Men's Selfcare: How to De-stress and Unwind.

 Over working, Always on the go, are some of the traits synonymous to Men, it's so bad that most of you find it hard to give yourself a treat, breath or take a break. 

Hence, i'm writing this piece to encourage you to practice a little SELFCARE. 

 What is Selfcare? 

Literally, it's something you do to give attention to yourself, give a kind treatment to yourself and maintain a healthy relationship with yourself. 

It means doing things to take care of your mind, body, and soul by engaging in activities that promote well-being and reduce stress, while also enhancing your ability to live fully, vibrantly, and effectively. 

The practice of self-care also reminds you and others that your needs are valid. 

 What is stress? 

Stress is putting strain or pressure on yourself externally ( not in a good way this time ) so much that it affects you internally. This could reflect Emotionally, Physically or Mentally. 

 What are the symptoms of Stress? 

The symptoms of stress may include;

 • Exhaustion

 • Rapid heart beat

 • Headaches

 • Loss of sex drive

 • Digestive problems

 • Inability to focus

 • Loss of appetite

 • Isolation from friends and family. 

 How do you pick a suitable way to De-stress? 

Find out how doing the opposite of what stresses you out affects you, eg: if ovethinking stresses you, observe how letting go makes you feel. If any of the opposite activities help you relax completely then you should consider it as your de-stressor.

Ways to De-stress & Unwind;

1. Yoga & Meditation - Yoga is an intentional movement of the body that leads to the union of the individual conciousness with the universe. 

Meditation is a technique used for quieting down the mind, turning your focus inwards and having a moment of an out of body experience.

In this state, you really find out what the body and heart needs at the moment, process your feelings, accept them and nurture yourself back to a better place. Doing these while reciting positive affirmations or mantras, ushers your mind into that positive space and reduces stress. 

You might need some practice to ground your self and It's okay if you do not experience changes on your first attempt. 

 2. Being around Water - After the days work you can take a cold shower, visit the beach or go for a swim. There's this calmness that comes with being around water, especially at the beach.... it is the only place where four (4)elements are present- water, air, space and earth. 

It also changes your brain waves' frequency and puts you into a mild meditative state. Listening to the waves activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which makes you more relaxed.

 

 3. Exercise - Regular exercise releases the feel happy hormone that lifts up your mood and reduces stress. 

In a case where you need to switch up your regular work out routine, Taking a walk or Running ( out side the walls of a gym ) is an option you should consider. It also releases a wave of energy boost you can ride on for the whole day. 

 4. Cook or Clean - This might be considered gender specific roles but lets explore that sense of achievement that comes with making a delicious meal... and feeling like you nailed that recipe, this act releases the Dopamine hormone which in turn reduces stress.

So the next time you feel like you need to Unwind, try your hands on a delicacy ( let it be a meal you really want to eat ) 

Cleaning in itself is theraputic, having your space sparkle and arranged definiately lightens the heart and keeps one at ease. 

You can; 

 • Take out time to declutter your wardrobe, or contact us to do so for you. 

 • Delutter your bathroom of empty cans, old bar soaps, towels, old sponges etc. 

 • Change the position of some items if you feel like. 

If you can't do any if these by yourself, it is okay to Dress up and Eat out ( take yourself out to lunch or dinner ) also employ the services of a cleaning company to clean out your space. 

 5. Aromatherapy - This involves using Essential oils, Incense, Scented candles in your space to elevate the state of your mind, body and emotions.

Add few drops of essential oil blends to your bath water or diffuser and soak up that goodness. 

Recommendation; 

Frankincense – Mood enhancer 

Eucalyptus – Pain relief 

Lavender, Chamomile – Calming, sleep inducing

Lemon, Sandalwood – Focus 

Ylang Ylang, Jasmine – Reduces anxiety, Aphodisiac 

Feel free to experiment by mixing them.

6. Read a Book - Increasing your mental capability is a form of Selfcare, this act expresses self love and helps you relax. Learning something insightful to grow yourself is metally tasking but pays off, results may include an improved behaviour, career growth and general enlightenment . 

