This International Self-Care Day, mental health experts share a comprehensive guide to help you cultivate a self-care routine that nourishes your body and mind
While the conversation around mental health has broadened over the years, self-care as a concept has been marketed in ways that lead you to think of it as spa treatments and luxurious indulgences. Understandably, it can be pleasurable to go on a holiday, but true self-care can be practiced daily, is critical for your mental health and far more accessible.
Every year, International Self-Care Day is observed on July 24 to highlight the role of self-care in life. While every person knows of the concept, people do need a reminder often, so mental health experts delve into how self-care is different from pampering yourself. They also highlight the benefits of digital detox and emotional check ins, and share practical strategies to help you include self-care in your everyday lives
The essentials of self-care: Beyond pampering
Dr Aparna Ramakrishnan, consultant, psychiatry, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, defines self-care, “Intentionally and consciously taking action to maintain or improve your physical, mental and emotional health. It is taking care of yourself so that you have enough resources to lead a healthy, happy, functional life and develop resilience to face life’s challenges. The core focus of self-care, is on long-term benefits and wellbeing.”
Self-care encompasses various practices. “Adequate sleep, rest and relaxation, nutritious and healthy dietary practices, regular physical activity and exercise, adequate stress management, mindfulness practices, developing a better and healthy relationship with oneself, maintaining a work-life balance and taking well-earned breaks from time to time, setting boundaries for emotional wellbeing and seeking professional help and therapy if required,” says Ramakrishnan, while stressing, “Self-care is consistent, routine based, necessary.”
Self-care versus pampering: Understanding the difference
While often confused, self-care and pampering serve different purposes. “Pampering oneself can be a part of self-care, but self-care has much broader dimensions than pampering. Pampering involves indulging in practices which provide immediate pleasure and comfort. It’s not always essential, but makes one feel good. Examples include shopping for yourself, taking a luxurious bath, getting massages or spa treatments, luxurious vacations. The rewards are immediate, but short term and temporary,” explains Ramakrishnan.
She highlights, “Maintaining a balance between consistent self-care and occasional pampering is important for a healthy happy life.”
The crucial role of self-care in mental health
Self-care plays a significant role in maintaining everyday mental health and building resilience. “It actively reduces stress and anxiety levels reducing the risk of developing mental health disorders like depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse or even burnout. Furthermore, self-care practices reduce stress hormone levels which improve resilience, make us responsive not reactive to stressors and life’s challenges hence buffer us against chronic stress and its side effects,” shares Ramakrishnan.
Self-care also improves physical health which enhances our mood and improves our coping skills. She adds, “Self-care is instrumental in emotional regulation, allowing us to pause, reflect on our emotions, process them and respond adequately to situations rather than just react to them.” This, in turn, helps in enhancing calmness, prevents us from being overwhelmed by our emotions and prevents burnout. It also makes up more equipped to deal with and bounce back from setbacks.
Beyond emotional benefits, self-care empowers individuals to set boundaries, prioritise our needs, say no and not overcommit to things. “This practice increases self-respect, gives us a sense of agency, enhances self-compassion that I too deserve care which leads to increased self-esteem which is essential for survival,” she poses. Ultimately, Ramakrishnan emphasises, “Self-care is not selfishness. It’s like recharging your mind before it burns out and making it strong enough to face life’s challenges.”
Recognising when to seek professional help
How can individuals identify when their self-care efforts are insufficient and when it might be time for professional help? Dr. Ajit Dandekar, head and consultant – mental health (psychiatry and psychology), Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai provides a helpful checklist of early warning signs. If you answer “Yes” to any of these questions, it may be time to seek professional support:
1. Do little things irritate me?
2. Do I have trouble sleeping or wake up tired?
3. Do I feel drained out, worried a lot, or trapped?
4. Do I snap frequently at those I love?
5. Has my output/efficiency gone down or have I been making a lot of mistakes in my professional work lately?
6. Do I suffer from physical symptoms more frequently?
7. Have I withdrawn from activities or people?
8. Do I have persistent sadness or hopelessness?
9. Do I have difficulty in concentrating?
10. Is there appreciable increase in the use of substances like coffee, cigarettes, alcohol etc.?
11. Do I have a change in appetite (undereating or overeating or unplanned weight changes)?
12. Have I lost interest in things which I would usually find enjoyable?
“If the answer to any of the above questions is Yes then it is time for us to seek professional help without any further delay. A stich in time saves nine. Otherwise sitting on the problem and leaving the stress unattended can lead to various serious physical, psychophysiological, psychological, interpersonal or professional consequences,” urges Dandekar.
Setting healthy digital boundaries
In today’s world, an essential aspect of self-care is setting digital boundaries. This means intentionally and consciously limiting the time and energy you spend with technology, including phones, TVs, video games, and other online activities.
As Ramakrishnan shares ten practical ways to implement these boundaries:
1. Set no-screen times: Avoid screens for at least 30 minutes after waking up, during meals, and for an hour before bedtime.
