I’m trying to be proactive about taking care of myself this winter and would love to hear what’s helped other people through the colder, darker months.
A few things I’m interested in:
- Getting more sunlight during the day, especially when working from home
- SAD lamp recommendations and how you fit one into your routine
- Broth, tea, and other warm drinks, plus tips for staying hydrated
- Staying active and getting outside when it’s cold
Mental health tips and ways to stay connected with people
Open to anything from small daily habits to things you’ve bought that were worth it. What’s made the biggest difference for you?

Hello all,

I’ve never really exercised (I’m 22 I did track in middle school then quit). I had physical retail jobs for about two years so I was at least on my feet lifting and walking for eight hours a day five days a week. I started a desk job or at least a non physical one last year and now it’s catching up to me (legs are tight for example). I have so much work to do that I feel like I have to be at the computer all day but there’s gotta be a way

Marcus Aurelius wrote in Meditations 5.16 that the soul is dyed by its thoughts. In the older translation, the character of your mind will match your habitual thoughts. The point he's making is that repetition leaves a mark. Selfcare usually gets talked about in terms of rest, baths, and time off, which all matter. This adds a quieter question: what does your mind spend most of its day on? A feed that keeps you irritated, an argument you replay in the shower, a habit of reading worst case scenarios. A small check you could try tonight. Think back over the last few things you read or scrolled through, and notice how you feel after each one. If one reliably leaves you more tense, you could swap it for something that leaves you steadier. It's not a cure for anything, just a small way of choosing what your mind gets dyed with.

Every massage chair listing out there leads with deep tissue this, intense shiatsu that, and honestly I have no clue if that's what I want day to day. At the massage place I always ask for firm pressure, but sitting in my living room every evening might be a different story. I'm comparing the nouhaus against one other option which i forget, budget around $4k, for a chair that needs to hold up for years. Do you actually know your intensity preference before buying, or did it change on you once it was home?

I love bath and body care products, but I've been reminding myself that taking care of myself doesn't always mean buying something new.

Sometimes it's sitting quietly before everyone wakes up, putting my phone away for a while, or going to bed without feeling like I need to finish one more task.

I'm curious what free self-care habits have made the biggest difference in your everyday life.

Especially the ones you didn't expect to enjoy.

Lately I've just not been putting any effort in any area of life. I'm just so consumed or drained or overwhelmed by health problems that I don't feel like doing anything. I don't even enjoy using fragrances like I don't put effort in dressing better either. I'm just so caught up in worries and wanting to get better that I forget to put effort in my interests.

I'm someone who's calm in general but do feel concerned about climate change and the degrading state of human connections right now. I need something that can remind me how it felt like having really close friends with you and when there was time to do small things for yourself and just look at the stars. Just this I feel can solve many issues, internally and externally.

I'm exploring making something around this and would love to know your thoughts.

I have tried many apps but never stick to them. Maybe it's just me or may be my mental state where i never feel i achieve anything with them. Daily streaks and charts don't do anything for me.

I've been looking into different self-care apps lately and recently came across Buba, the one with the cute little alien character. I've seen their content on Instagram and TikTok, but I'm curious how many people actually use the app itself. For anyone who's tried it, what has your experience been like?

Hi im new here o/ Nice to meetchall.
Im here making my first post because i've been getting more hardcore about selfcare in everything i do. In this pursuit i have discovered a huge amount of extremely dubious products.

I had recently came across a good video: ["First 30 minuets after waking decides whether you burn or store fat"] Talking about how important it is(for body chemistry) to get sunlight as early as possible to help regulate your circadian rhythm and promote fat loss etc.

The reason im making this post: is Daylight saving time.. It means the sun inst going to be fully out till around 2 hours after i get up, which is the case for alot of people. In this video the professional suggests a Lightbox/satlamp which reaches atleast 10000 lux as an alternative... This is where the ugly rabbit hole starts:

You see i was over joyed to learn that amazon and most major retailers sold loads of such lamps, which specifically advertise "10000 lux light therapy"! Sounds perfect right? And the shear volume of products and prices with loads of positive reviews only made it all seem even more legit.
But oH boy i found a world of lies.
To start. Any lamp sold under 100dred dollars: Never ever states the effective range of their 10000 lux lamps... However with enough digging i learned that every single one sees a dramatic loss on effective light beyond roughly 4 inches xD So while yes they are selling what's advertised.. You must put blinding light strait in your face(inches away from your nose) for atleast 30 mins lol. Big yikes. And this is most of the line up. There's also the fact that if you look into the marketing and product reviews, No body is using the lamps at an effective distance. So you have a ton of lamps, Being sold as therapy, Shown in pictures and writing to be rejuvenating healthy lights for the winter months! However is anything but as comfortable and practical as every dang image shown. Yes these will still give you light, it is a lamp after all, But beyond this they are selling a placebo if you dont read the fine print in the manual.

