Life comes with its pressures, taking a toll on your mental health. A mental health survey recently revealed that 74% of Brits experienced overwhelming stress in the last year that they couldn't cope with. If you wish to unwind and recharge consider taking better care of yourself mentally and physically. I know it's easier said than done but self-care is cost-effective and also reduces your stress levels. What's more, it limits your risk of depression and increases your happiness and satisfaction. So here are some practical self-care tips to consider to help combat stress with self-care.

Travelling helps you to relax and recharge your batteries for enhanced productivity. What's more, it exposes you to new experiences and cultures while increasing your happiness levels. At the moment it is difficult to travel for many of us, but travel agencies are saying people are planning for bucket list destinations for next year or the year after.  So why not decide on your dream destination for that bucket list vacation?  The act of dreaming, planning and anticipation is all part of the experience. It's as simple as drafting a budget to keep track of your spending and then putting money away regularly. If you plan this far in advance you can save yourself money and save up more.  While a solo trip would help you focus on yourself,  going with family or friends is another option to creating special memories together.  

Prioritise sleep

A lack of sleep makes you irritable, tired and unproductive during the day. Moreover, a good night's sleep reduces your risks of developing chronic diseases while keeping you in a good mood, increasing your productivity and helping you communicate better with other people. Therefore, you must take measures to ensure a good night's sleep. 

Firstly look at your sleep routine. and monitor when you fall asleep. By doing this you can look at any patterns in behaviour that could be affecting your sleep. Avoid caffeine and heavy food at night, try to exercise every day to make yourself tired (this can be as simple as walking for an hour a day) and avoid long daytime naps. At night give yourself at least an hour to wind down, turn off computers and your phone and try and relax by reading or taking a warm bath for example. Hopefully, these tips will help you sleep better. 

Pamper yourself

If you wish to relieve stress and anxiety, then you should give yourself some TLC. Not only will you help your mental health, but you'll also boost your immunity and self-esteem.  If you have the money arrange a pedicure or massage regularly. However, you don't have to spend a fortune to pamper yourself. For instance, you can take a nice bubble bath, after which you show your skin some love by using good quality moisturiser all over.  However, understanding your skin type will help you decide on the proper skincare routine to adopt. Self-care isn't selfish, so spend time pampering yourself because you deserve love too.

Don't ignore exercise or your health

Your self-care routine wouldn't be complete without exercise. Not only does it control your weight and prevent obesity, but it also helps your body manage insulin and blood sugar levels. Moreover, it improves your self-confidence and increases your longevity. Now, your workout routine doesn't have to be tedious, as you can spice it up. For instance, you can hit the gym with your friends, go to a Zumba or line dancing class or have a dance party with your family. There's no rule stopping you from inventing your workouts, so unleash your creativity. The important this is to be consistent with your workout routines to get the optimum results.

Aside from working out, you should also regularly visit your doctors. However, if you don't have doctors or a dentist yet, you can google a term like "dentist near me Kissimmee" or "physician near me", and it should provide a list of professionals that you can reach out to.

Your mental well-being determines your life’s quality, making it imperative to care for it. Hopefully, you'll consider these tips as you show yourself some love.