Life can be stressful. Between caring for loves ones, keeping an active social life, work, planning for retirement, taking care of a house, yard, chores, and working out….we barely have  any time – or energy – left for ourselves. But how can we care for others, if we aren’t healthy ourselves? The answer is self-care!

What is self-care?

Simply put, self-care is paying attention to one’s own physical, mental, and emotional health. Self-care can be any activity that is important to you and makes slow down and relax.

This could be working out, going for a walk in the park, mediating, gardening, reading, taking a bath, or cooking. Other ideas include yoga, journaling, drawing, coloring, playing with your pet, or taking a nap.

Here are four ideas and the benefits they provide:

  1. Massages – Not only do massages feel great, they also are known to relieve stress and reduce anxiety. For physically actively folks, sports massages are wonderful for muscle soreness and can enhance exercise performance. They also can help with headaches and low back pain.
  2. Acupuncture- Not something many people would think of when it comes to self-care, but acupuncture is a 3000-year-old practice from China. Some of the incredible benefits include headache relief, reduced stress, reduced neck tension, relief from digestive conditions, and improved immunity.
  3. Meditation – You’ve likely heard your doctor mention meditation when it comes to stress relief. Sitting quietly with a calm mind helps control anxiety, reduce stress, generate kindness, and lengthens attention spans. Not sure how to go about meditating? Try downloading an app! Calm, Headspace, Aura, and Smiling Mind are all top-rated apps.
  4. Journaling – Do you have a passion for writing? Journaling can help you organize your thoughts, record ideas and goals, and allow you to self-reflect. Plus, it boosts creativity and inspires creativity!

There are so many ways you can practice self-care. Just make sure it’s something you want to do, on your time, in a place you feel comfortable and relaxed.

Why is self-care important?

Self-care forces us to slow down and rest. It helps us relax and take care of ourselves. It is proven to improve our immunity systems, think more positively, learn how to be calm and reminds us that our needs are also important.

Still feel like you just can’t make the time for self-care? Certain Medicare Part C Plans offer services like acupuncture, massage, and fitness memberships in their plans! You may already be entitled to these benefits but aren’t using them. Make sure to look over your plan or contact us today to learn more about a Medicare Part C plan that would offer you these incredible perks.