Self Care: Maintain Your Mental Health

Self-care is the act of keeping ourselves healthy, not only physical health but also mental health which is equally important but is often overlooked. Practicing it consistently is one of the best things you can do to support your mental well-being. It is involves taking intentional actions to nurture for your emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs on a regular basis. Nurturing our self is the process of recharging and restoring your mental, emotional, and physical energy levels so you can face daily challenges from a place of strength and balance. Making yourself as a priority will help you manage stress, reduce symptoms of mental health conditions, and feel your best. This article will explore the benefits of self-care for mental health and provide actionable tips to get started.

Prioritizing Mental Health is Essential

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 U.S. explained that adults experience mental illness each year. Mental illnesses are common and treatable, yet many do not receive treatment due to stigma or lack of awareness about self-care strategies to support mental wellness.

“Taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health. Making self-care a daily habit can significantly improve your mood, resilience to stress, and overall well-being.

— Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology.

The Benefits of Self-Care for Mental Health

Consistently practicing self-care has been shown to have significant benefits for mental health, including:

• Reduced stress and anxiety: Activities like meditation, deep breathing, journaling, relaxing baths/massages help relax the body and calm a busy mind.
• Improved mood: Nurturing your self prioritizes activities you enjoy to boost serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. Laughing with friends, going for walks in nature, and hobbies provide feelings of joy and happiness.
• Better ability to cope with difficult emotions: Self-care makes room for processing and releasing troubling emotions through cathartic outlets like aerobic exercise, art, and music.
• Enhanced resilience: Nurturing healthy habits, relationships, and coping strategies through self-care cultivation resilience against future problems and hardships.
• Fewer/less severe symptoms of mental health conditions: Conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD have been shown to improve with consistent everyday self-care practices.
• More self-confidence: Self-care validates your inherent worth and shows you are caring for yourself, which fosters self-esteem and self-compassion over time.

Caring yourself practices over time can help to reduce stress and negative emotions while boosting mood and overall mental well-being. Self-care should be viewed as a long-term investment in yourself that pays dividends to your mental and emotional health.

Understanding the Components of a Self-Care Routine

The key to an effective routine lies in nurturing different aspects of your overall well-being: mental and emotional, physical, social, and spiritual needs. Below are these components:

• Mental/Emotional: Activities like journaling, meditation, limit unhealthy comparisons on social media, give yourself permission to rest.
• Physical: Exercise, nutrition, sleep hygiene, minimizing substances (e.g. caffeine, alcohol), medical/therapy if needed.
• Social: Spend time with caring people, set boundaries with toxic relationships, join a support group.
• Spiritual: Engage in meaningful practices like prayer, generosity, mindfulness, nature walks boost purpose and fulfillment.

Having a balanced nurturing yourself routine incorporates activities from each category tailored to your individual needs, values, and lifestyle. This holistic approach nurtures well-being from all angles for optimal mental health.

“Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel so it’s important to refuel, recharge and take care of yourself.

— Harriet Lerner, licensed clinical social worker.

Making time for all aspects self-care is the healthiest way to live in balance.

Getting Started: 5 Actionable Tips

With an understanding of what caring yourself entails, here are some concrete steps to start prioritizing it in your life:

1. Set intentions. Write down why self-care matters to your mental health and what you hope to gain from the practice. Keep this list as a reminder during challenging moments.
2. Schedule self-care. Block time for restorative activities in your calendar like you would important meetings. Consistency is key, so plan weekly to nurture your self into your routine.
3. Begin with small changes. Start with one-two daily/weekly acts to build the habit gradually versus trying to overhaul your routine all at once.
4. Find what nourishes you. Experiment with different activities from the mental, physical, social, and spiritual categories to see what leaves you feeling recharged and restores your energy levels.
5. Be patient and compassionate with yourself. Caring yourself is a lifelong journey of getting to know your needs better over time. Don’t beat yourself up for missing a day—stay focused on consistent effort versus perfection.

Making self-care a consistent, everyday priority is key to reaping the benefits for your mental health and well-being. It takes time and effort, but nurturing yourself through intentional acts of self-care is well worth this important investment in your happiness and resilience.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, July 30). One in Five U.S. Adults Live with a Mental Illness.
2. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Mental Health Conditions.
3. Durvasula, Ramani. Interview. Self-Care for Optimal Well-Being and Mental Health. April 23, 2021.
4. Sarris, Jerome et al. (2014). “Lifestyle medicine for depression.” BMC psychiatry 14: 107.
5. Lerner, Harriet. The Dance of Anger. William Morrow, 2005

Learn More

1. The Importance of Hydration and How to Stay Hydrated