Welcome back to Sarah’s Self-Care Corner!  This week, I will be discussing physical self-care, how to improve your physical health using this type of self-care, and how to incorporate it into your daily life.  The key idea is simple – in order for our bodies to feel good, we must take care of them!  By caring for our bodies, it can make our overall mental compression and mood lighter as well.  

What is Physical Self-Care?

Physical self-care involves several important parts.  This includes the specific nutrients and food you are eating, how much sleep you are getting each night, what physical activity and/or exercise you participate in, and taking care of yourself by keeping up with healthy hygiene practices.  Most people fail to realize that by attending annual doctor’s appointments and semi-annually dental cleanings, they are promoting and practicing good physical self-care.

Assessing Physical Needs

Physical self-care is all about listening to your body and its needs!  In order to develop physical self-care strategies, you must assess and acknowledge your current physical needs.  You want to factor in the hours of sleep you get each night, the minutes you spend exercising each day (and yes, I said each day!), and how your daily food and dietary choices (meals and snacks) impact your overall physical health.  By being true to yourself about your current physical levels and thinking of ways you may improve upon your physical health, the easier it will be to create and follow an individualized physical self-care plan.  

Incorporating Physical Self-Care

Physical self-care is vital for you to live a healthy, well-balanced life.  You only have one body for the rest of your life, so caring for it is critical!  The following list are ways you can improve your overall physical health by practicing physical self-care: 

1. Get a good night’s sleep every night.  One of the essential aspects of taking care of your body is getting adequate sleep every night and resting throughout the day when needed.  Adults should try to get about 7-9 hours of sleep every night.  In addition to this, you should take short breaks throughout the day in order to reset your body and mind in order to work efficiently and effectively for the rest of the day.  
2. Eat healthily and hydrate yourself.  It is important to eat food that makes your body feel nurtured and fulfilled with necessary nutrients, but it is also good to treat yourself to a sweet treat every so often to keep a balance.  In addition to eating well-portioned and balanced meals throughout the day, it is critical to make sure you are staying hydrated by drinking water.  According to the Mayo Clinic, “The United States National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.”  To put it in simple terms, that is roughly 6 regular bottles of Poland Spring for women and 8 regular bottles of Poland Spring for men! It is important to remember how essential healthy and proper nourishment is to our body’s health.
3. Participate in physical activity.  By moving your body in some type of physical activity, it is beneficial for both your physical and mental health.  Exercising can easily boost your overall mood and attitude, and it can also clear your head of the day’s stress.  Physical activity can be something as simple as a walk around campus or downtown for 30 minutes, or you could try something new such as yoga, meditation, rock climbing, weight lifting, Zumba, and more.  When choosing a type of physical activity, choose something that you enjoy and will feel refreshed afterward.  

Thank you for reading this post, and I hope you have found the information helpful in incorporating physical self-care into your daily life.  Be sure to check back next week at Sarah’s Self-Care Corner where I will be discussing social self-care and the importance of maintaining relationships with others.

Sources:

• https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729#:~:text=Physical%20self%2Dcare%20includes%20how,of%20good%20physical%20self%2Dcare.
• https://www.mhanational.org/taking-good-care-yourself 
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=So%20how%20much%20fluid%20does,fluids%20a%20day%20for%20women