Self-Care Gifts to Give You Glass Half-Full Vibes #StressFree2023

Life is great except for when it’s stressful, hard, and maybe not so great. These self-care gifts will help you or your friend take the time that is often never taken. The holiday times can be very stressful and whether it’s a few days before Christmas or we’re still recovering in February, these gifts are essential. Let’s get after a stress-free 2023.

Wait. What’s self-care?

Self-care can mean anything you need it to. But generally, things that include looking after your own health, mental and or physical, fall into the category. Self-care can be spending an hour dedicated to reading in your favorite nook [check out this gnarly list of Life Changing Reads], getting an amazing elaborate massage, or simply taking an indulgent bath that smells of lemongrass. Life can get away from us and sometimes we need to carve out some time to simply relax and rejuvenate. That way, we can take on the next family debate of “who’s dog is best behaved”, without getting too cray. But for the record, it’s yours of course.

15 Self-Care Gifts For You or A friend

1. Body Scrub

Body Scrubs are a quintessential tool for self-care. Taking the time to indulge in wonderful-smelling scrubs rids your body of dead skin cells and helps to physically and mentally renew your body. A good scrub will leave you feeling silky smooth while the accompanied circular massage while applying the scrub helps to increase blood flow to help drain lymph nodes.

2. Acupressure Mat

I freakin’ hate needles. But you don’t need acupuncture needles to be jabbed into you to get some stress relief anymore (though it does help from time to time). Acupressure mats work in similar ways to acupuncture while being non-invasive. They stimulate pressure points near the body’s meridian lines to generate chi moving freely throughout the body. Basically, this means that these special mats promote a healthy blood flow that releases endorphins that will promote relaxation. Which is what we are all after in the end.

3. Weighted Blanket

A good weighted blanket can leave you feeling snuggled and swaddled in the best way. As stated by Pennmedicine.org, the pressure presented by a weighted blanket can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and send your body into rest mode. Think of it as a constant hug. If that sounds like something you want or need, you might consider this as the perfect self-care gift.

4. Candles

Candles are perfect to accompany most self-care activities such as reading, bubble baths, or just staring at the ceiling. Having the option to turn off harsh artificial lights and opt for the soothing orange hue of a candle flame tends to alleviate a bit of stress and bring on the Zen. And not to forget, scent can be a powerful stimulant for mental well-being. Whether you need to smell cookies to be in a good mood, or lavender to pretend you’re frolicking in a flower field. You can find the scent you need.

5. Hot Water Bottle

Hot water bottles are a classic home remedy that can help ease cramps from hitting the gym too hard or just cramps from being placed into this world with a uterus that’s out to get you. Having one on hand can provide therapeutic warmth for a slew of things that are happening deep within. A hot compress can increase blood flow and circulation, which could provide the relaxation we all need. If all it takes to reduce stress and pain is to grab a hot compress, I think we should’ve bought one of these yesterday. Self-care can be so easy!

6. Tea

Yes, coffee is wonderful but tea has a special place in the self-care routine. Introducing the habit of tea drinking can help promote mindfulness and tranquility. *Feeeeeel the good vibes. Soothing for the mind, body, and soul; tea drinking can provide lasting benefits long after you put down your teacup. It’s been used for thousands of years as a home remedy for various ailments such as an upset stomach, headaches, digestion issues, sleep problems, cramping, and most likely more than I can research. Plus it’s chock full of antioxidants, which I hear are great for humans.

7. Weighted Eye Mask

If a weighted blanket seems like too big of an adjustment, a weighted eye mask might be the better way to go. It still provides pressure therapy on a smaller scale that can help you fall asleep quicker and reduce evening anxiety. This specific self-care gift is associated with the most essential part of taking care of ourselves, sleep. If we sleep better, we feel better. And if you are one of the lucky few that sleep like a well-fed baby every night, first off congrats (you suck a bit), it has other benefits as well. These benefits include relief from headaches by providing complete darkness, helping adjust to jet lag, and potentially reducing wrinkles. But I’m here for graceful aging so let’s pay more attention to the reduced anxiety bit.  

8. Bath Salts

Baths are King when it comes to self-care. Adding some bath salts to this ritual gives your body the extra minerals we’ve depleted from stress and exertion and specific scents to put you in the exact mood you’re looking for. Often we carry our stress within our muscles, which is another reason bath salts have made the list of self-care gifts. If you were ever in athletics, someone probably told you to take an Epsom salt bath at some point and I promise you they weren’t full of it. Bath salts are great for muscle recovery! Just think of how good of a mood you’d be in if your neck and back were capable of moving like they were designed to.

9. Essential Oils

Just as smelling your favorite dinner can lift the mood, other scents work just as well! Essential Oils are commonly used for aromatherapy which has been around for centuries so ya know it’s good stuff. Try a lavender essential oil on your pillow to promote better sleep or lemon to lift to your mood. Don’t get me wrong, there aren’t a zillion research studies on their effectiveness on humans yet but that hasn’t stopped their widespread popularity in holistic medicine. In my personal opinion, if I can relieve some of life’s anxiety and stress by taking a second to stop and smell the rose essential oil, I’m going to do just that.

10. White Noise Machine

Why did we only like falling asleep to the sound of the ocean when we were 12? We were on to something back then! White noise machines are back and a great self-care gift. They can help you get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer. With new versions providing timers to automatically shut off, you no longer have to worry about this annoyance yourself. Help your friend tune out the construction going on downstairs or the incessant loud music from their neighbors so their morning smiles are as bright as sunshine.

11. Edibles

Cannabis has been used for thousands of years as a means to heal our body, mind, and soul. Today we define this as self-care. If you know someone who is full-on embracing the legalization of weed or someone who is cannabis curious, try gifting them some easily dosed edibles. CBD is here to help us chill out and wind down after the insanity that is currently life. And they come in so many fun forms! You can get lollipops, and brownies, and cookies, and teas, and chocolate, and gummy bears, and coffee, and mints, and cakes….I could go on.

12. Adult Coloring Book

There’s a reason why adult coloring books have been surging recently. With the world needing some serious therapy of its own, people are looking for ways to relieve stress and lift their moods. Coloring is the answer! Coloring makes us mindful and when we are mindful we are zen and when we are zen, we cannot stress about those silly bills or that silly project that is life or death, we just are. In other words, if we can find a way to shut off our brains just for a few minutes a day we will be happy go lucky the world is awesome-ISH. Try coloring.

13. Guided Journal

If you’ve never journaled before, you might be surprised by the benefits this blank book could induce. Writing down our problems and fears gives our brains that space to prioritize. And when we know what’s most important we can tackle it head-on. The best part about is that you can write down the crappiest of thoughts and worries and then go about your day feeling light as a feather.  Feel free to revisit those crappy thoughts and memories at your earliest convenience! Or you can leave them locked away in the journal forever, never seeing the light of day again.

14. Adult Sleep Pod

Just because we can feed ourselves and don’t need another human to help us burp doesn’t mean we don’t deserve the loving effects of swaddling. Whether you care to admit it or not humans love connection, such as hugging, touching, holding hands, and what have you. However, we don’t always have another human on hand to provide us with comfort. INSERT Adult Sleep Pod. This thing will swaddle you like a baby and provide you with a gentle pressure that will make you fall asleep thinking the world is lovingly embracing you instead of out to get you.

Disclaimer:

Just a wee little note…this post is not meant to be medical advice or replace any medical advice advised by a doctor. This post and every post by www.theramblingrenegade.com is meant for informational purposes only. Any use of the products listed is at the reader’s discretion and sole responsibility.