Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Self-Care?TypesBenefitsBuilding a Self-Care Plan
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Self-Care?
Types
Benefits
Building a Self-Care Plan
Self-care is the practice of taking care of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness.
While many people may view self-care as a form of selfish indulgence, the act of caring for oneself is an important part of a person’s overall well-being.
Many people do not fully understand what self-care means. Read on to find out more about what self-care is, examples of practicing self-care, and why it’s important for your mental and physical health.
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care is being able to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.
The WHO also mentions that self-care is a broad term and many facets of a person’s life come into play, including:
The main goal of self-care is to prevent or control disease and preserve overall well-being through consistently taking care of various aspects of your health.
For a person to practice true self-care, they must use personal responsibility and self-reliance in a way that positively impacts their health in the current moment and the future.
Overindulgence in spending
Binge-eating your favorite but unhealthy foods
Participating in activities that provide instant gratification
Going on expensive and lavish vacations
Numbing bad feelings using alcohol or illicit substances
Binge-watching television
Prioritizing one’s physical and mental health
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits that can be maintained long-term
Eating a healthy diet
Finding exercise activities that you enjoy and participating in them regularly
Getting an adequate amount of good-quality sleep
Taking time out for yourself to participate in healthy activities you enjoy
What Types of Self-Care Are There?
Various forms of self-care involve different activities or actions. Each form is as important as the other and drives optimal health and well-being.
Physical Health
Taking care of your physical health is a form of self-care that helps improve quality of life and prevent or manage chronic conditions.
Physical self-care will be different for each person, but ways you can practice physical self-care include:
Mental Health
While no two people are the same, these strategies can help you manage stress and stimulate your mind:
Relationships
Having healthy relationships is a form of social self-care all its own.Research has shown that different forms of relationships, whether they be romantic, platonic, or familial, can all benefit overall health and well-being.
On the flip side, not having healthy relationships can be detrimental to health. When people lack platonic relationships, they are more likely to be subject to psychological distress and engage in unhealthy behaviors.
Ways to foster relationships include:
Spiritual
Not everyone has a spiritual or religious need. However, for some people nurturing their spirit allows them to connect on a deeper level with themselves and to think beyond themselves.
Spiritual self-care practices might include:
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Why Is Self-Care Important?
Practicing self-care regularly can bring about both short- and long-term benefits that lead to improved well-being and an improved health status.
Short-Term
In the short term, people who practice self-care can see positive changes such as:
Long-Term
While the short-term benefits of self-care are good, the long-term benefits are what self-care is more focused on. Some long-term benefits include:
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How to Practice Self-Care
Building your perfect self-care plan will depend on your personal health and lifestyle. To create a plan to encourage better health and well-being:
After completing these three steps, you can begin to formulate a plan that you can commit to.
Self-Care Strategies for People With Chronic DiseaseIf you have a chronic disease, your self-care plan may look a little different than that of someone who does not. This is only because you will have to incorporate certain activities that will benefit you. For example, if you havediabetes, ensure that coping strategies and activities you utilize as self-care help you manage your condition while you follow your treatment plan.
Self-Care Strategies for People With Chronic Disease
If you have a chronic disease, your self-care plan may look a little different than that of someone who does not. This is only because you will have to incorporate certain activities that will benefit you. For example, if you havediabetes, ensure that coping strategies and activities you utilize as self-care help you manage your condition while you follow your treatment plan.
Summary
Self-care is the practice of taking care of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness. It is a lifestyle that enables you to set aside time for your health to ensure your overall well-being now and for years to come.
If you do adopt the right techniques to care for yourself, you will be able to reap the benefits, such as better physical and mental health, the prevention or better management of disease, and better personal and workplace relationships.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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