The Importance Of "Me Time"

The Importance Of “Me Time”

Taking time for yourself regularly is so important for self-care. Scheduling time in to do something that you enjoy helps you to feel more relaxed which can benefit your overall health greatly. By engaging in self-care through activities you enjoy, you are contributing positive effects to both your physical and mental health. While self-care is different for everyone, here are a few ideas of things you can do to help yourself relax and de-stress.

Taking a bubble bath can help you relieve stress and make your body feel more relaxed. Soaking in a warm bath can help ease tension in your muscles. You can even use scented bubble bath to make you feel calmer such as a rose, cherry blossom, vanilla or lavender scented bubble bath.

Tea is a warm and calming drink you can enjoy. Drinking tea can reduce levels of the stress hormone known as cortisol. Whether it’s Irish Breakfast Tea, English Breakfast Tea, Earl Grey Tea, Peach Tea or Jasmine Tea, enjoying some tea from your favorite cup can make all the difference in helping you feel less stressed.

Hot Cocoa is another warm drink that can be very comforting especially right before bedtime. You can add marshmallows or whipped cream. You can even indulge in some special flavored hot cocoa like butterscotch, cinnamon, raspberry, white chocolate, salted caramel, peanut butter or peppermint.

Coffee is known to give an energy boost, due to it containing caffeine. However, coffee can also help reduce anxiety as it increases the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine which can uplift your mood. Whether it’s a cappuccino, macchiato, espresso, latte or frappe, enjoying some coffee can perk up physically and emotionally.

Indulging in comfort food can help decrease feelings of anxiety and improve our moods. Comfort food activates the neurotransmitter known as dopamine, a chemical in the brain that makes you feel good. Enjoying a favorite comfort food can help you feel calmer and reduce stress hormones such as cortisol. Cooking and baking food can also be a comforting way to relax.

Music is a great stress reliever. Listening to your favorite music can increase feelings of happiness, helping you to feel more relaxed. Whether it’s jazz music, classical music, rock music or country music, playing some of your favorite songs is a great mood booster.

Watching a movie or television show can provide great comfort and relaxation. It can even bring about feelings of nostalgia if you rewatch a movie or television show that you watched during your childhood or is just one of your personal favorites. Therefore, whether you are watching a DVD of a comedy film like Rat Race, enjoying an animated film like Turning Red, Tangled, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella or Frozen or streaming a sitcom like Mom, Still Open All Hours, Miranda, Absolutely Fabulous, Keeping Up Appearances, Mrs. Brown’s Boys or The Big Bang Theory, watching a movie or television show you enjoy can help you feel calmer and happier.

Journaling is a great way to get your feelings and thoughts out. By venting out your stresses onto paper, it helps you to get pent-up frustration out of your system, allowing you to destress a bit. This is also a great way to help calm anxiety.

Creative Writing is a wonderful way to reduce stress. It is also a good activity to get your feelings, ideas and thoughts on to paper. Whether you’re writing poetry or a story, expressing your creativity and imagination through written word can be very fun and entertaining.

Shopping is a great way to cheer yourself up if you’re feeling sad or upset in some way. Treating yourself to something nice like a bouquet of fresh flowers, a fancy dress, a new romance novel, a cozy sweater, a bottle of perfume, a comfortable pair of boots or a fun video game can make all the difference in brightening your day or week. Whether it’s online shopping or going to an actual mall, retail therapy can provide feelings of comfort and help alleviate negative emotions.

Spending time in nature can be very calming, especially when the weather is nice. Spending time in a peaceful, quiet environment outdoors allows you to slow down for a bit and relax. This is also a great way to pause, reflect and do some soul-searching.

Candles and wax bars are great for aromatherapy. Aromatherapy can be calming, especially when you use wax bars or candles in scents that bring you comfort. Whether it’s a sweet pea scented wax bar or orange blossom scented candle, indulging in aromatherapy with your favorite scents can be a great way to destress.

Taking time to get yourself pampered can also make you feel relaxed and happier. Whether it’s a pedicure, manicure, facial or getting your hair styled, a little bit of pampering can be just the thing to perk you up and even give you a boost of confidence. You can even do a facial at home with a sheet mask. Sheet masks can come in many varieties including watermelon, strawberry, red wine, tomato, pomegranate, tea tree, aloe vera, cucumber, green tea and bamboo.

Quality time with your pets is another great way to relax. We have a close bond with our pets and they provide us with unconditional love and affection. They love being around us and cuddling with us especially when we aren’t feeling well or are dealing with stress so whether you go outside to play with them or just snuggle up with them on the couch while watching a film or television series, spending time with a furry friend is beneficial to your overall health and happiness.

Going to places you love to go to is another good idea in order to relieve tension and decrease stress. Going to your favorite places can resonate peaceful emotions, happy memories and positive feelings which can make you feel physically and mentally better. Some ideas of fun places you can go to include your favorite restaurant, your favorite department store, the cinema, a library, a comic book store, the zoo, the beach, a nail salon, a bowling alley or an antique store.

Finally, reading is known to reduce stress. A 2009 study by the University of Sussex discovered that stress can be reduced by up to 68% when engaging in the activity of reading. Whether it’s a magazine, comic book, poetry book or your favorite fantasy novel, reading something you enjoy can help you feel more relaxed.