We all know that taking care of yourself is important and is a topic I’ve touched on many times.  Designing a Healthy Lifestyle is one my popular articles.

Why do we need to be reminded about this? It’s because we tend to put too much on our schedule and don’t make ourselves the priority. This affects our energy levels and increases self-induced stress.

The lifestyle you have is important and has a powerful effect on your health. We all know that we should eat better, move more, stress less, and get enough sleep.

Yet, there is so much info out there about self-care. And self-care means something different to each person. My advice is to keep self-care very simple – simple enough that you will be motivated to make time for it. It will help you focus on what’s important.

One simple thing I’ve recently added to my daily self-care routine is using an acupressure mat at the end of the day. You’re probably thinking, “what is that?”

I received an acupressure mat as a gift and it actually relaxes me. My family likes to use it too. Everyone of them finds it relaxing. It’s also an alternative to receiving a massage. ( I still get my monthly massages – but those have to be planned in advance.)

Here’s a pic of my purple mat:

Below is specific verbiage from Dosha Mat about the benefits (Dosha is the brand I have):

• Acupressure is an ancient Ayurvedic treatment which is similar to massage, acupuncture, and reflexology. Acupressure works by massaging and stimulating key points on the body to promote deep relaxation and healing. Acupressure mats benefit the body by relieving tension, soreness and pain in the back, head, neck, shoulders, hips, feet, and other parts of the body.”
• Acupressure mats are also used to help enter a deep state of relaxation, enjoy deeper and more restful sleep, reduce stress, eliminate headaches, increase circulation, positively affect the nervous and immune systems, help muscles recover faster after exercise, and increase energy levels. Acupressure mats work by causing the body to release endorphins, oxytocin, and other “feel good” hormones which relax the mind and help the body naturally heal itself.

It felt weird and prickly when I first started using the mat. But this allowed me to focus on the moment, just by taking deep breaths and slowly exhaling a few times. Writing about this experience relaxes me.

A good example for usage: We all get sore feet and standing on this mat, for at least 5 minutes, actually helps. As a runner, it’s extra beneficial for me.  I prefer to wear socks and my sons like to stand barefoot on it.

On occasion I have pain on the right shoulder area because of a previous injury and multiple surgeries from cancer treatment. Laying on this mat helps reduce the pain.  I also do a few sitting yoga poses on the mat, specifically the lotus position (where your cross your legs).

Doing this daily now is something I look forward to end the day.

What self-care method do you make time for?