Self-care means taking actions to support and restore your mental, emotional, physical, and social well-being. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach—self-care is about doing what works for you to stay healthy and feel your best.
Your way of practicing self-care may look different from someone else’s. It might include learning how to manage stress, getting more exercise, eating nutritious foods, setting boundaries in relationships, pursuing hobbies you love, or spending time with people who make you feel supported. The key is to develop habits that help you stay well and improve your quality of life.
Why Is Self-Care Important?
Self-care includes the actions you take—on your own or with the help of your community—to promote health, prevent illness, and manage both short- and long-term conditions. Because your mental and physical health are deeply connected, self-care can improve your well-being in multiple ways. When you care for your emotional and psychological needs, your physical health can improve—and vice versa.
Regular self-care supports both mind and body. Benefits include:
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Reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns
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Lower risk of illness and disease
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Increased resilience
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Improved mood, energy, and overall quality of life
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Prevention of burnout
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Lower stress levels
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Stronger relationships with family, friends, and community
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Better recovery outcomes from surgery or serious illness
Developing a consistent self-care routine is vital for your long-term health. Knowing how to create a strategy that works for you is key.
How to Practice Self-Care
Self-care includes a wide range of activities and lifestyle choices. That might mean incorporating relaxation techniques, improving your sleep, eating better, exercising, or simply carving out time for something you love. It’s highly personal—designed around your emotional, mental, or physical needs.
Get Active
Exercise is one of the cornerstones of effective self-care. It not only benefits your physical health, but also boosts your emotional well-being. Studies show that regular physical activity can reduce symptoms of depression and help prevent depressive episodes.
Your exercise needs and routines may vary. It’s okay if starting a new fitness habit feels hard—what matters is finding something you enjoy and can stick with. Ideas to increase your activity levels include:
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Daily walks
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Group fitness classes
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Online or at-home workouts
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Exercising with a friend or accountability partner
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Playing sports
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Outdoor activities like hiking or beach walks
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Gentle movement like yoga or tai chi
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Taking the stairs more often
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Parking farther away
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Joining a local fitness group
To help stay on track, consider setting a daily routine and using a journal, app, or fitness tracker to monitor your progress.
Eat Nutritious Foods
Nourishing your body with the right vitamins, nutrients, and hydration is a powerful form of self-care. What you eat—and when—can significantly impact both mental and physical well-being. Research shows that healthy diets can improve sleep, reduce stress hormones, and lower inflammation and oxidative stress—all of which support mental health.
Like exercise, your nutritional needs are personal. While there’s no universal meal plan that fits everyone, many dietitians recommend eating patterns like the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes:
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Fresh vegetables and leafy greens
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Whole grains
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Legumes and nuts
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Yogurt
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Fish and seafood
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Olive oil
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Lean meats and poultry
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Plenty of water
You don’t need to follow it exactly—but focusing on fresh, minimally processed foods can reduce health risks and help you feel better. Try different nutritious foods until you find what works best for you.
Avoid Harmful Substances
Self-care can also mean reducing or avoiding substances that may harm your mental or physical health. Studies suggest that cutting back on certain substances can improve symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. You might consider:
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Limiting alcohol: If alcohol is affecting you negatively, reducing intake may help. Current guidelines suggest no more than 1 standard drink per day for women and 2 for men.
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Quitting smoking: Tobacco and vaping can worsen anxiety and depression and raise the risk of emphysema and cancer. Quitting helps your body and mind.
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Cutting back on caffeine: Found in coffee, tea, and some sodas, caffeine can disrupt sleep and affect your mood. Reducing your intake might improve how you feel.
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Avoiding drugs: Using recreational or unprescribed substances can harm both your physical and emotional health.
Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is a foundational element of mental and physical health. Research shows that not getting enough sleep directly affects your mood and mental function. Sleeping less than 6 hours a night can make you 2.5 times more likely to experience frequent mental distress.
Consistent, restful sleep reduces your risk of chronic illness and mental health conditions, helps you handle stress, and boosts your energy. Health experts recommend at least 7 hours of sleep per night for most adults. Younger people generally need even more.
Build healthy bedtime habits and stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Good sleep improves cognitive function, emotional balance, and physical resilience.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Another major part of self-care is learning to slow down and relax. Deep breathing, meditation, massage, and yoga can all help reduce heart rate, ease breathing, and lower blood pressure—counteracting the body’s stress response.
Relaxation can:
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Reduce stress
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Improve sleep
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Lower the risk of anxiety and depression
Different techniques work for different people. Try experimenting with:
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Progressive muscle relaxation: Tensing and then releasing muscle groups
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Autogenic training: Using mental exercises to create a sense of calm and awareness
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Guided imagery: Visualizing calming scenes or settings
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Biofeedback: Using technology with a therapist to monitor and manage stress signals
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Breathing exercises: Slow, deep breathing to help center the mind
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Complementary therapies: Like massage, yoga, or acupuncture
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Gentle solo activities: Like a warm bath, gardening, or going for a walk
Final Thoughts
Self-care is a collection of habits and strategies that support your emotional, mental, social, and physical health. Being proactive about self-care—through healthy eating, exercise, quality sleep, relaxation, and goal-setting—can ease anxiety, depression, and stress, while also improving your overall health and well-being.