Time for You - Self-Care Essentials for the Modern Woman

Modern women are busy, worn down, and frankly underappreciated. In addition to balancing careers, they are expected to maintain a household and even look after their children. While women of the 21st century have come out of their shells to challenge themselves in new domains typically exclusive to men, we as a society are yet to talk more about the importance of self care and self love for women especially.

Men haven’t quite stepped out of their comfort zones to take on household responsibilities which leaves most women performing a balancing act that feels like a bad day at the circus. Women need to feel appreciated and loved, and the best way to go about it, is to promote self care.

This article emphasises the importance of showing yourself ‘tender loving care’. Self-care is as important as caring for others, so try Biobalance’s guilt-free ways to treat yourself.

What is self-care and why does it matter?

Self-care is the act of investing in your well-being. It means taking the time to indulge in practices that make you feel whole, complete and realigned with yourself.

Acts of selfcare don’t have to be extravagant, but of course, they can if you want them to. The key is that they are focused on your needs and contribute to your overall well-being.

It is important not to neglect self-care, otherwise, it can feel like you live a life in service to others where your needs are secondary or non-existent. Once you fall into that trap, it can get difficult to get out, especially if others have become accustomed to depending on you.

This issue can manifest in several areas of your life, including work, at home, and friendships. Frequently taking time to reflect upon your needs and wants is a healthy way to manage your priorities and relationships with others, and it is imperative.

More than this, making time to disconnect from everything around you and reconnect with yourself will help you stay grounded and energised to deal with tomorrow’s challenges.

Self-care tips you wish you started sooner

These self care tips will help you realign yourself. You can combine and switch between them. They are inexpensive and work wonders on your mental and emotional health. Don’t dismiss them on account of their simplicity. Some of the best things you will discover in life will be the simplest.

1. Walking in nature - Since the 1980s Japanese doctors have prescribed a practice called ‘forest bathing’ for patients who deal with anxiety. It simply requires spending a little time in nature, particularly woodlands. This can include a slow walk, or lying down and just looking up at the trees. Studies show that this lowers heart rate and blood pressure, improves concentration and memory, and reduces cortisol - the stress hormone.
   
2. Grounding - Also known as ‘earthing’, it is the practice of walking barefoot on natural surfaces like grass, mud, and sand, etc. The Earth is negatively charged and directs a current through your body that produces health benefits. It is proven to lower inflammation, reduce pain, improve sleep, reduce stress, improve blood flow, and enhance the immune system. It is so effective that professional athletes use it to recover quickly.
   
3. Aromatherapy - Aromatherapy uses plant-derived essential oils to stimulate your olfactory system (sense of smell) to enhance psychological and physical well-being. Oils are discharged into the air by burning or vaporising them, releasing their unique scents and compounds. Each oil is noted for a different benefit, for example, rosemary oil is proven to enhance cognitive function and memory.  Aromatherapy is also great for calming your mind and body which is why massage centres use them during treatments.
   
4. Binaural beats - Binaural beats are auditory illusions created by listening to two different tones, one in each ear. When these tones are played at slightly different frequencies, the brain perceives a third tone, known as a binaural beat. This phenomenon can influence brainwave patterns and induce various mental states, allowing you to enter them at will. They have been shown to improve productivity, reduce stress, promote sleep, and enhance mood. They are great tools for meditation and mindfulness practices.
   
5. Meditation, Yoga and Chi-Gong - These are mindfulness practices designed to bring about calm and clarity in your life. Meditation goes beyond the mental and influences the physical, as meditators are shown to have improved cardiovascular and immune systems, better sleep, more resilience and improved self-confidence. Yoga and Chi-Gong are active mindfulness practices that connect you with your body while helping you deal with anxiety, maintaining a positive mindset etc.
   
6. A hot bath with epsom salts and essential oils - Hot water is soothing and helps you relax your muscles, but more than this, a hot bath is one of those experiences where you can really feel like you are indulging yourself and letting go of your daily stresses. Adding a silky bubble-bath solution or essential oils really adds to the experience, especially if you dim the lights or use candles. This self care tip is proven to reduce anxiety by limiting the hormones cortisol and aldosterone. They also improve your breathing as heat enables better oxygen transportation by dilating your blood vessels, also lowering your blood pressure. In all, a hot bath is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to show self-care.
   
7. Cold plunges - Cold plunges also known as ice-baths, are not for the faint hearted, but they are a great way to improve your mood, build your immunity system, and also help with managing pain. Cold exposure spikes dopamine production for several hours after the experience, leaving you feeling great for the rest of the day. It is proven to combat depression and anxiety, aids with weight loss, and reduce inflammation. During the experience, you cannot think of anything, so you become acutely present. While daunting, the experience is highly rewarding and those who practise it report feeling a great sense of achievement afterwards.
   
8. Immerse yourself in a topic - Studying something that interests you can be a great way of detaching from your everyday reality. It gives you the opportunity to learn something new, develop your skills and knowledge, and gives you something interesting to talk about with others. More than this, it gives you time to yourself with a stimulating distraction. You can find online courses, books, and videos on almost any subject, be it history, sociology, or philosophy. There is a subject out there that will captivate you.
   
9. Writing and journaling - Writing is a powerful form of expression. It allows you to communicate your innermost thoughts and feelings in a way that makes them feel shared, even if no one else sees them. Mindfulness journaling allows you to reflect upon and dispel bottled emotions. It can be a powerful way to process and detach from your daily challenges.  Those who journal report greater emotional well-being. Creative writing is another way of immersing yourself in an alternative reality. You develop your storywriting skills and let your imagination run free. This immersive experience can be highly healing and rewarding.
   
10. Take up a class - Taking up a class is a great way to commit time to yourself. Whether it is dancing, drama, pottery, or music lessons, it can be freeing to do something you enjoy and watch yourself grow. You are never too old to learn something new and doing so keeps your brain young and active. So, find something that inspires you and give it a go.
    
11. Massage, facial and beauty treatments - There are few indulgences that are more soothing and beneficial to your body than a massage. Massage brings your attention into the present moment, while experiencing something highly positive. It can feel very empowering to let someone serve your physical and emotional needs in this way, and it is also very good for your body, particularly your muscles and lymphatic system. Massages improves circulation, reduces anxiety, stress, and increases dopamine production. While not free, they are inexpensive relative to the benefits they bring. A good massage can be sought for £40-60 per hour. So, book yourself a spa day. You won’t regret it!
    
12. Lonely hotel and date nights - More comforting than they sound, lonely nights are evenings when you choose to enjoy your own company. It can be treating yourself to a meal out, favourite  takeaway, a trip to the cinema or museum, and if you have a jam-packed house, booking a night at a hotel where you can indulge in a hot bath, book a massage, read a book, do some writing, and just shut the rest of the world out. While many would shudder at the thought of having a date with themselves, it actually feels very empowering. You would soon find yourself craving those moments and scheduling them more often.

Final thoughts

Self-care doesn’t look the same for everyone, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you take the time out to be there for yourself. It is easy to lose yourself in your daily responsibilities and that can feel like forgetting who you are.

Scheduling time out just for you allows you to reconnect with yourself and come back as an empowered, happier and complete version of yourself. Self-care and ‘me time’ is not a luxury, it's a necessity.

So, take out your calendar, choose a date and dedicate some time to celebrate yourself and restore harmony. You deserve it, you are worth it, and you can do it, the Biobalance way.