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What Exactly Is Self-Care?
Self-care is a broad concept that extends beyond your physical health. Self-care can also refer to any action you take to maintain your mental and emotional well-being. “Self care is anything you do for yourself that feels nourishing,” says licensed psychologist Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.
This can range from soaking in a long bath to going for a morning run—whatever makes you feel more empowered, centered, and joyful.
Why Is self-care essential?
Contrary to popular belief, self-care is not synonymous with selfishness. Taking time out of your day to focus on yourself improves not only your overall wellbeing but also your relationships. Self-care motivates you to be the best version of yourself and allows you to share those positive feelings with others.
Prioritize sleep and self-care
When you’re getting ready for bed, take a break from work and prioritize relaxation. Instead of staying up late to catch up on emails, scroll through social media, or binge-watch a new show, set a bedtime and stick to it.
Sleep is one of the most important aspects of self-care; it influences your mood, motivation, and ability to work. As a result, your nightly self-care routine should not only focus on winding down, but also on sleep.
Schedule a time for your bedtime routine
Giving yourself enough time to relax and catch some deep, restorative ZZZs is essential for a successful bedtime routine. Set an alarm to notify you when it’s time to begin your nightly self-care routine. It’s critical to give yourself enough time to unwind—your routine should last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, or longer if possible.
The Importance of consistency
To truly benefit from self-care and a healthy bedtime routine, you must be consistent. Starting your routine at the same time every day and going to bed at the same time every night will help you succeed. Maintaining a routine allows your brain to begin shutting down when it’s time to sleep. Routines help to put your mind and body on “autopilot,” allowing you to relax and unwind more easily.
Take care of yourself
After your warm bath or shower, treat yourself to some self-love with a self-massage. Try massaging your hands or feet with a delicious-smelling lotion or cream. This is also an excellent time to put your skincare routine into action. Whether you have 20 products to apply or prefer to wash and go, use this time to reconnect with your body. For added luxury, try a facial massage, gua sha, or a face mask.
Pick up a good book
Reading is a great way to unwind and drift off into a deep sleep. Choose a book that does not require much thought or effort (yes, we mean boring.) Alternatively, read something positive and inspiring before bed that brings you joy and puts you in a good mood. Reading is an excellent way to avoid reaching for those pesky electronic devices.
Accept meditation and mindfulness
Meditation has been shown in studies to help people overcome insomnia. It relieves tension and stress and encourages you to focus on the present moment. There are numerous meditation and mindfulness apps, podcasts, and videos available online, or you can simply focus on your breath while visualizing your stress dissipating. Adding intention to your actions can help you ground yourself and avoid becoming overwhelmed, and meditation before bed will prepare you for a positive, new day.
Make tomorrow less difficult
Extend your evening self-care into the next day by getting ready. This can include making a “To Do” list to help reduce anxiety, cleaning up your environment for peace of mind, or setting goals or intentions to keep you on track.
Try doing whatever small steps help you feel ready to tackle your daily tasks before going to bed so you don’t end up lying in bed, anxious and overwhelmed about the day ahead.
Communicate with family and friends
Taking time to reconnect with your partner, family members, or friends can help you get in a good mood.
A sense of connection could be as simple as a phone call or as complex as journaling, meal preparation, massages, or deep conversations.
After a long day, you may want to skip your nightly brushing routine and go straight to bed. Brushing your teeth every morning and night, on the other hand, is critical to maintaining good oral health and protecting your teeth from decay, cavities, and other oral health issues. Trust your dentist and take two minutes to clean your pearly whites, no matter how tired you are.
Why Is tooth brushing so important?
The most important aspect of dental care takes place at home. Brushing your teeth properly at least twice a day removes plaque and helps to prevent cavities, which can lead to tooth loss.
Brushing also protects your gums from decay and helps to keep your breath fresh. Remember to floss your teeth before brushing; this is another healthy way to keep your mouth safe and clean.
If you’ve decided to stop brushing your teeth at night, it’s never too late to change your ways. Your commitment to brushing correctly and following your dentist’s advice is critical to your oral hygiene. Designer Dental Services is an excellent choice for a dentist in Peoria.