There seems to be a misconception that self-care revolves around bubble baths, glasses of wine and yoga. Whilst these are great things to enjoy, self-care is so much more than that – and often it’s a lot simpler than you may think. You don’t need to immerse yourself in silky bubbles to feel sated, nor do you have to embrace your best downward dog to find inner peace. Here are 5 things that you can add to your day, that don’t seem like self-care, but are… 

CLEANLINESS 

When we’re feeling depressed, cleaning ourselves or our environment can feel like a mammoth task. Sometimes, it’s physically impossible to jump in the shower or drag the hoover around – and that’s okay, honestly it is. A key part of self-care is looking after ourselves, and that can start with something as simple as getting in the bath and washing ourselves, or taking the bins out, or putting the dishwasher on. If you don’t feel able to combat these tasks, then some top tips for cleanliness are baby wipes, dry shampoo and mouthwash. These things will give you the appearance and feeling of being clean, even if you aren’t – and that can do wonders for our well-being.   

CULTIVATING A PEACEFUL SPACE 

For some of us, being in a busy environment makes our mental health thrive – whilst for others, the busy regime of our daily lives is enough to make us yearn for a peaceful space of our own. If you’re the latter, then cultivating a peaceful space in your home could be the thing that your mind needs to quieten down and begin working on inner peace. Whether this is a corner of your house with an armchair and book nook, or whether you simply build a duvet fort in bed – ensure that the space available to you is one of solitude and reckoning. 

FILLING YOUR TUMMY 

Managing our eating habits when we’re feeling depressed is something that can become almost impossible. Many of us struggle with eating as it is, what with messages surrounding detoxing, juicing and cleansing being stuffed down our throats instead of the pizza we’d prefer. Hear me out – listen to your body and acknowledge the nutrition it needs to survive and function. Filling your tummy doesn’t have to be a gourmet meal, you should instead select some things that you can eat that you know will give your body a feeling of sustainability so that you can get through your day. Why not arrange these foods in colourful snack boxes so that you can grab them from the fridge when you’re feeling hungry?  

GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

You’d think that when we’re strung out and exhausted, it’d be easy to slip into a peaceful slumber – but actually, the complete opposite is true. When self-care has been hard and you’re fighting against yourself, it’s often when we’re ready for a good, solid sleep that our brains become wired and start analysing all of the things that we should have done that day or things that are on our mind. Sleep might not seem like self-care, but it’s one of the most integral things for us to have a sufficient amount of, to seamlessly get through our days. If you struggle with insomnia, then don’t struggle alone – seek out advice from a professional to ensure that your sleep patterns improve. If you don’t have insomnia or other sleep-related issues, then check The Blurt Foundation’s article “Depression: Coping With Disrupted Sleep”. 

ACCEPTING HELP

Due to the fact that we live in a society that is quick to judge, many of us feel like asking for help would have us labelled as a failure. Reaching out to a loved one, on social media or via a number of self-care resources online is one of the strongest things that you can do for your self-care when you feel like you need a helping hand. It is categorically not shameful, embarrassing, a weakness or a failure to ask for assistance when you don’t feel strong enough to get through something alone. Reaching out doesn’t feel like self-care, but I guarantee that when help is given and those who love you form a circle of support around you, you will feel that you have done the right thing in asking for it.