As college students, and especially as women, the phrase “self-care” is constantly shoved down our throats. In the age of social media, it’s easy to feel like you aren’t doing enough to be productive, or healthy, or relaxed, or any combination of the three. With college being the first time a lot of us are living away from home, it can be overwhelming to have so many things we “should” be doing, and self-care might not be at the top of the list— because does anyone know what it means?
Self-care is not one-size-fits-all; a five a.m. morning routine with gratitude journaling might not work for everyone, but it’s not inherently better than taking time in the evening to watch a movie and unwind. There are so many warring ideas of what it means to take care of yourself, or what the “right” ways are to manage workouts, mental health, free time, and the countless other obligations that come with college. Self-care is also not simply doing a face mask while watching a comfort show— that’s definitely part of it, but your mind may need a little more than that to feel well, calm, and rested.
Sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your body, and losing excessive amounts of it negatively affects your overall health. As News in Health writes, “Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health,” and can be a factor in the development of more dangerous conditions. If you aren’t resting enough, you’re likely to feel more irritable and stressed, have trouble focusing, and be more prone to getting sick. So, despite all of the early morning routines we see on Instagram and TikTok, I would argue that if all you have the time to do on a given night is to sleep from nine p.m. until you have to get up the next morning, do it. You’re not being unproductive by giving your body the rest it needs.
The workout dilemma is also a common struggle of finding a self-care routine. Personally, I love pilates and yoga, but sometimes I need a higher intensity workout to really get me out of my head. This is something that is so individual, so I won’t give out generalized advice (I’m also absolutely not a professional!), but I will say this: if there’s an activity that makes you happy, like taking a walk, stretching, or doing weekly Zumba, make some time for it, at least once or twice a week. Maybe instead of forcing that extra hour of studying, where you’re not really retaining anything anyway, get some fresh air or pop on an at-home workout video. It can help with mental health struggles like anxiety— CNET states that working out “increases many more brain chemicals that make you feel happy.” If you enjoy it, there are many benefits to be gained from a quick workout when you have the time!
There is so much more to taking care of yourself— all of you— than what I can fit in this article, but if you take anything away from what I’ve written, I hope it’s that rest is never unproductive. Especially with the weather cooling off and finals approaching for many of us, take the time to rest when you can! Your mind and body will thank you.