“Self Care Sunday” is more of a concept than a specific practice. In reality, you can practice self care anytime, anywhere. Self care means taking the time to do things that improve your health. This means both mental health and physical health. Self care is great for reducing anxiety and recovering when you need a break from the stressors of life. If you choose a wide variety of self care practices, it can improve your life as a whole. You may see physical benefits, mental benefits, and even find that your relationships improve when you have a “Self Care Sunday” every once in a while.
For self care ideas that are free, read 20 Free Self-Care Ideas For When You Need To Reset.
What does Self Care Sunday mean?
Most of us are at work or school Monday through Friday, so it’s easy for us to focus on self care on the weekend. Sunday is usually the most doable self care day, since it’s the last day we have to relax before the week starts up again on Monday. “Self Care Sunday” doesn’t always have to be on a Sunday. If there’s another day that works better for you, go with that! You don’t even need to have a self care day. Try having a self care morning, evening, or even a self care weekend! As long as you do things that make you feel rested and refreshed, you’re good.
Why is self care important?
Self care is essential to your overall health and the quality of your life. You may not think about self care that often (or maybe you do), but we practice self care every day, without even knowing it! Self care can be as small as stopping to take a breath, or as big as taking an entire day for yourself. The idea of “Self Care Sunday” can help you make self care a habit. By setting aside more time for self care, you become less likely to be overwhelmed by stress and exhaustion during the week.
Honestly, self care should be an everyday practice. But if you feel like it might be too challenging to try to implement a daily habit right now – start with Self Care Sunday. It’s the perfect time to take a look within and find out what you need to feel refreshed. You may need a mental reset, or maybe your body needs some attention instead. More than likely, it’s both mental and physical. Even if you don’t feel totally exhausted, I encourage you to try out a few of these self care ideas. Who knows? You may discover some habits that you want to bring into the rest of your week (not just Sunday).
Self care ideas where you can stay inside:
One of the easiest and best things you can do for your health is get outside, but maybe today’s just not the day. If that’s the case, here are 6 Self Care Sunday ideas that you can do indoors.
Breakfast in bed. Sundays are a great day to take your time to get out of bed. You usually have to drag yourself out of bed to get to work or school – it’s time to enjoy a slow morning. Grab your favorite breakfast, or even cook yourself something nice. Take it back into bed, and savor the feeling of being able to relax.
Have a home spa day. From your head to your toes, it’s wonderful to take care of yourself. Enjoy a face mask, do your hair, and hydrate your skin. Whatever makes you feel clean and healthy. Having a home spa day is both fun and affordable, without needing to go outside.
Pinterest and/or make a vision board. There’s something incredibly satisfying about finding images that inspire you. If you don’t have the materials to make a physical dream/vision board, Pinterest is perfect. You can find images that inspire you and organize them into dozens of online boards. My favorite categories include “Style Inspo”, “Cottage Core Decor”, and “Tattoo Ideas”.
Bake or cook something. Baking and cooking are very divisive activities. Either you love them, or you hate them. If you find baking and/or cooking to be enjoyable and rewarding, Self Care Sunday is the perfect time to put on the apron and make something delicious.
Do nothing! Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do, surprisingly. Why is it so hard to do nothing? Because we are so used to doing everything, all the time. However, it is good to do nothing sometimes. Embrace the strangeness of it, and allow yourself to rest.
Read a book. I thought my reading days were over when I got my first phone at the age of 11. I was, thankfully, wrong! All you need to do is find the right kind of books, and they can take you into another world. Personally, I love fantasy novels, but you might prefer historical fiction, sci-fi, romance, or something else. There’s something about fiction that can really get you out of your head, but if you want to read a non-fiction book, that’s great too! Read about history, or use a self-help book to improve your life in the long run. The library’s your oyster.
Outdoorsy self care activities:
This is primarily an outdoor adventure blog, so of course I’m partial to recommending outdoor activities as a cure for pretty much anything! Jokes aside, getting outside and being active are two of the best ways to improve your mental and physical health. Here are 6 more Self Care Sunday ideas, all based in the outdoors.