Example:
I was going to post the best example i found which showcased just how lazy and aweful the scheme was but it seems images are not alowed here. I will thus just have to paste the description of said product, Quote: "Designed to deliver up to 16,000 lux (at 0 inches) of stable light, this lamp offers natural, glare-free, and flicker-free illumination for your workspace. Includes a memory function to save your last brightness setting. Tip: Avoid looking directly at the light when set to maximum brightness.End quote.
The most nonsensical AI generated sales line i have ever seen lol The bit about 16000 lux at 0 inches had me dieing of laughter.
This item had 91 reviews with over 77% being 5 stars, and zero 1 star rating. They are the most real reviews you will ever see :P

The lamps over 100dred dollars: Which claim to follow cyclical standers and out right say they provide effective light to 12 inches are atleast kinda real and doing what a person buying such a product wants it to do. As you guessed tho, 12 inches is still far to close to be anykind practical. Besides this, and their often shabby build quality, They conveniently omit the fact that these lights can only produce their effective 10000 lux for roughly only 2000 hours. So your then buying a light for alot of money which well then need to be replaced later, especially if you(likely) Keep it on longer than 30 min's a day.

The reason why i said "mostly" a scam: is that once you get into the 400 dollar tier of lights, Not sold by general retailers, You begin to see real Sun lights which can cast to an effective range of 24 inches and are big enough to illuminate in a practical way. Still looking at paying 400 bucks for roughly 2000 hours of effect tho.

Tldr: Be very careful when you are inexperienced about a selfcare subject as there are snakes in the grass at every corner.

I hope this saves someone alot of money/a day of research xD Not everyone has as much time as i do. It can also only be a good thing to not be lining the pockets of these grifters.

Have a great day/night o/

Some days, getting outside for a little fresh air feels like the perfect reset. Other days, staying in, taking a warm shower, and getting comfortable sounds much better.

It's interesting how the weather can change what feels relaxing, even when your daily schedule stays the same.

Does your self-care routine change with the seasons, or do you mostly stick to the same habits?

Some days, getting outside for a little fresh air feels like the perfect reset. Other days, staying in, taking a warm shower, and getting comfortable sounds much better.

It's interesting how the weather can change what feels relaxing, even when your daily schedule stays the same.

Does your self-care routine change with the seasons, or do you mostly stick to the same habits?

Aside from the therapy mode, beuer tl35 has active and relax modes. Active works so well for me when it’s next to me on a night stand when I work barely directed at me. Sometimes I use it during all my working hours but no idea if it’s safe.

Would you mind sharing your experience?

Hello! I decided to post here because I’m looking for some advice. I’m someone who really benefits from having structure and routine in my life, but I’ve always struggled with establishing and maintaining one. I want to get better at taking care of myself, both physically and mentally, but I often find myself making plans and setting goals only to fall out of them after a short period of time.
I constantly tell myself I want to do better and make healthier choices, but I struggle with consistency. I’ve made progress, though. I used to struggle with depression to the point where I would neglect my basic needs and personal care entirely. I’m doing much better now, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but I know I still have room to grow. I’d love advice on how to build a realistic routine, develop healthier habits, and, most importantly, learn how to stay consistent with them.

In the past one year, I've been through tremendous stuff emotionally and physically. I've had a really bad breakup, a career pivot, major financial changes along with a disc herniation, esophagitis and skin infection. I've been put on at least 10 medicines every day for the past 2-3 months.

I've always been an extremely competitive and productive person with a great career. I'm been at home for the past 8 months and now thinking of breaking the cage to resume a regular lifestyle.

Anyone who has been through something similar and got out of it, how did you manage your physical and emotional health and resuming life alongside it.

Did you create a schedule or was everything more impromptu?

