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This website talks about mental health and how you can take care of yourself. We will review and read the steps of how to take care of our mental health. To get regular exercise, sleep is something you need to do for at least 8 hours. Seeking helps also a way to help your mental health. Self-care is different in many ways and there are many ways to go about it.

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Overview

Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others. Mental health is more than the absence of a mental illness-it's essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness.

About Self-Care

Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health. When it comes to your mental health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. Even small acts of self-care in your daily life can have a big impact.

Here are some tips to help you get started with self-care:

Get regular exercise. Just 30 minutes of walking every day can help boost your mood and improve your health. Small amounts of exercise add up, so don't be discouraged if you can't do 30 minutes at one time.

Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated. A balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day. Also, limit caffeinated beverages such as soft drinks or coffee.

Make sleep a priority. Stick to a schedule, and make sure you're getting enough sleep. Blue light from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep, so reduce blue light exposure from your phone or computer before bedtime.

Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy activities you enjoy such as journaling.

Set goals and priorities. Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say "no" to new tasks if you start to feel like you're taking on too much. Try to be mindful of what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.

Practice gratitude. Remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for. Be specific. Write them down at night, or replay them in your mind.

Focus on positivity. Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.

Stay connected. Reach out to your friends or family members who can provide emotional support and practical help.

Self-care looks different for everyone, and it is important to find what you need and enjoy. It may take trial and error to discover what works best for you. In addition, although self-care is not a cure for mental illnesses, understanding what causes or triggers your mild symptoms and what coping techniques work for you can help manage your mental health.

For other ideas for healthy practices for your mind, body, surroundings, and relationships, see the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Wellness Toolkits .

When to Seek Professional Help

Seek professional help if you are experiencing severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted 2 weeks or more, such as:

Difficulty sleeping

Appetite changes that result in unwanted weight changes

Struggling to get out of bed in the morning because of mood

Difficulty concentrating

Loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable

Inability to perform usual daily functions and responsibilities

Don't wait until your symptoms are overwhelming. Talk about your concerns with your primary care provider, who can refer you to a mental health professional if needed. If you don't know where to start, read the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Tips for Talking With a Health Care Provider About Your Mental Health. Learn more about how to get help or find a provider on the NIMH's Help for Mental Illnesses webpage.

What to Do in a Crisis

If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org . This service is confidential, free, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In life-threatening situations, call 911.

For additional information about suicide prevention, please see NIMH's Suicide Prevention webpage.

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Federal Resources

Other Resources

Note: This list of non-federal resources is provided for informational purposes only. It is not comprehensive and does not constitute an endorsement by NIMH, NIH, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or the U.S. government.

Last Reviewed: December 2022

Unless otherwise specified, the information on our website and in our publications is in the public domain and may be reused or copied without permission. However, you may not reuse or copy images. Please cite the National Institute of Mental Health as the source. Read our copyright policy to learn more about our guidelines for reusing NIMH content.

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Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others.

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This article talks about the different types of self-care and why it is important to take care of yourself. Such as physical, spiritual, mental, social, and emotional self-care. The benefits of self-care can be, lower stress, better sleep, happier relationships, and increased happiness. You could start on this by making yourself a self-care plan. It will benefit you a lot in your life.

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This is about things to make yourself happy because your happiness matters. Our group will look over this and read about things that can make not only yourself happy but also others around you. Giving gratitude to others daily and surrounding yourself with positive people can also help you. Some said money can't buy happiness but sometimes it can. So buying yourself something nice is also a way to show self-care.

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Science Says These Five Things Will Make You Happier

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Practice Daily Gratitude Expressing gratitude has been shown to do more than improve your mood. People who write down a few positive things about their day are healthier, more energetic, less stressed and anxious and get better sleep.

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What works as self care? Exercising works, enough sleep, hydrating and taking small breaks throughout the workday. You can ask yourself what makes you feel better and do what you like. It also talks about having self control, such as websites you don't need to be going through. You can avoid this by going on a walk or doing something to clear your mind off of it.