2. Utilise app timers: Use features like digital well-being tools to set limits on social media apps.
3. Manage notifications: Turn off non-essential notifications to reduce distractions.
4. Take detox breaks: Plan periods away from social media, such as a full day or a weekend.
5. Curate your feed: Unfollow sites, accounts, or people that trigger negative emotions, and curate your social media content to only include what genuinely adds value to your life.
6. Designate screen-free zones: Establish areas in your home, like the bedroom, or situations, such as meet-ups with friends, where screens are not allowed.
7. Set boundaries with people: Inform contacts about your availability and learn to say “no” to constant accessibility.
8. Maintain work-life balance: Log out of work devices after hours, respond to work-related activities only during work hours, and consider having separate devices for work and personal use if possible.
9. Practice mindful scrolling: Be intentional about how you engage with online content.
10. Use Do Not Disturb (DND) mode: Activate DND, especially during sleep hours or when spending time with family and friends.
The power of emotional check-ins
Emotional check in is also an important aspect of self-care. “It’s taking a moment, a mindful, conscious pause from our busy routine to analyse how we feel in that very moment – emotionally, physically, mentally without judging ourselves for that. This activity helps us to recognise and process emotions without letting them overwhelm us, dealing with them in a healthy way instead of ignoring or suppressing them, responding to the feelings and not just reacting impulsively and hence making healthy choices in any situation. This helps in emotional regulation, stress reduction and building resilience and self-esteem,” explains Ramakrishnan.
It can be done anytime during the day, but especially if you aren’t feeling too good or are stressed. A quick way to do this is to stop what you are doing, close your eyes, focus on your breath for 10 seconds. Ask ‘what am I feeling right now?’ Name the emotion specifically. Don’t judge the emotion or yourself for feeling it. Scan your body to recognise where the tension is. Again, do not judge. Just observe. Ask yourself what could have brought this feeling about- with curiosity. Tell yourself ‘It’s ok to feel like this, what can I do to feel better right now’. Take a small action like a deep breath, a call to your loved one, a quick note about what you are experiencing at present.
Emotional check ins prevent emotions from building up and causing anxiety and outbursts. They give us emotional clarity and help in emotional regulation. They also help us develop self-compassion.
Practical strategies for daily mental self-care
Self-care is not just about spa treatments, luxury vacations, or indulgence. It plays a significant role in maintaining everyday mental health and building resilience. It actively reduces stress and anxiety levels reducing the risk of developing mental health disorders, and improves physical health which enhances our mood and improves our coping skills.
Dandekar lists ten practical, low-cost mental self-care strategies:
1. Mind-body connection: Engage in practices like mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, and yoga. These harmonize mind and body, reduce stress, and foster self-acceptance. Short breathing exercises (2 to 3 minutes) can be done anytime.
2. Journaling and gratitude: Write down thoughts and feelings for clarity, identify patterns, and celebrate small wins. Consider a gratitude diary, noting three things you’re grateful for daily, or scheduling a dedicated “worry time.”
3. Engage your mind: Stimulate intellectual growth and reduce anxiety through reading, learning something new, or solving puzzles.
4. Connect with nature: Spending time outdoors has a calming effect. Walks in a park, gardening, or even just 5 minutes of sunlight exposure can lift your mood and reduce mental fatigue.
5. Express through creativity: Engage in art, music, dance, singing, or playing an instrument. These activities stimulate emotional expression and release pent-up emotions healthily. Instrumental music is recommended for focus, while singing and dancing are powerful, primitive forms of expression.
6. Manage digital consumption: Practice limiting screen time (digital detox) to prevent mental overload and encourage healthier sleep. Set no screen times (e.g., before bed, during meals), use app timers, turn off non-essential notifications, and curate positive social media content.
7. Prioritise physical well-being:
– Regular physical exercise: Just 30 minutes of walking every day can boost your mood and improve your health.
– Eat healthy, regularly, and stay hydrated: Focus on a balanced diet and hydrate yourself to nourish your body and mind.
– Make sleep a priority: Aim for at least 6 to 7 hours of sleep. Reduce blue light exposure from devices before bedtime.
8. Set boundaries and goals: Decide what must get done now, what can wait, and what can be let go. Learn to say a polite but firm ‘no’ to new tasks when you’re taking on too much.
9. Cultivate positivity and gratitude: Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts with opposite positive thoughts, a practice known as Pratipaksha Bhavana in yoga. Remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for and appreciate your accomplishments.
10. Foster connection and virtue: Reach out to friends or family for emotional support; social interaction is beneficial. Additionally, inculcate virtues like friendliness, compassion, finding joy in others’ achievements, and being indifferent to unreasonable criticism, as highlighted in yogic principles (parikarmas). Remember, innocent humour is an effective stressbuster.
In a fast-paced and demanding world, taking time to care for your mental health leads to a more meaningful and empowered life. Small, consistent actions can make a big difference. “Mental self-care is not a luxury– it is a necessity. There is nothing wrong in being selfish when it comes to self-development. It’s only when you are physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually healthy that you can help others around you,” concludes Dandekar.
