Essentially, self-care is everything we do to take care of our physical as well as mental well-being. Self-care is highly important because it’s the first, essential step we can take to promote our health. There are many things we can do to promote our self-care, and Poppy is here to help you with most of them.
A good way to start is to evaluate whether there are some areas you need to improve that might have been overlooked for some time. Mental health is not only equally as important as physical health, but these two are closely related. Healthy body, healthy mind.
Sleep, exercise and nutrition
First, let’s look at physical health. What are your sleeping habits? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you exercising or moving your body enough? Are you eating food rich in nutrition and vitamins? These are only the primary areas you should focus on — sleep, exercise, nutrition.
Good sleeping habits reduce stress, lower the risk of heart diseases, and improve concentration and mood.
In light of the current pandemic when staying at home is recommended, it is crucial to make sure we are getting enough exercise. It is a well-known fact that exercising increases the production of endorphins and brain sensitivity to serotonin. This can help to increase positivity, reduce the perception of pain and regulate stress, anxiety, and depression. You don’t have to lift weights for two hours a day; a short brisk walk around your neighborhood or a quick stretch every morning is a good start.
Recent studies show that our gut is directly connected to our brain: upset brain, upset gut, and vice versa. A healthy diet with enough nutrition has a direct impact on our mood. So, take good care of your stomach.
Relationships, mental stimulation and emotions
Now, what about mental health? Mental health also includes several broad areas to consider, like social contact, intellectual pursuits and emotional awareness.
For our mental health, it is vital to take care of our relationships and the way we interact with others. Creating a supportive social network and building positive relationships with others is not an easy task. It requires a lot of skills like conflict management, time management, communication and setting boundaries. However, it’s all worth it because it increases our self-esteem and makes the world look like a more welcoming and safer place for us.
Keeping your mind busy with challenging tasks helps develop resources and skills to cope with unpredictable obstacles. More importantly, it’s also a great way to relax and manage stress levels. Learning something new, reading for fun, cooking, baking or making anything from scratch, community involvement, cultural activities are great examples of healthy mental stimulation.
It’s also important to acknowledge and accept how you feel and evaluate why you might be feeling that way...Being in contact with your feelings is a good indicator of your needs. And as we already mentioned earlier, it’s also closely related to how you feel in your body. It can navigate you towards a change, elevate positivity and change your perspective and attitude toward life.
How can Poppy help your self-care?
There are several ways how Poppy can help you in your self-care routine.
First of all, she can guide you through the process of getting in touch with your feelings, accepting them and working them out. She can encourage you to start the journey of self-exploration, lead you in your first steps, and support you.
Poppy and her friend Anthony know several exercises you can incorporate into your day-to-day life. They can help you deal with your negative thoughts, practice self-acceptance and improve your sleep habits.
Also, simply venting our feelings and talking about them can reduce the tension you might be experiencing. It frees energy to do things we enjoy, be with people we love or exercise a bit.
Last but not least, she is familiar with many things that are fun to chat about, not only therapy but also topics like traveling or movies. You can learn something new by talking to Poppy, which is a great way to enjoy some mental stimulation.
Would you like to try Poppy? Try our iOS app, Android app or get the Alexa Skill now!
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