The evolution of self-care: How to take care of yourself now and as you age

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Self-care is a vital component of overall health and well-being. But what works for someone at 20 won’t necessarily apply to someone who’s 60. In fact, as your life and physiology continue to evolve and change as you grow from a young adult onwards, the practices you put into place that value your health will morph along with them.

Self-care in young adults

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For young adults, practicing self-care is a more natural process because they often don’t think about chronic disease prevention. Research notes that they also have very little understanding of chronic illnesses and are unlikely to consider themselves at risk.

Self-care in early adulthood may appear to be nonexistent because people in that age group tend to focus more on their social lives, career building, and physical appearance than on other facets of health. But, if you take a closer look, all of those aspects of their lives can fall into the realm of self-care.

For example, building and maintaining an active social life can be a form of self-care, as it wards off loneliness and provides a sense of belonging that’s vital for mental health and well-being. Working hard to maintain or obtain a physically attractive physique may also be driven by a young person’s vanity; however, physical fitness habits established in the younger years lay a solid foundation for preventing chronic diseases.

Career building also gives people a sense of purpose, belonging, and financial stability, which contributes to contentment and overall mental well-being.

Still, young people are more likely to experience mental health issues, with those aged 15 to 24 the most affected by mental health disorders in Canada. Because of this, priorities for self-care may focus heavily on mental health over physical health during this period of someone’s life. Practices for self-care may then be:

• Developing healthy coping mechanisms, including mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, or creative expression, that they can master and use throughout their lives
• Engage in healthy behaviours, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and making time for personal hygiene
• Identifying triggers
• Reducing or limiting unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance or alcohol use

Establishing adequate self-care practices in young adulthood is an excellent way to build a strong foundation for later life.

Self-care in middle adulthood

Once people reach middle adulthood, they may also start taking on family responsibilities, making the self-care measures that came naturally when they were younger harder to maintain. As a result, their self-care practices may fall by the wayside due to time constraints and shifting priorities.

Social outings become fewer and farther between, time for exercise or staying active reduces, and time at work has to be juggled with familial duties, which can drive up stress rates.

It’s in this vital time that self-care can be crucial, though. Due to higher stress levels, more demands at home and work, and less time to put forth towards preventative health measures, the risk of developing chronic diseases can rise, even if they don’t develop for years to come.

For example, research notes that adults between the ages of 45 and 64 see a significant increase in various chronic disease risks, including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes. Neurological disease risk is also heightened during this time.

Some people may also already have been diagnosed with a chronic disease, adding more fuel to their already raging fire.

Because middle age is so vital in preventing chronic disease, it’s important to ensure that self-care practices are put into place in a way that fits your life, while also allowing you to perform your day-to-day duties, whatever they may be.

The first step to ensure that you can practice self-care that really benefits you now and in the long run is by educating yourself on health conditions and your personal risk factors. For example, data research has shown that health literacy between the ages of 35 and 64 allows people to take adequate measures in self-care. Low health literacy, on the other hand, can be detrimental when it comes to self-management of one’s physical and mental well-being.

Once you’re armed with knowledge, you’ll be able to fit in self-care that works for you. For example, if you are at a heightened risk of hypertension, you can implement self-care strategies that revolve around reducing that risk, including:

• Reaching or maintaining a healthy weight
• Getting regular physical activity where possible
• Limiting sodium intake
• Limiting alcohol intake
• Managing stress levels
• Eating a healthy, whole-foods diet

Mental health can also struggle during times of high stress, and in the middle-aged group, there is often no shortage of stress. In fact, people between the ages of 35 and 54 experience the most stress out of any other age group, according to Statistics Canada. Managing stress as a form of self-care can also help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases while improving overall well-being.

The good news is that stress management can be as simple as engaging in self-care behaviours that support other aspects of health, including getting adequate exercise and sleep, eating healthily, and perfecting relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness.

Making time to see friends and family, and to indulge in hobbies, when your life is as busy as ever, can be challenging.

However, both can serve as forms of stress management and thus contribute to self-care; therefore, it’s essential to set aside time for yourself to engage in these activities. This can involve prioritizing yourself through effective time management, changing your approach to relaxation, such as turning off Netflix and meditating instead, or spending time outdoors in nature once a week.

Learning how to say no and choosing to put other, perhaps less essential tasks on the back burner when you’re pouring from an empty cup is another great way for those of middle age to give themselves the time to prioritize self-care. This means moving self-care up on your to-do list over other things that still need to get done, but aren’t as important as taking care of yourself.

When you prioritize self-care as much as you do work, family, and home life, it will make the next part of your life that much easier.

Self-care for older adults

The study of healthy aging and self-care in older adults is more prevalent than in younger age groups because aging is associated with a range of health issues and afflictions, as well as worsened health outcomes for illnesses that can arise in any age group.

While many of the same practices, such as exercising, eating well, getting enough sleep, and engaging in social activities, still apply, the approach to them can differ.

For example, older adults can exercise, but if they struggle with age-related diseases, such as arthritis or heart disease, they may not be able to perform the same movements they did at 20, 30, or even 50. If you used to run for exercise but can no longer do so, walking is a good alternative.

Research shows that physical activity is one of the most important aspects of self-care for older adults, with some reporting it as the “anti-aging pill” due to its high level of efficacy. Finding the type of exercise that works for you is of the utmost importance, but some possible avenues you can choose from include:

• Swimming
• Walking
• Strength and resistance training
• Yoga or Pilates
• Water aerobics
• Tai chi
• Balance training

Many older adults also have more time on their hands after retiring from their careers and having grown-up children, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Having more time to practice self-care frees up older adults in a way that allows them to create a nurturing schedule for themselves, but it can also bring on new aspects of health declines, such as social isolation, that need to be added to the self-care mix.

To combat social isolation and loneliness, older adults can:

• Engage in group-based hobbies they enjoy to meet new people and make new social connections
• Volunteer with local community organizations
• Schedule time to speak to family or friends each day
• Use video chats to stay connected to those who live far away
• Consider adopting a pet that’s easy to care for.

Cognition is another aspect of health that needs to be considered more widely in older adults, as declines often occur during this stage, either due to the normal aging process or the onset of neurocognitive diseases. It’s also essential to engage in activities that aim to keep cognition sharp, such as:

• Word games and puzzles
• Memory games
• Creative activities such as arts and crafts or listening/playing music
• Learning a new skill or finding a new hobby

The goal of cognitive games is to challenge the brain to work harder, allowing it to build new neural pathways that can restore or maintain cognitive abilities.

Older adults will also need to be more proactive in managing their health by visiting their primary care physician regularly and staying on top of their medications and necessary screenings. While less glamorous than other aspects of self-care, for older adults, the risk of chronic disease is often amplified; therefore, staying one step ahead is an excellent way to maintain overall health or initiate treatment early if something does develop.

Self-care, at any age, requires adequate health knowledge, time, and resources. But the earlier you start taking care of yourself in a real way, the better off you’ll be. That being said, it’s never too late to start a new self-care journey, and establishing new self-care practices at any age will always be beneficial.

July 24 is International Self-Care Day. To learn more, visit the the International Self-Care Foundation online.