Practice Self Care During Lockdown

Self Care During Lockdown – Top Tips From Martin and Phelps Salon in Cheltenham

If you feel like this lockdown has been particularly tough, you’re not alone. During this challenging time it is essential to show yourself love and practice self-care. Self care is an important way to keep both our mental and physical health intact as we navigate the lockdown.  Self love is also a great way to equip yourself to help others, you cannot pour from an empty cup. By looking after ourselves, we will be in a better place to look after loved ones. 

 If you’ve hit a ‘pandemic-plateau’, we’ve put together some of our top tips to help inspire you to care for yourself during lockdown

Treat Yourself to a Massage

Self Massage at Martin and Phelps Hair and Beauty Salon in CheltenhamSelf massage is a fantastic tool for calming and soothing the entire nervous system and, the more often you do it, the greater the effects will be.

Massages encourage muscle relaxation, improved circulation, skin nourishment and waste removal and can be done in the comfort of your own home. You don’t need any experience in massage to practice self massage, the most important thing is to make sure that you don’t apply too much pressure, stay in the moment, be present and connect with yourself.

For a deep tissue massage, try using a foam roller or even an old tennis ball to roll out any tension in your muscles.

Nourish Your Body With a Healthy Diet

Self Care at Martin and Phelps Hair and Beauty Salon in CheltenhamA healthy, well balanced diet is essential to keeping you physically and mentally well. We know that during times of uncertainty and stress that it is easy to reach for convenient snacks but these can leave you looking and feeling unwell. Eating healthy foods and hydrating our bodies with water is an excellent way to see improvements in our skin, energy and overall wellbeing.

Start by creating a meal plan that is packed with healthy foods and set reminders for yourself to drink water throughout the day to ensure you stay well hydrated. 

Declutter Your House and Mind

Self Care Martin and Phelps Hair and Beauty Salon in CheltenhamHave you ever heard the phrase “tidy desk, tidy mind”? It can be easy to neglect household tasks when you hit the lockdown wall of fatigue and with many of us working from home, especially if there are children in the house, it can often feel overwhelming to keep everything in order. 

Show yourself care by removing clutter from your environment, whether you donate to charity or sell unwanted items. If you have family members at home why not create a challenge by giving each of them a task to complete – the first to finish wins a prize! 

Book a Date With Friends and Family

Zoom Dates at Top Salon in CheltenhamThe lockdown has left many people feeling isolated, with loneliness being one of the most reported issues that we are facing. 

It is important that you remain connected to your friends, family and loved ones however you are safely able to at this time. Reach out to them and share your experiences thoughts and feelings, we can almost guarantee that they’re feeling similarly. Why not book a Zoom date where you can cook together, watch a film or play games?

If you are struggling with loneliness, there are tips from the NHS here.

Create a Self Care Journal

Self Care Journal Salon in CheltenhamIt can be easy during these tough times to ignore how we are feeling until we become totally overwhelmed. We haven’t been given a handy guide to deal with this “unprecedented” time, and we are all just doing our best.

Take time to tune in to how you are feeling during the lockdown, meditate and try to listen to your body and  mind. It may help you to create a journal to note down your thoughts, writing your feelings down can help to take a great deal of weight from them. 

It is important to be kind to yourself, the last year has been challenging for all of us, especially if we are dealing with loneliness and even grief. For more advice on how to take good care of yourself, visit the NHS’s One You website here.

Move Your Body

 Home Work Top Hair and Beauty Salon in CheltenhamIt can seem a difficult task, especially during these colder months, to gain the motivation to get up and exercise. However, countless studies have linked exercise with immune-boosting benefits and overall mental and physical well-being.

If you can, try going for a quick lap around the block or stream a free workout on YouTube. Simple stretches can be used to calm the mind and relieve anxiety. 

Take Some Time Off

Self Love at Martin and Phelps Hair Beauty Salon in CheltenhamIf you have become overwhelmed with back to back calls, Zoom meetings and home schooling it is important that you recognise this and take some time out for yourself. Schools are very understanding and if you need to take some time from that, there are plenty of resources available to help even younger children learn outside of set schoolwork. Speak to your employer if you have one and perhaps use some annual leave, if possible.

Even if your time out simply means running a bath, lighting a few candles and popping on a face mask – it’s important to give yourself some time to rest and recharge your batteries. A glass of wine and bar of chocolate at the side of the bathtub is optional. 

 

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