"Taking care of ourselves is not a luxury, it's a necessity."

That being said, self care isn't just about the products we use. It's also about taking care of ourselves properly and addressing what we need.

Why is self-care important?

Proper self-care can seriously improve our mental and physical wellbeing, and isn't something to neglect.

When we let our stress build up overtime, it becomes overwhelming.

If we try and manage too much at a time, it can become impossible to deal with.

Therefore, taking a pause to let ourselves unwind can prevent our lives from becoming too much.

Then in the future, we'll be much more equipped to manage our stress levels.

According to the Limerick Mental Health Association, having regular self-care can actually benefit the people around us:

"Taking care of yourself allows you to put yourself in a better position to nurture your relationships with others."

The reason for this is because self-care allows us to recharge our batteries, in a sense:

"Our bodies and minds require regular refuelling, much like our smartphones do, in order to perform at their best."

When we don't give ourselves a chance to rest, we run the risk of experiencing burnout and exhaustion.

Signs that you need self-care

If you find yourself feeling run down, tired, or sick a lot, you might be in need to some self-care.

When we consistently don't take care of our bodies properly, they let us know.

If you feel exhausted by the end of every day or are constantly having to remedy a cold, your body is telling you to slow down.

Sometimes the best form of self-care is having an early night and waking up rested. If possible, don't set an alarm for the next morning. Your body will wake up when it's ready.

Ways to practice self care

Another way we neglect what's best for us is the food we eat.

While a takeaway always satisfies our cravings, there's nothing like a home cooked meal to make us feel better.

Maybe that means a one-pot lasagne or veggie stir-fry, but the important thing is to pick something you enjoy.

Exercise is always important, but it's not always easy to do a gym session when you already feel burnt out.

My favourite thing to do is address where I'm holding tension in my body, and doing an exercise according to how I feel.

If I feel some anxiety in my chest, I'll go for a long walk. Or, if my back is holding some tension I'll find a quick yoga video to follow along to.

After all of that's done, the best thing to do is take a long bath or shower to relax.

Maybe you have some toiletry gift sets left over from Christmas, or a face mask you've been saving - now is the time to use them.

Finally, let yourself relax for the evening.

Whether that's reading a book in bed with some herbal tea or watching a movie with a big bowl of popcorn, let yourself indulge.

You'll never regret giving yourself some self-care.

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