Take a walk. It’s so deceptively simple! Walking outdoors has a ton of wonderful benefits. Not only do you get a bit of vitamin D from the sun, but if you walk in the morning, it will help reset your circadian rhythm *your sleep cycle). Walking is great for your heart health, but only if you make walking a routine activity. Try a five-minute walk today, and see how you feel. It’s bound to make you feel a bit more awake and happier than you were before.
Play frisbee with a friend. There’s just something about throwing and catching a flying disc that brings so much joy. All you need is a friend, a disc, and a large patch of grass. You can throw for hours, and it’s endlessly fun. Not only will you get a great workout in chasing that disc, but you’ll be spending quality time with your friend. What could be better?
Go hammocking. It’s chill and low-effort, and you still get the benefits of being outside. You can close your eyes and listen to a podcast, read a book, or people-watch and let the day go by. Hammocking is underrated, trust me. If you don’t have a hammock, you can get on Amazon for under twenty dollars, or you can bring a blanket and lay on the grass instead.
Take a hike. it’s similar to walking, but you add the fun of being out in nature, in the wild. Hiking often feels like you are on an adventure. It can be as challenging as you want to make it. Hikes are usually rated as easy, moderate, or difficult. For your first hike, try something easy and go up from there. Just remember to bring a water bottle along for the ride.
Go for a swim. If you have access to an outdoor pool, river, lake, or even the ocean – swimming is a great way to spend the day. Not only is it great exercise, but you get the benefits of being outside in the water. You can stay cool, even on hot days.
Start or tend to your outdoor garden. Even if you have no front yard or backyard, you can still start a little outdoor garden! It feels rewarding to successfully take care of something else, like a plant. Herbs are easy to grow, and you can cook with them once they’re fully grown. You can sometimes find basil, oregano, or rosemary plants at the grocery store. If not there, then try the local garden shop. Herbs grow very quickly so they’re perfect for beginners.
Ideas for your physical health:
Maybe your mind feels good, but your body feels…off. Let’s try some body-focused self care techniques. It can take a bit of trial and error to figure out what your body needs. Here are 6 ideas that could be the answer to getting your body feeling 100% great.
Cut down on the caffeine. Everyone knows that caffeine has a negative effect on the body, but maybe it’s time to take your intake seriously. Caffeine is usually found in coffee and some teas. If you drink too much (or too late in the evening), it can throw off your sleep schedule or even make you feel sick. Of course, you don’t have to totally cut out coffee. Just try drinking a little less and see how your body responds.
Eat a filling, healthy meal. It can be easy to forget about the importance of healthy eating, but it really can affect your entire life. Eating healthy and hearty foods will improve your energy levels, your ability to concentrate, your mood, and more.
Try a weighted blanket (or a good hug). Weighted blankets are often used as a physical treatment for a few mental disorders and their symptoms. They’re known to help with anxiety and restlessness, and can even help you fall asleep. If you find yourself unable to slow down, a weighted blanket might ease some of that stress for you.
Get a good stretch in. Stretching allows your body to work better and feel better. It can relieve tension in your muscles and prevent little aches and pains from getting worse throughout the day. You can find a stretching app, watch a guided stretching video on YouTube, or just do what feels good to you.
Take a break from screens. If you start feeling discomfort in your eyes or get a headache after looking at screens for too long, take a break. Not only is the light hard on your eyes but whatever you’re looking at on that screen is most likely fairly stimulating. It’s a good idea to take a screen break sometimes, even if you don’t have a headache, just to practice being present in the world. Try journaling, listening to music, or some other activity that will give allow your mind to rest.
Reset your breathing. Mindful breathing is a surprisingly effective way to reduce stress. You can find dozens of breathing techniques online, but my favorite is box breathing. Breathe in for four counts, hold that breath for four counts, exhale for four counts, and hold for four more counts before your next breath.
Make this day your own.
Whatever you decide your Self Care Sunday looks like, make sure it aligns with your body and your mind. It might take some experimentation, but you will discover what makes you feel amazing. Once you know what clears your mind and restores your body, you can integrate those habits into your routine. Knowing how to take care of yourself is a powerful thing because it lays out how the rest of your life is going to go. When you feel healthy, everything else is just easier. I hope you use these self care ideas and have an amazing Self Care Sunday.
One thought on “How to Have the Perfect Self Care Sunday”
Comments are closed.