Hello and welcome to this article about what is physical self care! No doubt, you have noticed that self care talk is more and more present online. Self care covers a lot of ground, but in this post I will focus on the physical aspect of it. How do we care for our physical body and well-being?
To answer what is physical self care, we have to go into the many aspects that it covers. For most people, physical exercise is the first thing that comes to mind. You go to the gym, or do yoga, or any kind of workout. And this is how you look after your physical body.
In reality, it takes more than that. Physical self care is:
- physical exercise
- hygiene
- prevention
- healthy eating
- good sleep
- a clean environment
- sometimes pampering
Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to add even more to your ever-growing daily to-do list. We will get into implementing all aspects of physical self care in a seamless and easy way.
We’ll get into each of these aspects and discuss what is physical self care and what it is not. I will also give you a fool-proof recipe on how to include more physical self care in your day-to-day, without disrupting your current habits.
What Is Physical Self Care?
So let’s get into it! There are 7 main pillars for physical self care. Let’s take them one by one.
1. Physical Exercise
Let’s start with the one everybody is thinking of. We all agree that to have a healthy body, we need to move. Whether we like it or not, whether we have a workout regime in our daily routine of not, we know it’s good for us.
What most people don’t know, is that moving our body is not only good for our physical health. It also works wonders for our mental health. Studies have shown that a high intensity workout 3 times a week has better results for depression and anxiety than medication.
People who exercise regularly have less stress, more resilience and better mood.
But high intensity exercise is not the only answer. The good news is: any kind of physical activity is beneficial. This means even Pilates or yoga, stretching or taking a walk.
The key is to move. Find something that works for you, something that you enjoy and gets to blood running.
2. Hygiene
When thinking about what is physical self care, we should also take a look at other aspects, such as hygiene. Why is hygiene important?
Apart from the obvious, good hygiene can prevent the development of disease. It helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases and is responsible for better physical health.
On top of that, it helps with your confidence. Let’s not forget that we live among other people, who often assess us through the way we present ourselves. It’s how we work, and we all do it. Appearances matter, and this has a direct consequence on our place in society.
A clean, healthy appearance is a confidence booster. And you definitely noticed it yourself. Have you ever run into someone when you were wearing something scruffy? How did you feel? And how do you feel when you are put together? Do you notice a difference in confidence?
3. Prevention
Prevention can mean many things, but I want to focus here on medical prevention.
Physical self care is also about your regular physical exams. It’s abut blood work and regular check-ups. It’s about staying on top of your health.
Think of it this way: do you take your child to regular check-ups? Do you take your pet to the vet? Then why aren’t you doing the same for yourself?
It’s always better to prevent than to treat, and caring for your own health is an act of self love.
Go ahead and book that appointment! It only takes a minute, but it’s so precious in the long run.
4. Healthy Eating
What you put in your body affects your physical health. We tend to forget that, because of our busy lives. Food has so many uses in our daily lives:
- it’s this thing that we need to get out of the way because we are busy. So we gobble up something at our desk, or in the car, to fill our stomach
- it’s a social occasion. This is when we catch up with friends, the only time in the day we can take a moment and talk
- it’s the thing we use at the end of the day to numb our overwhelming feelings. It’s the comfort, the feel-good moment
- it’s the thing we sometimes use to control the way we look
But we have forgotten its actual purpose: to nourish. Start thinking about food in this way. When you decide what and when to eat, make this decision intentional. Ask yourself what your food is giving you. Forget about diets and convenience. Does the thing you eat offer nourishment?
5. Good Sleep
The benefits of good sleep are many, sleep supports every system in your body. It’s like your reset button.
Our days have grown more busy and our schedule more full then ever. It’s understandable that we tend to see sleep as an inconvenience. There are so many hours in the day when we are not productive.
Unfortunately, sleep deprivation comes with many short- and long-term consequences:
- a weakened immune system
- increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes and dementia
- increased depression and anxiety
- affects cognitive functions, like attention, decision-making and memory
The amount of sleep we need differs according to age, but for adults it’s 7 or more hours. Best approach is to listen to your body. If it needs more hours of sleep, find a way to include them in your schedule. For example, skip the midnight doom scrolling. It may seem like what you need in that moment, but it’s not.
Prioritize your sleep and you will have more energy to get things done the next day.
6. Your Environment
We often overlook it, but our environment has an impact on our physical health.
The air we breathe has a direct impact on our physical body. While we can’t control what we breathe in when we go out, we do have control over our own home.
If you live in a polluted urban area, you can use an air purifier in your home. Especially if you or someone in your household suffers from allergies.
One of the more overlooked aspects of air quality is the pollutants we ourselves use. Cleaning supplies and scented candles are often toxic, and these toxins can linger in our home for days. Try to be more mindful with the products you buy. Opt for more natural substances and be weary of synthetic perfumes.
Another aspect of a healthy environment is cleanliness and order. Hygiene extends to your environment as well, not only your body. Make a habit of keeping it clean. This will also improve your mood, as clutter often leads to a cluttered mind as well.
7. Pampering
What is physical self care without bath bombs and facials, right?
In reality, this is a bit controversial. Yes, pampering can be a part of self care. There is nothing wrong with taking a relaxing bubble bath. Unfortunately, many people see it as the only way to self care. And this is unhelpful.
Pampering alone cannot improve your physical health. If you don’t take the previous points seriously, pampering is not going to help. You can burrow into your cozy bed with a hot drink at the end of the day, and it might make you feel better in the moment. But your struggles will not go away the next day. These are quick fixes.
If you are looking for significant change, you need to put in the work every day.
This is not to say that pampering isn’t good for you. But please see it for what it is: having a nice, relaxing time. Relaxation is necessary for your physical and mental health, so make the most of it. But don’t make it the be-all and end-all of self care.
Your First Steps to Physical Self Care
Now that your have a better understanding of what is physical self care, you may want to start adding it to your day-to-day life. But there are so many aspects of it, and so much to do. It can be overwhelming. If you want to know where to start, here are 3 easy steps that you can incorporate into your routine starting today:
1. Start with physical check-ups.
It takes 5 minutes to make a call. You don’t have to book them all now. Start with what seems more important for you right now.
- If you haven’t been to the dentist’s in a long time, you can start there.
- If you wear glasses, it’s a good idea to go and get your eyes checked.
You get the picture.
2. Go for a walk 3 times a week
You don’t have to get a gym membership. If you don’t already have an exercise routine, you will not use it.
But you can add a 20-minute walk in your schedule 3 times a week.
You can try squeezing it in after a quick lunch. If you can wake up 20 minutes earlier, do that.
Instead of going on social media in the evening, take a walk around the block.
There are many ways in which you can get some time for yourself every other day. 20 minutes isn’t that long at all.
3. Go to bed before midnight
If you go to bed late, try to push your bedtime earlier little by little. You can start going to bed 15 minutes earlier this week. Then, next week, add another 15 minutes. And so on.
Going to bed earlier will improve the quality of your sleep.
It’s such a small change, but the effects are significant.
To stay motivated, remember you are making these changes for your own health and well being.
As these small habits become the norm in your day-to-day life, you can start introducing new ones, like:
- changing your filters and cleaning products
- adding 10 more minutes to your walks
- adding a 10-minute stretching routine in the morning
- reading up on nutrition and healthy eating
- taking 5 minutes to tidy up before going to bed
Don’t try to do it all at once. Always keep in mind that in order for it to stick, a habit needs time to become normalized.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, or it will all feel like a burden.
Take your time. Self care is a practice, not a race.
To learn more on how to begin your self care journey an stick to it, check out this article: