The cost of living self-care guide (when you can’t afford to go to on a fancy detox weekend)

If you are anything like us, we’re often so busy juggling work and trying to make every event, avoid FOMO with our friends and juggle family commitments, finding time to slip away for some much-needed self-care comes bottom of the list. Not only that but many of us associate acts of self-care with expensive treatments or wellness breaks to lavish medi-spas across Europe, not exactly ideal when we’re all living in the middle of a Cost of Living Crisis, right?

Well, we are here to tell you that self-care doesn’t need to be expensive and it doesn’t have to be reserved for special occasions either. Finding ‘me moments’ regularly (even if it’s a few hours every month) can make you feel just as sprightly as a weekend away, without the eye-watering price tag.

Here are some budget-friendly GLAMOUR-approved self-care rituals that will boost your mood, brain and energy for an instant pick-me-up.

Try out this “colour breathing” meditation technique

According to Healthline, this little hack can help with “stress relief and general mood improvement”.

1. Visualise an emotion or “positive vibe” that you want to feel. Then assign a colour to it, preferably one that you like and find soothing
2. Find a comfortable place and position.
3. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply, picturing the chosen colour in your mind.
4. Let what that colour represents for you fill your mind.
5. As you inhale, imagine the colour washing over your entire body and filling it up, including your fingertips and toes.
6. When you exhale, bring forth any unwanted emotions and imagine them draining from your body, replacing it with your chosen colour.
7. Try to do this for a minute or two.

This can be used as part of a wider meditation routine, or on its own.

Find foods that are rich in Vitamin B12

If you are deficient in Vitamin B12, you can experience the following: irritability, changes in personality, depression, and memory loss.

Stock up on tuna, salmon, eggs, cheese, tofu and low-fat yoghurt and use them in your staple meals to ensure you are getting enough of this all-important vitamin.

Also, caffeine is known to boost the absorption of vitamin B12, so don’t feel guilty about an extra cup of joe every now and then.

Take time to really treat your skin

With summer coming to a close, your skin may be feeling a bit bleugh – dehydrated and sun damaged, so now is a good time to get cracking on helping it heal before colder weather sets in.