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This article helps you understand self-care examples of self-care. It also explains why you should do self-care. Something this article says is that cooking and cleaning are good ways to show self-care. Making sure you are clean and full gives you a clear mindset. Listening to music is also a way to show self-care. It can help with stress.

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Self-care is not selfish. You must fill your own cup before you can pour into others.

self-care and mental health

Ideally, we all engage in regular self-care in which we do the things that make us feel taken care of mentally, physically, and emotionally. But this doesn't always happen, and we may need to stop and take the time to remind ourselves we are important, too.

Sometimes our feelings become too much and we need to distract ourselves until we are better able to cope. We can also strategically change how we are feeling when things become too overwhelming.

What is self-care?

Self-care is important to maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. It means doing things to take care of our minds, bodies, and souls by engaging in activities that promote well-being and reduce stress. Doing so enhances our ability to live fully, vibrantly, and effectively. The practice of self-care also reminds both you and others that your needs are valid and a priority.

Examples of self-care

Clean

Cook or bake

Cross something off your to-do list

Exercise

Get a massage

Go for a walk

Listen to music or a podcast

Make art

Meditation

Mindfulness exercises

Play a game

Practice deep breathing

Read

Take a bath

Take a (timed) nap

Watch TV or a movie

Yoga

distraction as a strategy

Why should I distract myself?

Activities are a great way for us to distract ourselves from our current emotions until we are better able to cope. When our level of distress is too high, we may not be able to effectively handle a situation and need ways to bring our emotional state down. Some suggestions may seem similar to self-care, but distraction activities serve a different purpose. One person's self-care activity is another's distraction technique.

Examples of distraction activities

Call a friend (and don't talk about what's causing you distress)

Create something

Describe your surroundings using your five senses

Do a puzzle

Do something kind for someone else

Focus on a single task

Go out to eat

Go to an event

Hold ice

Listen to music or a podcast

Make a list of things (cars, dog breeds, music artists, etc.)

Take a hot or cold shower

Try something new

Volunteer

Watch something funny

Watch TV or a movie

changing our emotions

Is my response warranted?

Check to see if the situation warrants the response you're having. Examine the facts. While our emotions are always valid, they are not always justified. Look to see if your emotional response matches the circumstances.

Am I being effective?

Examine whether what you're doing is helping or hurting the situation. If it's making things worse, do the opposite of whatever it is you feel like doing. Commit to it. If you want to stay home and isolate, force yourself to go out where there are people. If you're angry and want to yell, try avoiding the person who your anger is directed towards.

Self-Care Recommendations

Podcast with Active Minds' Founder and Executive Director, Alison Malmon

Alison joined sisters Maddie and Kenzie Ziegler on their podcast "Take 20" to discuss tips for self-care, navigating stress, how to have hard conversations with loved ones, and more. Listen to the two-part series here.

Episode One
Episode Two Image from Take 20 Podcast

from California's Each Mind Matters

Free Resources:

Personal Self-care:

For Individuals Living with Mental Illness:

For Individuals Concerned about Unemployment:

For Communities:

For Institutions of Higher Education:

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Self-care is important to maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. Doing so enhances our ability to live fully, vibrantly, and effectively.

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This video is about a girl and a book she wrote about self-care. She explains how self-care is being misused by other people. She explains what she thinks self-care is and how you can make it better. She says that if you have a problem then you should seek help on how you can do that and why you should. She also talks about how you need to care for yourself in the best way possible. This video is a good way to get a better understanding of what self-care is.

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Having a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce anxiety,stress, depression and increase happiness. It helps you adapt to new changes, build strong relationships, and recover from setbacks. Some self-care goals can include taking care of your physical and psychological health. Manage and reduce stress, recognize your emotional and spiritual needs. It also fosters and sustains relationships, achieving balance in different areas of your life.

