When we talk about self-care and taking the time out of your week to practice our self-care routines, we aren’t just talking about women, men deserve to self-care too! Since quarantine, numerous men are experiencing a growing interest in self-care due to staying inside the house. The weather is only getting colder as daylight savings time has kicked and we are beginning to realize the sun isn’t out for as long as it used to be. This is the perfect time to up your self-care, get ahead of seasonal depression, and love on yourself just a little bit more. It’s incredibly important for men to participate in this endeavour to work on their mental, physical and emotional health. Here are 5 ways men can self-care this fall and winter.
Taking more warm baths.
We often think when we shower, it’s the most efficient way to cleanse ourselves. Get in and get out. Although when you incorporate a bath in your day, it becomes an entire self-care process. Running the water to your desired temperature, adding your essential oils and bath salts, and lighting candles for ambiance creates the ultimate spa experience at home. For men a soothing bath can help to alleviate achy muscles, regulate body temperature and relax the mind.
Do a men’s facial.
Manfacials are gaining popularity as men discover how beneficial it is to take care of their skin. Whether you struggle with acne prone skin or dry, flaky skin it’s essential to give your body’s largest organ some love too. According to Tiege, 33 percent of men admitted to not washing their face at all in 2020. However, the way that men view skincare is starting to change for the better. Incorporating facials in your self-care routine will improve the appearance and health of your skin. If you don’t care for giving yourself a facial and have room to splurge, treat yourself with a professional facial with a reputable esthetician. It’s recommended to skip your shave the day of a facial appointment as your skin will be more irritated. Trust the esthetician’s process and enjoy.
Book an appointment for a men’s manicure/pedicure.
We are seeing more men walk into nail salons to get a mani pedi. Taking the extra effort to take care of your hands and feet is not only hygienic but it’s pleasurable. It’s refreshing to have a professional nail technician pull out those stubborn ingrown toenails, moisturize the nail beds, and cut down that extra length. If you struggle with corns and calluses which is dead skin that has built up over time and hardened, look to your local nail salon for maintenance. Self-caring at the nail salon not only makes you look good, you feel good afterward too.
Practice meditation.
Our minds are preoccupied as soon as we wake up and go to sleep, and it’s vital for us to quiet our thoughts through meditation. Men should also be encouraged to meditate and journal at some point in their day. Meditation provides us with numerous benefits such as:
Focusing on the present
Increased imagination and creativity
Releasing and managing stress
Increased self-awareness
Releasing of negative emotions
Increased patience and tolerance
Increased attention span
Reduce age-related memory loss
Just a few minutes each day for meditation and journaling as a point of reflection and stillness can drastically improve your mental and emotional well-being.
Schedule a mock session with a therapist.
In our communities, it may be deemed as taboo to seek out a therapist. You are perceived as mentally unstable or as if something is wrong with you for needing to talk to a professional. The need to appear headstrong and conceal your emotions is not as effective as a lot of parents raised our men to be. Taking care of our mental state is just as important as taking care of our physical state. Find a therapist in your area for life changing self-care benefits.
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