Having a mani and pedi, treating yourself to afternoon tea or spending the weekend at a spa are indeed lovely acts of self-care that we all deserve.
However, because it is important to make self-care part of our daily life, we also need acts of self-care that are simple, practical and affordable.
Thankfully, there are lots of daily activities that if we engage with mindfully, can be considered acts of self-care.
And for many of them, you don’t even have to leave your bed!
Here are 6 acts of self-care you can do in bed:
Sleep
Sleep is underrated by many and sleeping outside of “normal” bedtime hours can be considered as lazy by some.
Society has conditioned many people to believe that we can “sleep when we’re dead” and that it’s healthy to operate on as little as 4-5 hours sleep a night.
However, a lack of sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions and shortens your life expectancy, therefore, one of the best acts of self-care is to get sufficient sleep and take naps as and when you can and need to.
With all that being said, if you are getting enough sleep each night but find yourself constantly feeling tired or lethargic, it’s important to look at other areas of your life such as your diet, vitamin levels (e.g. iron) and physical activity (or lack of it).
Read
Ideally, a physical book or magazine or a traditional e-book reader to give yourself a break from electronic devices.
When was the last time you visited your local library?
Local libraries are a great way to try a variety of genres for free and if there’s a specific book you want to read, they’ll order it in for you for a tiny fee (40p last time I checked).
How many books and magazines do you have piled up waiting to be read?
If you live in London, Stylist, Balance, Time Out and the Evening Standard magazines are handed out for free at a number of tube and train stations and I know many people (myself included) who take a copy each week with the best intentions of reading it but never quite get around to it.
If you’re in the habit of taking a free magazine, or buying one, commit to gifting yourself even just 30 minutes with a cup of your favourite drink to read.
And if you have a never-ending pile of “to be read” books, commit to making a start of the pile and maybe even consider joining a book club as motivation to read more regularly.
Keep the book or magazine by your bed and instead of reaching for your phone, have a read.
Journal
Unless you’re your totally new to me and my blog, you’ll know how much I believe in the benefits of journaling.
I often journal in bed, either when I first wake up or before I go to sleep at night.
It’s a great way to slow down, release any fears, worries and concerns as well as to reflect on your dreams and all that you’re thankful for.
Using a physical pen and notebook not only gives you a break from electronic devices, writing a journal by hand can relieve stress, improve your memory and increase creativity.
Keep a pen and your journal by your bed so that you have it to hand, making you more likely to use it.
Meditate
No doubt you’ve heard about the benefits of meditation which include improved sleep, reduced stress and increased focus.
If you’ve had a particularly stressful or overwhelming day, week or even month, meditation can create space for you to disconnect from everything and help you to calm your mind and find inner peace.
Although this is about acts of self-care you can do in bed, it is not recommended that you meditate lying down because it’s likely that you’ll just fall asleep.
Decide how long you want to meditate for (if you’re a beginner start with a few minutes) and then choose how you want to meditate – in complete silence, with soothing music or following a guided meditation?
Then, let the meditation work its magic.
It can take time to get into meditation so don’t give up straight away.
Experiment with different types of mediation for different lengths of time.
And you may also want to try meditating with your eyes open or closed.
Watch something
Another act of self-care you can do in bed is catch up on your favourite TV series, start a new series or watch a film.
Watching TV is often considered a distraction and a waste of time, which can be true if you come home every night, flop in front of the box flicking mindlessly between channels or binge-watching for hours, night after night.
However, choosing to spend an hour or two watching something you enjoy after a busy or challenging day can be exactly what you need to disconnect and chill out.
People may judge you for watching Real Housewives of [insert city], Love Island or The Chase but let them. It’s no one’s business what you choose to watch.
Just like with social media, be mindful about how you’re using television. Ensure you’re using it in a healthy way that adds positively to your life and doesn’t negatively impact your personal goals and intentions.
Listen to something
There are so many podcasts to listen to these days and we have access to more music than ever before.
So whatever mood you’re in, you can find something to listen to.
Whether you want to be uplifted, understood, educated, entertained or empowered, you can find a song, album, playlist or podcast to meet your needs.
Listening to music can also be done alongside some of the other acts of self-care mentioned above or you can simply lay back, snuggle up, close your eyes and get lost in the words, rhythm and beats.
You can, of course, accompany any of the acts of self-care you can do in bed (other than sleep) with a cup of your favourite beverage and some scented candles/diffused essential oils, to enhance your experience.
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Self-care is not a luxury, it is something that needs to be part of our daily lives and hopefully, these acts of self-care you can do in bed will make it easier for you to prioritise regular self-care.
Journal prompt: How can I practice regular self-care?
Affirmation: My self-care is worth making time for.
Image Credit: Unsplash
