Taking good care of yourself can have a revolutionary impact on your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Despite this, the vast majority of us ignore crucial self-care routines.

If you feel you don’t have time to schedule in self-care or other things take priority, you could be putting your health at risk. With adequate self-care, you can reduce the risk of developing serious physical health issues, such as, heart problems. Furthermore, frequent self-care can help to banish low self-esteem and boost your confidence, which will have a positive impact on every area of your life. 

Although finding time to take care of yourself can be tricky, it’s important to schedule some time for self-care. If you want to find out how to take the best care of yourself, take a look at these sure-fire self-care tips now.

  1. Listen to music

Listening to upbeat, happy or inspiring can improve your mood and enhance your motivation levels. Ever noticed how the right tune can instantly bring a smile to your face or help you to recall happy memories? 

We’re built to enjoy music and we respond to it accordingly. When you listen to mood-enhancing tunes, you can change the theme of your entire day. What’s more – you don’t have to give up any time to do it. If you find it hard to factor in self-care time, put some tunes on while you’re in the car, the shower or when you’re cooking. 

  1. Laugh more

They say ‘laughter is the best medicine’ for a reason, and it can certainly help you to feel more confident, centered and in control. Whether it’s spending time with friends, seeing a show or watching a funny movie, laughing can prompt the release of endorphins.

Known to make us feel good and minimize pain, endorphins are great for your health and your mood. If you want to feel better, take the time to laugh and you’ll soon notice your mood improving. 

  1. Try meditation

Meditation can lower blood pressure, regulate breathing, reduce the heart rate, minimize anxiety and boost your immune system. All in all, it’s a great way to take care of yourself. 

If you’re new to meditation, there are plenty of ways to practice your skills. From guided meditation audio to group sessions, you can incorporate meditation into your life in any way you choose. When you’re short on time, just a few minutes of meditation a day can have a positive impact on your health and wellbeing. 

  1. Go outside

Depending on your work life or school regime, you might spend the majority of your day inside. However, spending time outdoors has been shown to have a positive effect on the brain and can help you to shake off feelings of discontent or unhappiness.

People who spend time outdoors report feeling ‘more alive’ and happier, so it’s an easy way to improve your physical and mental health. Whether you commit to going for a walk every day, hiking across mountains or camping in the great outdoors, getting outside is a great way to practice self-care. 

  1. Take your medications

Whether you’re taking supplements, vitamins or prescribed medications, it’s important to follow your physician’s instructions to the letter. If you struggle to get your meds on time or you forget to take regular doses, get them delivered straight to your door. In addition, you can use handy apps and automated reminders to tell you when to take your next dose of medication.

It can be dangerous to alter your medications without talking to your physician, so keeping to a set schedule is important. When you’re taking care of your physical health, your mental and emotional wellbeing will improve too. 

  1. Manage stress better

Finding ways to manage stress can be one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from physical and mental maladies. Whilst you may want to avoid stress, this will only be successful for a limited amount of time.

A moderate amount of stress is normal in day-to-day life but the way we manage it is critical. Some people find regular work outs help keep them in the zone, whilst others use yoga and pilates to keep them stress-free. 

Of course, you might find that regular downtime or time out with friends helps you to banish stress and cope with it better. Whatever works for you, make sure you practice regular stress management. 

  1. Pay it forward

Helping others is always a worthwhile thing to do but you may not realize the benefits it can bring you too. When you volunteer, your general wellbeing is enhanced, and your self-esteem and self-confidence can skyrocket.

No matter what cause you choose or how often you’re able to volunteer, helping others can be a great way to look after yourself too. From volunteering with the PTA, hosting a charity drive or spending time with older members of the community, paying it forward brings many benefits.

  1. Learn to breathe

Breathing is such an integral part of our survival that we do it automatically. However, that doesn’t mean we’re doing it right. 

When you take short, shallow breaths, it can raise your anxiety and trigger a stress response. In fact, when you feel stressed, anxious or panicky, you may notice your breathing feels more restricted. This works the opposite way too. Shallow breathing can pre-empt anxiety and lead to feelings of panic. 

Conversely, deep, calming breaths can have a positive impact and help us to feel less stressed. Learning to breathe properly can be more difficult than it sounds but it’s certainly worthwhile. With the ability to minimize anxiety, prevent panic attacks and reduce feelings of stress, breathing right can help you to take good care of yourself. 

  1. Eat more veggies

Incorporating more veggies into your daily diet can have a fantastic impact on your physical and mental health. Most of us don’t get our daily quota of fruit and veg but we don’t always link cause and effect. 

A lack of veggies in your diet leads to a reduction in the number of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals in your body. As well as causing serious physical conditions, this can lead to a general feeling of illness or fatigue. 

By changing your diet and giving your body what it needs, you can benefit from the abundance of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, nutrients, and mood-boosters in all sorts of vegetables. Snack on carrot sticks, throw some veggies into a smoothie or try a new veg-filled recipe and you’ll feel the difference. 

  1. Get more sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is critical for your physical and mental health but it’s harder than it sounds. Everyone wants to sleep well and feel rested when they wake up but it’s not always easy to achieve.  It is important that you are able to sleep through the night and can wake up feeling rested.

Changing your sleep routine could enable you to get to sleep more quickly and, crucially, stop you from waking up frequently throughout the night. Minimizing screen time before bed, practicing meditation before you turn in and avoiding caffeine in the evenings can help you to drop off more easily, so why not give it a go?

Poor sleeping habits and a lack of decent sleep can increase your risk of various health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. In addition, over-tiredness is going to make you feel fatigued, grumpy and unmotivated, so getting the right amount of sleep is critical to your wellbeing. With a new sleep routine and a proper amount of rest every night, you’ll feel brighter, less stressed and infinitely happier.