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How and Why to Practice Self-care - Mental Health First Aid

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With mental health challenges on the increase- rates of depression alone have tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic - it's possible that you may find yourself or someone you know in need of support. To be equipped to offer that support, you need to take care of yourself.

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This video talks about how self-care is about noticing how you feel inside and knowing when and how you need to help yourself feel calmer, relaxed, or even more energized. It says how it’s okay to have feelings like anger, sadness, worry, or fear. It says that if we feel that way then it’s important to look after ourselves. It says that you can “look after yourself” in many ways like thinking or saying to yourself “I can calm myself down. One flaw of this video is that it is really repetitive, although it does get the point across.

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This talks about self-care and 5 different ways you can go about it. From having people to talk to about your problems to ensuring you are eating the right things for your health. Your mental health is also a form of self-care. You have to make sure you have enough time for other activities other than work. Talking to others can help your health and improve it.

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5 Self-Care Practices for Every Area of Your Life

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Self-care is essential for good mental and physical well-being. You cannot control everything life throws your way, but you can learn how to practice good self-care.

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This website talks about the steps you should take to maintain a healthy self care routine. Having "me time" is a necessity since everyone has so much going on in life, but prioritizing yourself contributes to how your work pays off.This website provides steps of how you can include self care throughout your day. This website also includes motivational quotes to practice your self care and self love. The continents of this website is a great start to begin your journey with putting yourself first sometimes.

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Psycom.net - Mental Health Treatment Resource Since 1986

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Everywhere you look you see the words self-care, self-help, self-love, and wellness. We get it, the self-improvement movement is having more than just a moment. The market is estimated to grow to a $13.2 billion by 2022. In other words, we're downloading a lot of self-help books on Amazon, buying tons of meditation apps, and hiring a crazy amount of life coaches. And, let's not even get started on Instagram: #selflove with its 37.8 million posts beats out #selfcare which is still at a staggering 23.9 million posts.

Here's the thing about all this #selfcare revolution, most people fall into one of two camps. The first: those who scarcely think about self-care at all, and when they do, it falls way to the bottom of the to-do list. The second group is hugely aware (they're the ones buying most of that stuff). In fact, they're so conscious of the importance of self-care, they've completely stressed themselves out about it. (More on that later.)

Benefits Of Self-Care

Here's why everyone should care about self-care: it's good for you, especially when it comes to managing stress. And, chronic stress is one of the biggest threats to overall health. It's linked to inflammation which can lead to everything from heart disease to gastrointestinal disorders and a weakened immune system.

Taking care of your self has other benefits that may be even more obvious. It feels good. Getting a good night sleep, for example, makes your day noticeably better. Of course, it also helps with focus and cognition, regulates emotions, and boosts immunity. Similarly, doing things like going to the gym, heading out for a walk, or taking a yoga class alter your mood and energy level.

Why You Shouldn't Neglect Self-Care

For some people self-care is a form of self-indulgence they either don't make the time for or don't think is necessary. But that may be because they don't actually understand what it means. Self-care isn't about weekly massages or buying yourself whatever you want #ideservethis-style. It's a lot more basic. Some research on self-care describes brushing your teeth as a form of self-care. Let's not call that an indulgence-even if you're using the Burst rose gold edition.

Self-care, and its close cousin, self-help, are about being in tune with what your body and mind require to function optimally. In the same way you wouldn't ignore the oil light on your car, you shouldn't ignore the cues your body is sending you. Study after study has shown the positive effects of looking after yourself.

Top 10 Ways To Practice Self-Care

There are lots of ways to take care of yourself. If humans came with manual, here are a few tips that might be in the care guide:

1. Get the sleep you need. This isn't the same for everyone, but The National Sleep Foundation recommends between seven and nine hours.

2. Eat healthy. There is a strong food-mood connection. In fact, there is even a whole branch of psychiatry devoted to nutrition. Some of the best mood boosting foods are ginger, turmeric, fish, chia, flax, berries (colors, every color is an antioxidant), green tea, Asian mushrooms, avocados, and broccoli.

