestive tract, which may have a role in strengthening our immune systems.
Although research is limited on exactly how our gut affects our mental health, we know for certain that our digestion and our brains are intimately connected.
Physical Activity
Moving your body can boost your mental health by strengthening your cognitive function and self-esteem. As a result, it can reduce anxiety, depression, and other mental issues.
You can choose to walk, do yoga, run, or any activity that brings you joy — so long as you’re moving and getting your heart rate up.
Getting Enough Sleep and Water
Aside from breathing and eating, getting enough sleep and water is essential to our survival.
Beyond that, not having enough of either of these things can have a negative effect on your mental health. Research shows that anywhere between 65-90% of people who suffer from major depression have sleep problems, highlighting the importance of setting yourself up for a good night of sleep.
The same goes for setting yourself up to drink plenty of water, as it helps improve brain function while removing inflammatory markers.
4. Adjust Your Posture
Have you ever noticed that you can tell what someone is feeling by the way their posture looks?
This is because our posture may have an effect on our mental state. Simply holding yourself in a proper posture can help you to feel more confident and relaxed.
Paying attention to and correcting your posture throughout the day is one way that you can care for your mental and physical health at any moment.
5. Connect and Disconnect
As social creatures, we thrive on connection. That doesn’t mean that all connections count as mental self-care.
Choose to spend your time with people who support and inspire you. Rather than spending time with those who drain you, choose to improve your mental health by spending time with inspiring and like-minded people.
Along with connecting with others, it’s important to connect with yourself and nature. This is how you can decompress while being your true, authentic self.
When spending time alone, you will be able to reflect and understand the ways that you want to build relationships with others. From there, you can communicate boundaries and needs with your friends, your family, and social media to protect your mental health.
6. Cultivate Gratitude
Gratitude is our appreciation for things and people in our lives. It has the power to strengthen positive emotions, benefit relationships, and improve health.
One way you can focus on gratitude while practicing mental self-care is to make a list (in your mind or on paper) of everything that you are grateful for in this moment. Make it as detailed as possible, including smells, sensations, and single events.
You’ll quickly realize that each of us has innumerable things to be grateful for each and every day. By recognizing that, you’ll feel more positive and appreciative of what you have rather than focusing on what you don’t have.
These Small Mental Self-Care Tips Can Make a Huge Impact
Because each of our minds is infinitely unique, it’s important to note that these mental self-care tips should be tweaked to fit your needs. They are a good baseline to work from, but it’s helpful to experiment to find what works for you.
Keep reading our blog for more ways to take care of your body and mind. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to request an appointment.