The power of self-care

Now more than ever self-care has a major part to play in all our lives. The Covid-19 pandemic put mental health back in focus for many of us, with the reflections and growth we experienced during those months of confinement at home seeing many issues brought to the surface.

With access to help and support hard to come by due to lockdown restrictions, we turned to self-care and the rituals that make it possible in a bid to give our minds and bodies the rest, recovery and recharge they so desperately needed.

Whilst we can now look back on the national lockdowns, the new normal that we’re adapting to as a nation and the ongoing uncertainty continues to make self-care a priority, and for good reason. And these advantages go far beyond helping our skin look and feel its very best.

Read on to discover the wider benefits of self-care, including the powerfully positive effect it has on our emotional and mental wellbeing.

It keeps our bodies fit and healthy

When developing a self-care routine that works for you, you’ll find there are endless possibilities. Whether you choose to make enjoying a good book, taking a stroll around local green space, or working up a sweat at the gym part of your self-care regime, it can have a huge impact on your physical health.

Even relaxing activities like gentle exercise and relaxation can unlock a wider range of health benefits, including improved sleeping patterns and enhanced heart health.

It gives you a better connection with your body

Self-care gives us more opportunities to listen to our bodies, and that increased awareness and connection can be invaluable when honing better physical and mental health.

Thanks to this heightened connection, if something doesn’t quite feel right in your body or mind, you’re more likely to get potential issues checked out and treated. Individuals who have increased awareness are more likely to notice changes quickly and take a proactive approach to solve health problems.

It works wonders for your skin

Many self-care rituals use skincare to enhance that feeling of wellbeing, so dedicating more time to self-care can have great results for your skin. With a more personalised regime that’s in tune with your skin, you can reduce daily stress, overcome your unique skincare challenges, and look as good as you feel.

Self-care may indeed go far beyond skincare but for many it’s the gateway to better, bigger acts of self-care and even better, bigger acts of self-love as Leah, Blogger at The Sweetest Way, experienced:

“So, this year I am working on reinventing my relationship with my skin and the image I see when I look in the mirror. I’m learning (through regular meditation practice and daily journaling) how to catch myself in these negative thought patterns so I can stop them in their tracks and choose more loving thoughts instead.”

It helps you manage stress and anxiety

Post-lockdown, anxiety levels haven’t suffered the drop we thought they would. A survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that 49.6% of the UK population have higher anxiety levels than ever before.

Self-care no doubt provides respite from the highs and lows of post-lockdown life. Even self-care basics like breathing exercises, sleeping well, eating healthily, working out regularly, and simply getting a change of scenery can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

It ups your focus, concentration and productivity levels

Looking after yourself will mean you’re more mindful about how you go about your everyday. With this, you’ll benefit from greater levels of focus and concentration, so if you’ve got your eye on a new career or promotion, work on your self-care routine first!

The higher cognitive ability that’s unlocked through better self-care will increase efficiency and productivity too. For many self-care enthusiasts, this means a better work-life balance that you and those around you are certain to reap the rewards of.

It paves the way for greater self-love

Self-care and self-love go hand-in-hand, and with an increase in you-time also comes a greater appreciation and gratitude for all the things that make you, well, you!

You’ll learn to love yourself and your body like never before, and treat it better, as a result, to care for yourself fully and more deeply. What’s more beautiful and empowering than that?

Image: Olena Serzhanova / Shutterstock.com