Prioritizing Self-Care: Why it Matters, and How to Do It

The daily demands of life can keep us busy and focused on things other than our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. There is a growing discussion around the importance of prioritizing self-care, though. But “self-care” is not just a buzzword or a fad when it comes to healthy habits. It’s just what it sounds like– the act of caring for yourself, in ways that are proven to increase your overall health, well-being, and even longevity.

When we neglect our health and well-being, small problems can grow larger. Just in terms of mental health, 24% of adults aged 65 and older currently report depression. 1 Caregivers struggle too, with 20-41% reporting depression in various studies. 2

What does Self-Care Include?

Self-care is a broad idea touching on many areas of our lives. But what exactly does it include?

It may be helpful to think of self-care in these categories:

Physical self-care
Emotional and mental self-care
Spiritual self-care
Social self-care

Let’s look a little closer at each of these areas.

Physical Self-Care

This involves anything that affects our health and physical well-being. Getting enough exercise, eating a healthy diet, attending to chronic health concerns, preventing illness, and sleeping well are all examples of physical self-care.

Emotional and Mental Self-Care

Depression, anxiety, and stress can take their toll on emotional and mental health. Even the workload of mental tasks and worry involved in caregiving can be draining. Ignoring emotional needs worsens this toll. Taking the time to care for emotional and mental health despite distractions and demands is important.

Spiritual Self-Care

For many of us, connecting with a greater purpose or higher power is a big part of our lives that can easily be crowded out by other demands. Being an active part of a faith system, taking time to meditate, and prayer are all connected to spiritual self-care.

Social Self-Care

Connecting with others for meaningful social activities requires time and energy. So it’s another area that sometimes falls by the wayside. Worries about the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed social self-care further out of reach for some of us. And for seniors living at home with limited mobility, loneliness can impact emotional well-being, too. The friendship, fun, and happiness that come with social activities are valuable.

Obstacles to Self-Care

Why is self-care sometimes forgotten or neglected? Health challenges, financial worries, and even stressors like the COVID-19 pandemic can make it hard to remember to put aside time every day to focus on yourself.

Often that lack of time is the simplest reason self-care is forgotten. Job demands, caregiving roles, and the effort required to get through day-to-day responsibilities and tasks can sometimes leave little time for ourselves.

Sometimes self-care can involve setting boundaries with others and not taking on another task, which can feel uncomfortable or even selfish. Some self-care (but not all!) can cost money, limiting what self-care activities you can choose if you’re on a budget.

These obstacles can derail any efforts to pay more attention to our self-care. Like any healthy habit, self-care requires a regular commitment and realistic goals to be successful. Even ten minutes a day can be the start of improved well-being if you stick with it.

Some Self-Care Suggestions– and Their Benefits

Each person’s situation will be a little different, so you’ll want to think about the self-care categories discussed above and customize your self-care plan. Let’s consider some different ways you can incorporate self-care into your life, and how these self-care activities are beneficial.

Tips for Physical Self-Care

Exercise- daily movement helps with strength, balance, and endurance and helps reduce the risk of falls. Even dedicating time to simple and gentle exercise routines like yoga or walking counts! One study found that increasing physical activity in mid-life reduced mortality by 32-35%.3

See your doctor- regular well visits and lab screenings can catch health problems before they get out of control. Staying current on recommended vaccines can prevent illness. And talking to your doctor about problems you’ve noticed can ensure you’re not ignoring any serious health issues.

Eat healthy- think about ways you can incorporate healthy snacks into your routine. Taking a few minutes once or twice a week to make yourself some individual snack bags of fruits, nuts or other healthy go-to items can reduce the temptation to grab unhealthy food when you’re on the go or busy.

Pay attention to your sleep- adults 65 and older should ideally get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, but no less than 5 hours and no more than 9.4 Sleep deprivation is linked to many health problems. Going to bed at the same time every night, practicing good sleep hygiene, and taking short naps if necessary can ensure your body is getting enough rest.

Pamper yourself- a soak in the tub, a massage, or a trip to the salon are ways to relax and treat your body well. If getting out of the house is hard, try a portable foot spa and give yourself a pedicure or ask a family member for some help. We all deserve a little extra TLC from time to time!

Get outside- fresh air and sunlight are good for your physical well-being. Sunlight has been shown to reduce depression symptoms, and just spending time outdoors reduces mortality rates.5 Gardening is a great outdoor hobby, or you can take a book or a puzzle outside for an extra opportunity to soak up a green space.

Tips for Emotional and Mental Self-Care

Express yourself- for many people, creative outlets can help release emotions. Drawing, painting, music, and dance all are known stress relievers. You can take a class, or use materials at home to craft and unwind. The only limit here is imagination!

Journal- another activity that can be done from home and at no cost, journaling lets you get your thoughts, frustrations, and even joys out on paper. And it can be done in only a few minutes every day, for example before bed, to allow you to reflect on your day and unwind.

Talk it out- call up a trusted friend who will listen. Or, seek out a support group where others can relate to a struggle that may be weighing you down. This can include caregiver groups, or groups for specific health issues. Often, they’re available in online forums. Counseling with a mental health professional can also give you a regular outlet for emotional and mental concerns. These sessions are increasingly available virtually as well.

Give your mind a break- lose yourself in a diversion such as reading or watching a funny movie. Sometimes temporarily leaving behind worries and emotionally stressful activities can give you a chance to recharge.

Tips for Spiritual Self-Care

Practice meditation- even a few minutes of meditation and mindfulness each day can reduce stress. Studies have shown that meditation can reduce anxiety, depression, pain, high blood pressure, and improve memory, attention, and sleep.6 It can be as simple as a quiet room to let your mind wander and breathe deeply, or daily yoga practices. There are even apps available that can guide you through a session if you’re tech-savvy.

Daily prayer- for some people, this can serve as an outlet similar to meditation or journaling. It’s a chance to be in a calm space and relate to whatever higher power you value.

Find a purpose- having purpose and meaning in life is directly related to well-being. A 2019 study found that life purpose strongly affects mortality rates.7 Volunteering, mentoring others, or advocating for a cause can all bring positivity and even connection to your life.

Tips for Social Self-Care

Connect with others– loneliness can negatively impact well-being. Join a club, take a class, attend a church, talk to friends and family, or consider adopting a pet. These can all help reduce loneliness. Some of these can even be done virtually- meeting online or taking live online classes, for example. For isolated seniors, a home care service can offer opportunities for companionship as well.

Set healthy limits- while social connection is important, sometimes a break from social demands is equally important. Introverts especially need time away to regroup and have quiet time. But for anyone, the constant demands of caregiving, job roles, and helping others can sometimes distract from self-care. Saying “I can’t do that right now,” is ok. Turning off the ringer and alerts on your phone for even an hour every day can be a good break. For caregivers, setting up respite care can help avoid caregiver burnout.

Every Little Bit Helps When it Comes to Self Care

You may not find it realistic to implement everything suggested above. But there may be one or two areas we’ve touched on that especially resonate with you. For example, dedicating a few minutes each evening to meditation, and committing to one hobby every week, may touch on self-care areas that you feel need extra attention. Every little bit helps, as long as you’re making sure you’re keeping yourself in focus regularly.

For seniors and caregivers, having additional help can allow for more self-care activities. Being able to more easily complete tasks around the house, address physical needs, and have regular companionship is all a part of self-care. If you’re interested in discussing how a home care service can meet these needs or free up self-care time for caregivers, Caresify is available to help! You can learn more at our homepage, or call 888-799-5007.

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