3. Meditate. Meditation helps build mental resiliency and can help to manage anxiety.

4. Take in nature. Research shows that visits to forests, rural areas, and other green spaces can improve thinking skills and reduce stress. Read more about how,

5. Check out a good book. Reading fiction improves social-cognitive performance and boosts empathy.

6. Say yes...and no. People who are open to new experiences literally see the world differently according to research. But, setting boundaries on your time is also essential to well-being. In their book, The Power of No, James Altucher and Claudia Azula Altucher, show how saying no gives you space to say yes to new opportunities and experiences.

7. Make time for friends. Close relationships have a wide range of benefits: they motivate us, inform us, help us grow. And, they also have substantial mental health benefits. In fact, not having close friends is a risk factor for both anxiety and depression.

8. Get to know yourself better. Part of caring for yourself is doing things that are important to you. It's easy to get so caught up in what other people are doing (hello, FOMO) or what we think we should be doing, that we lose sight of what's actually important to us. To explore your personality, check this story.

9. Take a social media break. Scrolling through Instagram feels like a fun indulgence, but it's the nutrition equivalent of eating a big bag of chips: satisfying in the moment, addicting, and leaves you feeling remorseful and maybe a little sick. It also can make you lonely, which has legitimate health consequences.

10. Daydream, often. Letting your mind wander is linked to intelligence and mental health. And, it doesn't matter what you're daydreaming about. So, don't feel guilty, embrace it!

The Difference Between Self-Help And Self-Care

According to a recent analysis in The New York Times, "If self-help is about fixing something, self-care thinks you're already great." But the distinction may not be so clear; it's possible the the term self-care is really the same philosophy, just a different hyphenated word.

One of the first works to shape the self-help sections and launch the whole advice genre was Samuel Smiles' Self Help in 1859. Since that time every generation seems to have had the book for self-help: Dale Carnegie's How to Make Friends and Influence People in 1936, Thomas Anthony's I'm Okay; You're Okay in the 1960's, Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled in 1978, and Stephen Convey's Seven Habits of highly Effective People in the 80's. In the past twenty years or more, the self-help market exploded. From 2013 and 2019, the number of self-help books sold doubled and came in at 18.6 million according to The NPD Group.

The Language of Self-Care

Amid the lexicon of the wellness world, the word " self-care " gets thrown around a lot. And it can mean different things to different people-a bubble bath and glass of wine for some, a mental health break for others. And wrapped up in that cozy blanket term of self-care are a lot of other concepts. At the heart of it all is, well, the self, and doing everything we can to nourish our sense of it. To help you understand more about what really goes into self-care, we've created a glossary of related buzzwords for your reading pleasure. Go forth and educate.

Self-care

At its core, self-care is the practice of protecting your own well-being and happiness, particularly during times of stress. It's about taking action to balance physical and emotional health by knowing your limits and not going over them. It's also about identifying the things that bring you joy and help you to decompress. And the benefits of self-care range from improving well-being and decreasing morbidity and mortality to reducing healthcare costs. Acts of self-care include basic necessities such as eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and relaxation. But really, self-care can be anything that feeds your soul and takes the weight of the world off your shoulders-even for a little while.

Self-compassion

Self-compassion is about treating yourself with kindness, care, support, and empathy in the same way you would treat a good friend who needs you. It's more of an emotional attitude toward yourself and not a judgement of worth. So even when you aren't feeling so great about yourself, you're accepting and kind rather than critical. There's a connectedness in self-compassion, as well as an understanding that life can be difficult. The long-term effects of self-compassion on daily life include a decrease in depression, increased happiness, increased life satisfaction, and better physical health.

Self-soothing

Just like a baby sucks his thumb for comfort, self-soothing is a type of behavior that is used as a coping mechanism to help you deal with stress. It's like a simple act of self-comfort that you can do to help calm your mind and body. Self-soothing strategies will differ from person to person, and they are often based on the senses. Maybe it's a song that makes you happy, a soft blanket that provides comfort to touch, or even a cup of soothing tea.

