Self-Care: How do I take care of myself and my mental health?

Irish people are always saying ‘mind yourself’ or ‘take care’, but what if you’re not sure how? We need to nurture ourselves to give ourselves the physical and mental energy to face the challenges that arise before us. Facing even minor challenges is hard when you are feeling stressed. Most Irish people (90%) engage in some form of mental health self-care each week, according to Mental Health Ireland. But when we don’t practice self-care regularly, it’s difficult to think of ways to actually do it. Here are four simple things we can do every day to improve our mental health and well-being:

Be Active

Look for ways to be active every day. Exercise helps us sleep better, can get rid of tension and depression, and even increases our energy.  Start walking every day. Walking 20 minutes a day, three times a week, is very beneficial physically and emotionally. If you can walk with a friend and talk about your day – you’ll be amazed how much it might help.  Even things like taking the stairs, going for a walk or parking your car at the far end of the car park can make a difference.

Sleep

Poor sleep is often our body’s first warning sign that something is off-balance. Without enough sleep, you may feel cranky, disoriented, or unfocused. If sleep has been evading you, try incorporating the following into your day:

• Limit your caffeine after 2:00 pm
• Turn off your devices an hour before sleep
• Calm a busy mind with a 3-5 minute simple breathing exercise

Diet

Ever been so busy that you simply forget to eat? When we’re stressed, we often run on adrenaline, and we don’t feel hungry. This results in brain fog, irritability, anger and memory problems – not to mention we reach for sugary foods and caffeine to compensate. Self-care means paying attention to what you’re putting into your body.

• Replace white bread, pasta, and rice with whole grain
• Have healthy snacks between meals
• Include protein in every snack and meal
• Eat more fruit and veg

Take Time out for your self-care

Every day, choose something to do that makes you happy. This looks different for everyone. It might be reading a book, learning something new, meeting friends, or quiet time alone. It’s the time to do whatever makes you happy without having to think of anybody else but you. If you think that therapy would help but are not sure where to begin, please don’t hesitate to call us at 01-5563335 for a free 15-minute consultation with a team member.