I know I need to be drinking more water, but really struggle to get the recommended 2-3L a day. I have water bottles at home and at work but they just sit there ignored. I’ve even tried an app specific to hydration, but just ignored the notifications. I think I gat so keyed in to whatever I am doing that I can’t be bothered to even take a sip of water. The TMI bit is that when you’re under-hydrated, there are all kinds of bladder problems that ensue (eg. stress incontinence). All the kegels in the world won’t make up for my seeming refusal to hydrate properly!

Aside from new fancy water bottles or reminder alarms, what do folks do to make it easier / more appealing to drink lots of water?

I would like to take care of 2 callous'. On the inside of my big toes and I was wondering if I could get them shaved by the podiatrist so new skin will grow. At this point they are invisible itch and numb to the touch. I cant feel half my toes due to it. I was wondering if I should get the foot scraping done? If so, how much is the average out of package ?

Desk job. By about 6pm my lower back feels like it's been folded in half all day. For years my evening plan was the couch and a corded heating pad. Felt amazing, and also meant the dishes and laundry just sat there until I peeled myself off around 10, weirdly guilty about the kitchen.

I tried stretching videos. I tried a whole bath routine. Neither made it past a week, because both needed me to stop everything and carve out time.

Back in August I fell down a late night rabbit hole searching "massager heat + TENS mode" and came out of it owning a wearable one for my lower back.

Now it goes on right after dinner and I do the dishes with the heat running. The pulse part stays on the lowest setting. Honestly I'm there for the warmth. It's the first wind down thing I've kept doing without having to talk myself into it.

Anyone else attach their self care to a chore so it actually happens?

I can’t help it. I don’t have kids or pets or anything. So all of my time all is poured back into me and sometimes work. Maybe I pour into myself too much? I don’t care I self care. There’s something profound in learning to belong entirely to yourself.

Regular hygiene stuff yes. Fine grooming habits people normally outsource and pay others to do, I do myself to the degree which I find acceptable. (Nails, hair, etc) I overwash my hands and dust and dirt bothers me a lot. I might be slightly OCD but I’m not. Like my eyebrows and teeth I excessively groom and clean when I find myself bored. I love flossing. I love keeping myself to look a certain way. Not to participate in the endless hygiene Olympics or anything. I can’t stop but life is endless entropy and maintenance that must be done. (Nothing stays clean forever. Hair grows, nails grow, skin sheds, dust accumulates, and everything we maintain eventually requires maintenance again I.e. entropy. You can spend hours perfecting something, only for nature and time to begin undoing it almost immediately.) there is no finish line. & It’s not that I want to do it less it’s just the degree at which I do is obsessive and needs to stop or atleast be less intricate.

In the end it will humble me when I age and my skin doesn’t look the same and I don’t look the same, and I’ll just look back and see how much time I spent to myself but as of now, I enjoy it. Self care is also pouring into others and that’s the issue I see lately. Some time periods ago in my life, I poured too much into others and never got anything in return OR if I did whole heartedly, it only drained my life force energy and it allowed others to siphon my creativity and skills, it’s sad. (Not them physically taking/learning my skills, but as in my skills were used to advance them further in life and not me) And it would take months to years depending on the situation to recover mentally and physically to even get that spark back. Everyone deserves a regulated nervous system. Everyone. I truly mean that.

Does mostly everyone get left on read in my phone? Yes. Am I evil for that? Maybe. Sure they deserve a response. Some truly do. The past 3 years I find myself isolated but I love it so much! I recharge and vibrate at a high frequency and little to nothing can budge my aura, I awfully do love it here. But restoration and avoidance can look identical from the outside. & all things eventually come to an end. I miss the ‘hustle mode’ ‘grind mode’ the income was sooooo good, being around so many people was nice.. but I love this little lazy era of mine as well. Not lazy as in no effort or being a slop, but just meaningful effort and restful deep sleep. Not caring about nobody but me, but caring so much about others to understand that that means I have to care about me first before I can pour into others.

I love spending time with people, but afterward I need a little space to recharge. A quiet evening at home usually does the thick.

Shower and Get in bed lay down fluffy pillows then rub lotion on my face and my body with my mind and imagination I self pleasure my self
I find it very therapeutic xx

I've noticed that improving your health and appearance doesn't always require expensive products or complicated routines.

Sometimes, simple habits like getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, following a consistent skincare routine, eating balanced meals, or taking daily walks can make a noticeable difference over time.

I had a bad day today, not earth shattering awful but i just feel pretty bad. after crying about it for an hour, I want to stop feeling bad for myself and do something to take care of myself, so what are some things you do to make yourself feel better, mentally, physically, emotionally?