Why you should do an annual self-care assessment.

Good self-care improves your health and wellbeing.

Your lifestyle effects your health risks which is why medical doctors ask so many questions about your day-to-day life.

Self-care assessments become more important with age because the risk of something going wrong increases with each lap around the sun. Small lifestyle tweaks can often make a big difference in your health and how you feel. I’ve started doing my own self-care assessment on or around my birthday. Birthdays are a hard day to forget since they often involve a celebration.

If you’re an avid monitor of your health metrics, you’ve got a head start but it’s still worthwhile to take a few moments to reflect on how you’re feeling, what you’re doing well and what could be better.

Your self-care assessment:

1/ Do you feel happy?

As we’ve learned earlier this year, happiness is not frivolous or something you experience when you’re successful. It’s the starting point for building a successful life. If you’re not sure, take an assessment and implement the practices proven to increase happiness.

2/ Do you overindulge in stimulants?

Stimulants are cigarettes, marijuana, other drugs, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and other vices often used to get you through the day. There are specific guidelines for each which recommend limiting use but asking a friend that you respect about their consumption patterns can also be informative and helpful too.

3/ Do you workout?

There are also specific guidelines for how much we need to move daily to maintain good health. I feel best when I do something everyday whether it’s a walk, a game, a ride or a workout. With age, strength and flexibility training become equally as important as cardio. Having a good workout routine makes it easy to cover all the bases so that you have the strength and stamina to live the life you want to live until the very end.

4/ Do you eat mostly whole foods?

The easiest way to think about whole foods is the things you can cook or eat raw. They are typically located on the perimeter of grocery stores. Studies show plant based diets are the healthiest. It doesn’t mean you have to become a Vegan but adding more plants to your diet and doing more home cooking will help you age better.

5/ Can you sleep through the entire night?

If you’re not getting a full 7-9 hours of sleep per night, assess your sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene are the practices that make up your bedtime routine. The key word being routine. You need consistency to establish a good sleep and wake pattern. Temperature, achy muscles, stress, blue light exposure, diet and your dinner time can all effect the quality of your sleep.

6/ Do you have a good friend to play with?

If you’re putting most of your focus into your work and/or family, friendships can slip away. Having a good friend to play with and talk to is an important part of maintaining good mental health. It gets harder to meet people later in life, but not impossible. Sports, card games and other activities you enjoy doing is a good way to meet people with common interests.

7/ Do you look good and feel good about yourself?

It’s never too late to make changes that improve how you look and feel. A good skin care routine will keep your skin healthy and can make your skin look younger. Vitamins and supplements can improve your nutrition and address issues like hair loss. An electric toothbrush and whitening paste can improve your dental care and brighten your smile. There are more new devices than ever making self-care easier and more affordable.

Take our self-care assessment to get more insights that will improve your health and wellbeing.