![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/rebootyourresiliencywithselfcare\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2023\/01\/self-care-mind-cloud.jpg\")
<\/a> Figure 26.1 Self-Care Mind Cloud[\/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the primary excuses we make for not practicing self-care is telling ourselves that we just don\u2019t have the time. There are actually many self-care practices that don\u2019t require much planning and can be done when you have a moment. The secret is to find something that you genuinely enjoy and it\u2019ll be easy to fit it into your life.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_199\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/rebootyourresiliencywithselfcare\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2023\/01\/How-much-time-do-you-have.png\")
<\/a> Figure 26.2 How much time do you have?[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThere are common aims to almost all self-care efforts that involve the 8 spheres of well-being. Each of us\u00a0 are different in the domains that we emphasize or need to balance. Remember the spheres of well-being from the What is Stress, Really?<\/a> chapter? Here it is again, as a reminder. \u00a0Let\u2019s delve deeper into what some of the self-care possibilities are in each sphere.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_587\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/rebootyourresiliencywithselfcare\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2023\/02\/8-dimensions-of-wellness-bright.png\")
<\/a> Figure 1.2 8 Dimensions of Wellness[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nMENTAL<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe simplest definition of mental well-being could be our ability to cope with whatever comes our way. Mental self-care is all about taking care of your mind by helping it to be focused and calm. It\u2019s about living in the present moment, not worrying about the past or the future.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_197\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<\/a> Figure 26.3 The Present[\/caption]\r\n\r\nMental self-care is entwined in the five senses \u2013 sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.\r\n\r\nSome examples for mental self-care include one or more of the senses.\r\n Figure 26.4 Laughter is the best medicine[\/caption]\r\n\r\n Figure 26.5 Set Yourself on Fire[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIf you want to delve much deeper into a Well-Being journey, Yale University offers a free, online, 20 hour course entitled \"The Science of Well-Being\". The course description states \"In this course you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life.\"[footnote]Yale University. (2023). The Science of Well-Being. About this course. Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.coursera.org\/learn\/the-science-of-well-being#syllabus[\/footnote]\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<\/a>One of the primary excuses we make for not practicing self-care is telling ourselves that we just don\u2019t have the time. There are actually many self-care practices that don\u2019t require much planning and can be done when you have a moment. The secret is to find something that you genuinely enjoy and it\u2019ll be easy to fit it into your life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n There are common aims to almost all self-care efforts that involve the 8 spheres of well-being. Each of us\u00a0 are different in the domains that we emphasize or need to balance. Remember the spheres of well-being from the What is Stress, Really?<\/a> chapter? Here it is again, as a reminder. \u00a0Let\u2019s delve deeper into what some of the self-care possibilities are in each sphere.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n MENTAL<\/strong><\/p>\n The simplest definition of mental well-being could be our ability to cope with whatever comes our way. Mental self-care is all about taking care of your mind by helping it to be focused and calm. It\u2019s about living in the present moment, not worrying about the past or the future.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mental self-care is entwined in the five senses \u2013 sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.<\/p>\n Some examples for mental self-care include one or more of the senses.<\/p>\n Mental exercises<\/strong> that activate your brain can help reduce anxiety and depression, improve your intellect, and increase your overall quality of life. It helps to generate new neurons in the hippocampus, the region of the brain that is responsible for learning information, storing long-term memories, and regulating emotions.[7]<\/sup><\/a> Learn a new skill such as a musical instrument, language, or hobby, meditate, read a novel, go somewhere new, and keep going outside of your comfort zone. You can also play games that rely on logic, math, word and visual-spatial skills like sudoku and crossword puzzles. Many brainteaser apps claim to improve memory, increase I.Q., or enhance other cognitive skills.\u00a0Lumosity<\/a>\u00a0is a popular app that is split into sessions of three games tailored to your goals: memory, attention, problem solving, processing speed or flexibility of thinking.<\/p>\n EMOTIONAL<\/strong><\/p>\n Emotional self-care is dealing with your emotions, not burying them deep down. Confronting, feeling, and accepting our emotions helps decrease our stress by moving on.<\/p>\n Some examples for emotional self-care include:<\/p>\n Laughter is the best medicine! There is science that supports this!<\/p>\n When you laugh it not only boosts your mood, but there\u2019s also a contraction of muscles, which increases blood flow and oxygenation throughout your body. This stimulates the heart and lungs, and triggers the release of endorphins that help you to feel more relaxed both physically and emotionally. Laughter also has long-term benefits, such as improving immunity and relieving pain.[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Spiritual self-care doesn\u2019t have to be about religion, it\u2019s about getting in touch with your values and what really matters to you.<\/p>\n Some examples are:<\/p>\n PHYSICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n Getting physical activity helps boost your mood almost immediately by releasing feel-good endorphins and neurotransmitters like serotonin.[9]<\/sup><\/a> When done regularly, exercise not only protects you from long-term stress, it also reduces your risk of cognitive decline or developing dementia over time. Specifically, some research has shown improved spatial memory in subjects who exercised regularly, meaning individuals could better remember things related to their environment, like how to get to a destination or find their lost keys.[10]<\/sup><\/a> This is in part due to an increased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which promotes neurogenesis and reduces oxidative stress and inflammation of the brain.[11]<\/sup><\/a> Exercise is well-researched as positively helping those suffering with depression, as well.[12]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Physical self-care doesn\u2019t mean you have to go and get a gym membership. Physical exercise in many forms can help release stress. Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n Physical self-care isn\u2019t all about action, either. It\u2019s also about rest.<\/p>\n SOCIAL<\/strong><\/p>\n Social self-care might be different depending on whether you\u2019re an introvert or an extrovert. Fundamentally though, social connections \u00a0are important for our overall well-being. It\u2019s choosing to do things with people who really make you feel good, who fill you up rather than drain you.<\/p>\n Some ideas:<\/p>\n If you want to delve much deeper into a Well-Being journey, Yale University offers a free, online, 20 hour course entitled “The Science of Well-Being”. The course description states “In this course you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life.”[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Weighted blankets have become a stress relief and sleep enhancing tool for many people. Weighing between 5 and 30 pounds, weighted blankets are therapeutic blankets that mimic deep pressure therapy, a technique that has been shown to benefit people with anxiety, depression, autism, and ADHD. The deep pressure, which can be likened to a hug, helps relax the nervous system. Numerous people use weighted blankets to help them sleep, and others use them to help reduce perceptions of chronic pain. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a>\n
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![Figure 26.1 Self-Care Mind Cloud<\/a> is licensed under a](\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:SelfCare.jpg\"){kind=link}