Self-Care Tips for Mental Well-being.

Taking care of our mental health and well-being is not something we should do when we just develop mental health problems. It is something we should all do everyday, whether we have had mental health problems or not. Some mental health problems can be brought on by the stress we face in every day life, and they can occur even if we have never had a problem before. Self-care is really important when it comes to our mental well-being, even if we feel there is nothing in our lives that can cause a problem. Doing self-care can reduce the impact of everyday stresses like work, parenting, studying amongst many other things, in return it can also help us to reduce the effects that these things have on our mental well-being. Over the years, I have had many issues with my own mental health, some of which have been complicated, others brought on by everyday stressors. Below, I will share the tips that I use, that work well for me when taking care of my own well-being.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR MIND: This one is not easy when your life is full of things you need to do and full of chaos. Work, parenting, appointments, housework and even everyday disagreements can stop us from thinking straight. Take a moment to breathe, stop, think and be mindful. Take yourself away from the chaos, even for just five minutes in the fresh air or just to sit with a cup of tea so that you have a chance to reset your mind. Taking time out to do something like reading a book in a quiet room, or just to observe the scenery around you can help to resettle your mind. When you are a parent this can be a hard thing to do, especially when the children are arguing or upset. In this case, it can be good for you and the children to read a book together or take a walk in the park. However, sometimes children get to a point where they don't want to do things like this, so in cases like this, it helps just to take a moment where you don't respond and simply just breathe.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY: You might be saying "but I already do that!" However, this is another that is easy to forget during times of stress. Eat regular meals, even if you can't eat a large meal, a sandwich is better than nothing. Food can help us to calm our minds, and we need food to get us through the day. small regular meals enables us to have enough energy to keep us going when things get tough during the day, and it helps us to deal with tiredness and concentration. It doesn't have to be major, something as small as a sandwich with cheese and tomato can do the trick, just try to eat at least 3 small meals a day. Exercise is important too. Many people struggle to fit exercise into their busy schedule, but a 10 minute walk a day can be beneficial to the mind and the body, as can swimming with the children or playing a game with them in the park. Anything goes, whether you have children or not, as long as it gets those feel good vibes going.

BATH AND SHOWER: I love my quiet time in a bubble bath. I wash my hair before my bath with a good shampoo that I really love, usually from the Herbal Essences range because the smell and the shampoo have fantastic benefits on my hair. My favourite bubble baths are the Imperial Leather range and I love the shower gels too. Anything with a scent you enjoy can relax the senses and create tranquility and peace, whilst taking good care of your body, and complimenting that with a good body lotion can help you sleep, which is good, if like me you suffer from insomnia.

PLAY WITH MAKE-UP: I like waking to colour in my cheeks, even if its just a tinted moisturiser and a little blusher. It gives me a boost of self-esteem for the day. Sometimes I like to just play with my colours and create new looks. I never follow strict rules, I like to see what I come up with. Make-up rules are boring for me, I like to turn it into fun, just like when I was a teenager, so if you fancy a bright eyeshadow today, go ahead.

MEN COUNT TOO! Please remember self-care is for everyone, whether your male or female. So if your a man who doesn't like the idea of make-up, you could try a skin care range formulated for men, of which there are many out there from companies like Lush, Boots and even Avon. Remember time out for you is also essential to your own mental-well being. Walking in the park, cycling, playing with the children, reading, writing, anything that goes for women, can go for men too. I find men like women often find themselves absorbed in the stresses of everyday life too, so remember to make taking care of your own well-being a part of your life too.

ONE OTHER THING! Sport can be good for mental-health for everyone. I like to watch football, but when it comes to playing sport I prefer tennis and sqaush. Squash enables me to release the stress of the day, there is nothing like hitting a ball in a squash court for me, especially with a partner. Sport can be mentally challenging, it also challenges self control and patience while keeping us fit and healthy. You don't need to be an athletic to do it, just find one you enjoy and go for it!

I hope this article has given you some useful tips to enable you to look after your well-being. Mental well-being is important for everybody, and whether we are busy or not, we all need time out. It can take some time to get motivated, and you may find yourself not wanting to do anything at first. However, the first step is to try it, once you find something you love, it gets easier.