At Healthily, our focus is on helping you (and a billion people around the world) be the healthiest they can be through self-care.
At Healthily, our focus is on helping you (and a billion people around the world) be the healthiest they can be through self-care.
But why self-care?
It’s simple. You know your body best, so it only makes sense that you should be in the driving seat when it comes to looking after your own health – something that often gets neglected if you're looking after others in your family, whether as a parent or a carer.
Some people think of self-care as things like drinking herbal tea or hot chocolate, taking bubble baths or indulging in a relaxing movie night. While these are lovely things to do for yourself, and are small acts of self-care, they don’t fully explain what self-care is about.
Read on to learn more about what self-care is, how you can practise it and the potential benefits.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-care as “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider”.
Self-care is a big concept that covers many different areas of your life, including:
Self-care can be something small, like reducing your screen time in the evening to help you sleep better. It can also be something bigger such as starting a regular exercise routine and sticking with it.
It’s important to know that self-care is different for everyone. We all have unique mental and physical needs, so we’ll all have our own approach to how we practise self-care.
Put simply, anything you do to look after or improve your mental or physical wellbeing can be classed as self-care.
Here are some examples of how to practise self-care:
If you spend most of your time juggling family commitments, you might be wondering when you can fit in this self-care.
Here are 2 simple strategies you can try right away:
Day-to-day self-care can have many benefits for your mind and body.
Acts of self-care such as exercising regularly, eating well and getting enough sleep can help to improve your overall physical health. They can also reduce your risk of certain health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Actions such as brushing your teeth, washing your body and taking medication from the pharmacy are other aspects of self-care that can help to keep you in good physical health.
Many self-care actions can help your mental health, including practising breathing exercises, socialising and spending time outside. They may also help to stop mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, from getting worse.
Research suggests that treating yourself with kindness and compassion through self-care may help to increase your self-esteem and motivation.
It’s also thought that self-care may lead to stronger relationships – when you’re feeling well and happy, you can find it easier to make connections with people.
There are lots of personal benefits of self-care, and it can play a very important part in helping you to stay healthy. But self-care also has a huge role globally.
The Self Care Forum found that 80% of all care is self-care. Despite this high percentage, research also shows that people with minor health issues often give up on self-care earlier than they should and instead seek advice from a doctor within 4 to 7 days of having symptoms.
But with global healthcare systems pushed to breaking point, self-care provides a great way to take control of your health while easing pressure on healthcare systems, so they can be used more effectively.
It all begins with knowing where to look for trustworthy information and the best steps to take for your body. And that’s where we come into play. We have a wide range of health and self-care information on our website and
. You can also track any symptoms you have, using our medically-approved Self-Assessment Tool, on our app.Did this article teach you something new? Try out our 28-day
feel happier plan for more tips and hacks on how to feel better. Currently available on iOS only.Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.