Tips;

 • Decide if you’re reading for understanding or information. Anything easily disgested is reading for information

 • Your goal for reading determines how you read

 • You can employ Skimming and Scanning, Analytical reading (Chewing and Ingesting), or Comparative reading

 • Apply principles discovered or learnt. 

7. Drink organic tea - The health benefits of tea are numerous, amongst it is, anti-aging, relaxing properties and having a huge impact on your overall wellness. As opposed to packing caffeine into your system, a cup of tea a day helps give you clarity. There are varieties of Green tea, White tea and Black tea you should try.

 8. Touch up - Investing in your physical look is a great way to maintain and give attention to yourself. You can:

 • Get a haircut /trim your beards.

 • Visit the spa for a massage session ( or send an email to book with us ) 

• Dress up wearing colours that lighten your mood.

9. Tantric Breathing - Your breath is your life force, so when your breathing is abnormal this means your body is out of balance. 

Are you breathing the right way? Breathing the right way equals breathing in through your nose (stomach moves forward/ your chest rises) and breath out through your nose (your stomach moves inward/ chest collapses). 

Tantric breathing involves deep intentional breathing, so much that you feel it in every part of your body including your genitals. This helps you relax and ease off any tension by moving energy through your body. 

 Click the side bar to send us an email for virtual guidance through Tantric breathwork. 

 

10. ASMR - Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a relaxing sensation that is felt from the scalp down to the spine and then to the rest of the body. 

Depending on your body type you may find that, whispers, crackles, soft brushing sounds, tappings or a particular accent trigger that feeling. This relaxing feeling can help you sleep better and relieve the body & mind of stress.  

Listen 👇

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AB0rY0X1OE8UdoAY4c-QILMneFu93Ita/view?usp=sharing

11. Gift yourself something - As some men might think shopping is a Ladie's thing, lets call it "Gifting". You'd buy a gift for someone you care about or want to make happy right? Now lets turn that inwards (to yourself) Gift yourself something, use the medium to celebrate little/big wins.

It could be something as little as a tie,a mug or a new pair of socks,  and extravagant as taking a vacation or getting a new apartment, the thought behind this is Caring for Yourself. 

Thinking of Men acessories to gift yourself? Check our instagram page to shop from us.

12. Spend time in nature - When was the last time your feet hit the grass or the sand? When was the last time you went hiking or bungee jumping? Something to make you feel alive. 

Spending time in nature reconnects you, puts you at ease, reminds you that you're one with the universe and everything is working for your good.

13. Be expressive - The society has conformed Men to always be stoic and bottle up emotions, but you should Laugh out loud, Cry and Dance. 

You are Human, you have the right to feel emotions and process them. Its part of life, takes a lot of burden off your shoulders, gives you clarity and makes you better at relating with people. 

Also, being Emotionally Intelligent helps - being able to know what situations or people trigger you negatively. Staying clear of those things and people is Selfcare/Love.

14. Medical Checkup - Sometimes your body being out of balance or stressed may result in falling sick, so having regular checks and running tests is a form of maintaining yourself. Checkups are essential and involve the early detection and prevention of common medical conditions such as;

 • High blood pressure, heart and vascular disease, diabetes and cancers.

 • Special emphasis is also placed on prostate problems, erectile dysfunction and mental health issues including depression.

 • Invest in Health Insurance, find affordable Plans that suit your income level.

15. Pray - The ease/confidence that comes after saying a prayer and unburdening your cares to a higher supreme being - God, is not talked about enough.

In reality this is the best place to be vulnerable, he won't judge or make excuses not to listen. Even if you lack the words to express how you feel, He still gets you, so permit me to say Praying is a way of de-stressing and releasing tensions way above your control.    

I understand it may not be an easy task to do the activities listed above, and most times after spending half of your day on the road, in meetings or simply hustling, the only thing you want to do is Sleep, but still you might find your mind roaming. 

You can hack this! - Pick a day (especially a weekend) to try any of the activities out, be patient with yourself, be consistent enjoy the process and watch how you progress to a healthier / stress free body and mind.