Self-indulgence

Self-indulgence is defined as excessive self-gratification. It's about being overly indulgent or permissive with ourselves, and seeking immediate gratification at whatever cost. The danger is, it can combine a false sense of entitlement and a whole lot of hedonism. While every now and then it's okay to self-indulge (eat that extra dessert, buy the expensive purse, etc.) if self-indulgence is left unchecked, it can lead to negative consequences (over-eating, debt, and even addiction.).

Self-love

Self-love means valuing yourself as a human being, accepting yourself without conditions, and having a high regard for your own well-being by nurturing it physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Self-love isn't about instant gratification or narcissism. It's about respecting yourself and knowing you're worthy of love. Unlike self-compassion, which is something you practice in a given moment, self-love is a life-long state of being. It's an authentic and honest appreciation for yourself.

Self-awareness

Self-awareness is comprised of two components, an internal self-awareness and an external self-awareness. Internal self-awareness is a monitoring of our internal world-how we see our emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and behaviors. External self-awareness is knowing how other people see us according to those same factors. It's essentially a measure by which we evaluate and judge ourselves and our actions and act in accordance with our values and standards. Self-awareness can have many benefits such as better decision-making, higher success, and enhanced self-confidence.

Self-preservation

At its core, self-preservation is a protective instinct to act in our own best interest to ensure survival-it's why fight or flight mode kicks in when the threat of pain or fear strikes. But more often, it manifests as a kind of internal coping mechanism that protects us from unpleasant emotional distress that can occur (in varying degrees) in relationships and in everyday life. It's about putting yourself first and setting healthy boundaries that create emotional space for the sake of your mental, physical, and spiritual health needs.

While the word "self-care" may seem like some new concept, it's been around for decades and used to refer to how patients could help treat or manage their illness (especially mental illness or age-related health declines) through diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits. These days the idea is more broad and includes a lot of other self-oriented acts and thoughts.

Pitfalls Of Self-Care

There is a downside to all of this self-improvement. Our books are telling us how we can improve, our social media feeds are showing us how others are doing it better, and our technology is tracking it all and reminding us exactly how we stack up at any given minute. All of this together is sending an entire generation of millennials into burn out mode. The quest for perfection and optimization has invaded our eating habits, sleeping habits, and even sex drive. We are constantly looking at the distance between or current state and our goal state. And instead of feeling calm and content, it's driving us to be unsatisfied, even worried.

An article in The Harvard Business Review makes a good point about why. "Our focus is shifting away from the actual self - our bodies, minds, and spirits - and toward data about the self." Just ask someone how they slept last night and watch them look at their FitBit before they tell you.

And here's where the rub really comes in: We have trained ourselves to be so self-aware, we know all of this is making us anxious. So, we add that to the list of things we need to work on. But balance is possible. And, experts agree, one of the most direct ways to capturing what that #selfcare is really about is mindful meditation. So, even if you only have three minutes, download Headspace and tap "Unwind." Or, try any of the other nine things on the list above, and maybe take a FitBit break.

Inspiring Quotes on Self-Care and Self-Love

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." - Audre Lorde

"To meditate means to go home to yourself. Then you know how to take care of the things that are happening inside you, and you know how to take care of the things that happen around you." - Thich Nhat Han

"When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that can transform our lives." - Kristin Neff

"You wanna fly, you got to give up that shit that weighs you down." - Toni Morrison

"In dealing with those who are undergoing great suffering, if you feel 'burnout' setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best, for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself. The point is to have a long-term perspective." - Dalai Lama

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Everywhere you look you see the words self-care, self-help, self-love, and wellness. We get it, the self-improvement movement is having more than just a moment. The market is estimated to grow to a $13.2 billion by 2022. In other words, we're downloading a lot of self-help books on Amazon, buying tons of meditation apps, and hiring a crazy amount of life coaches.