If you’re like a lot of people, you tend to put the needs of others first, but it’s nice to indulge in a little self care from time to time. When you take time to care for and pamper yourself, you are helping to recharge and reinvigorate your mind, body and soul, and doing so is incredible for your whole body health. Consider taking some time this month to pursue some or all of the indulgences on this list to prioritize your health. Below, we share five self care indulgences you should pursue regularly.
Health-Focused Self Indulgences
If you take some time on a regular basis to pursue some of the following activities, we’re confident that your physical and mental well-being will be better off for it.
1. Pedicures (and Manicures) – Pamper your feet and your hands every once in a while with a pedicure or a manicure. A relaxing pedicure can help you maintain ideal foot and nail health, and it’s typically a relaxing process that can help stress melt away. Oftentimes pedicures are paired with short massages, which can help to boost circulation to your feet.
2. Massages – As we alluded to above, massages can be a great way to improve circulation to certain areas of your body, but massages also provide other health benefits. The relaxing process can help regulate the amount of cortisol (aka the stress hormone) in your body, and it can help to break up muscle tension that could be affecting tissue recovery or your posture. Buy a massage for a loved one in your life!
3. Haircuts – Taking a little bit of time to step away from your busy life to get a haircut can be wonderful for your physical and mental health. The health of our hair is oftentimes tied to the health of your body, so if your hairdresser mentions that your hair could use a boost, know that you may stand to benefit from an improved diet that helps you get a range of healthy nutrients. Haircuts also tend to help improve our self-image and confidence, which can be great for our mental health.
4. Exercise – While exercise isn’t typically thought of in the same way as the other indulgences on the list, it would be great if you could find an exercise routine or physical activity that you truly enjoyed pursuing. You don’t need to run if you hate running or lift weights if the gym life just isn’t for you, but we do recommend finding a physical hobby that you’re passionate about and enjoy. Go swimming, bike around the lake or hike a few different state parks. Find ways to give your body the physical activity it craves without it feeling like typical boring exercise.
5. Meditation – Whether you truly try to meditate or your simply take a few minutes alone to practice some deep breathing exercises, it’s very helpful to try and clear your mind or reframe how you view the challenges that are causing your stress each day. So often life is go go go, and we don’t take enough time to stop and be one with our thoughts. Take 5-10 minutes in the morning or before you go to bed to practice some breathing exercises and to let your mind find some inner peace.