29 Sep Autumn Self Care
Autumn Selfcare
With World Mental Health Day approaching on Monday, 10 October, it’s a good reminder to revisit our own selfcare practices and routines. Life presents many responsibilities. Caring for others, work commitments and health issues. We can forget to take care of our personal needs.
Here are a selection of autumn self care ideas to help with your own stress management, to help improve your every day.
Soak up the sun
The days are shortening, which is even more reason to get outside and soak up the last of the hazy, vitamin D enriching hours of sun.
Vitamin D helps to support bone health, lowering blood pressure, preventing disease, and promoting good mental health. While too much of the sun’s warm rays can be harmful to your skin, striking the right balance can be incredibly beneficial to our minds & bodies.
Taking a cup of tea and sitting in the garden or enjoying a leisurely walk in park. All helps to boost your physical and mental wellbeing.
Massage
There are many reasons to book yourself a massage, with an assortment of massages to choose from. You can opt for a treatment from the comfort of your home or from a local clinic or treatment room.
Here are a few reasons of booking a massage this autumn:
Immunity Boosting
Studies suggests that regular massages increase the amount of level of white blood cells (which help to combat viruses).
Reduces stress and anxiety
Taking time out of a busy day is essential for our mental health. A calming massage treatment, releases serotonin and dopamine, the happy hormones our bodies produce when we are relaxed. An increase in relaxation reduces the feelings of anxiety and nervousness, decreasing stress and tension.
Improves sleep
Receiving a massage can decrease cortisol (a stress hormone). High cortisol levels over weeks or months, can lead to inflammation and a host of mental and physical health struggles. Studies have shown that aromatherapy massage, is beneficial in helping with sleep disorders and promoting restful sleep.
Massage is not affordable for all, why not ask your employer to organise an onsite massage therapist to visit your place of work, or swap with a friend or family member.
Want to know more? Why not listen to the BBC Vlog by Crowd science https://www.news-medical.net/health/The-Health-Benefits-of-Massage.aspx
Declutter, have a clear out.
Tidy house, tidy mind. This phrase has been used, since I can remember. After spending hours of my life constantly searching for stuff: books, glasses case, batteries, keys, you name it, I really wanted change. A few years ago, my client gave me a book ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ by Marie Kondo. This magnificent book, really was, and still is a game changer.
Sieving through possessions and working out what to keep, recycle or dump. Be under no illusion, it takes time and effort. But. Oh so worth it. I suggest reading the book till the end and then start to plan, spreading the sorting over the coming months. The joy of knowing where all your possessions are located is, well, life changing, for me…
Autumn/winter is a great time to start this process. Whether you’ve been holding on to things for too long, you have no room left to even close a draw or a cupboard. Now is the time to take back control.
Try mindfulness/meditation
Meditation and mindfulness maybe something that you’ve tried but felt like it didn’t work for you. Or perhaps you’ve heard of it but never tried.
Taking a few minutes of each day to calm your mind and concentrate on your breathing can transform how you feel and lower your stress levels. With easy-to-follow online tutorials and free guided meditation audio files, everyone can learn how to meditate. Once you’ve incorporated meditation into your life, you’ll see just how easy it is to as a self-care tool to help to centre yourself.
Creating your own autumn self care strategy, will help you through the colder months and hopefully, create new good habits to take you through to spring.
Written by
Charlotte Every
