Amidst the busy work schedules and overall fast-paced lives people live in, self-care is often a forgotten facet of life. When all you have are a few hours in the day to do what you want or need to do, it can be easy to neglect your physical and mental health in order to get things done. Here are five DIY self-care tips you can try tonight that’s easy and doesn’t take up much of your time:
Make Yourself a Self Care Kit
A self-care kit can contain whatever makes you feel better. Essentially, you gather things that will lift your mood and spirits when things are stressful or depressing. You don’t want to put an item in your kit that doesn’t have any physical or emotional utility. Examples of items you can have in your kit include dental and hair products, bath essentials, tea and coffee, scented candles and perfumes, stress ball or fidget spinner, and so on. If including food into your kit, make sure it’s non-perishable, such as macadamia nuts and chocolate bars.
Have a Spa Night at Home
Things you’ll need for a spa night at home include towels, body brush, a face mask of your choice, bubble bath or Epsom salts, moisturizer, scented candles, and some soothing music. Dry brushing is simply brushing your body with long sweeping motions. It can effectively stimulate blood flow throughout the skin and remove dead skin cells. Afterward, wash your face with a light cleanse and apply the face mask. Use the remaining items to run a bath and relax for at least half an hour. Once you’re out of the tub, remove the face mask, and apply some moisturizer. Doing this at least once a week can revitalize your senses and restore your youthful glow.
Have a Skin Care Routine
The skin goes through a lot during the day, from the sun’s UV lights to the various chemical products you apply to it. That’s why you should have a skincare routine at night that’s all-natural and have healing capabilities. You can buy raw honeycomb from all-natural skincare brands. Raw honey, when applied to the skin, has a ton of benefits including balancing the good bacteria as well as speeding up your skin cell’s regeneration. Keep the skincare regimen as simple and as quick as possible. The more products you try to integrate into the routine, the harder it’ll be to keep up with it.
Stimulate Your Mind
A balanced self-care routine should incorporate ways to improve the mindset as well as the body. According to “When – The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing”, a book by Daniel Pink, nighttime is ideal for tasks that require creative thinking over analytical thinking. Pick up a new creative hobby, such as drawing, knitting, sewing, or coding. You can also just sit down and read a book you’ve always wanted to start or drive around town with no destination planned. Regardless, it’s best to leave your last couple of waking hours in the day to do something creative and different.
Eat Light Snacks
Snacking at night time is a no-no in most peoples’ books. However, it really depends on what foods you choose for your midnight munchies. Avoid processed foods as your late-night snack as these can affect your sleep quality negatively. Foods that are scientifically proven to support sleep include berries, kiwis, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, and nuts. Many of these foods are light on the stomach and contain several sleep-oriented nutrients, such as serotonin, melatonin, and calcium.
Having a self-care routine at night can transform your life for the better. It helps you be in a better mood, sharpens your mind, and improves your appearance and confidence. And the powerful thing about it is that it only requires a couple of minutes of time invested in the task or habit and the rest is handled by your mind or body while you are sleeping.
Keep in mind that these aren’t the only things you can do for your DIY self-care routine. Keep exploring and experimenting on healthy habits that help you perform or feel better the next morning, such as deep breathing exercises and meditation, and journaling.
