Empaths, by nature, are healers. Their powers of perception and empathy make them extremely effective in healing not only others but themselves as well. Being an empathetic person is a great gift, but like most superpowers, it comes with some responsibility. For empaths, that responsibility is to take time to care for themselves. Only by making a conscious decision to care for themselves, can empaths truly thrive and reap all the wonderful benefits of their gift. After all, if your tank is empty, you won’t have anything to give.

In this article, we’ll break down some simple self care practices you can easily start incorporating into your routine today. If taking time for yourself seems challenging amidst balancing a busy schedule, start small. A little bit here and there can gradually build into a monthly, weekly and daily routine that will help you flourish.

Laughter Really Is Great Medicine

While the benefits of laughter may seem obvious to an empath, there is also hard scientific evidence demonstrating that laughter and humor offer therapeutic advantages. Laughing has been shown to facilitate healing and improve certain symptoms in an array of medical specialties including but not limited to psychiatry, oncology and general patient care.

As an empath, incorporating humor into your own daily self-care practice is essential and luckily, it’s easy to do! Whether you watch a short video of funny animal videos, read a satirical blog, or attend a live stand-up comedy show, make time each day to laugh. Laughter relieves stress, eases tension, releases endorphins and can help you remember not to take things too seriously (something that can sometimes be challenging for an empath).

Emotional Regulation Through

Research has shown that mindful attention meditation specifically can help practitioners process and regulate emotions both during and after meditation practice. This is, of course, particularly beneficial for empaths. Incorporating guided meditation into your self care routine boasts a wide range of additional benefits, too. Studies suggest that meditation can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia, so carve out 20 minutes a day to clear your mind and meditate. You’ll enjoy the benefits of your practice all day long!

Prioritize a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is essential for all humans to thrive. Lack of sleep negatively impacts cognitive function, memory, mood, physical abilities and much more. For empaths, getting a good night’s sleep is essential for being able to moderate emotional responses and avoid overstimulation throughout the day. Empaths need to be alert and operating at full capacity in order to effectively navigate the array of stimuli they will undoubtedly encounter over the course of a day.

Unfortunately, getting a good night’s rest isn’t always easy for empaths. Here are a few strategies you can incorporate into your routine that should help you on your quest for peaceful sleep.

• As mentioned above, meditation can reduce the symptoms of insomnia. It can also help you fall asleep and clear your mind before you snuggle up under the covers. Just 5 minutes of meditation before bed can make an impact.
• Make your bedroom a safe space free from stressors. Avoid texting, stressful conversations, or scrolling through social media on your phone once you’re in bed. Remove any objects from your bedroom that remind you of unfinished projects. You can even go so far as to not sit on your bed until you’ve removed your clothes from the day and changed into comfortable sleeping clothes. The more significant you make the transition into a peaceful environment, the better.
• Minimize your blue light exposure at night. Most cell phones, tablets and laptops now offer a “night shift” setting that filters out blue light. Blue blocking glasses can also help with this.

Use Your Circadian Rhythm to Your Advantage

The human body uses a roughly 24-hour long sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm) to regulate blood pressure, body temperature, digestion, the release of hormones and more. When this rhythm is disrupted even by just a few hours, it can cause impulsivity, decreased cognitive function, negatively impact mood and more. Most of us are familiar with the unpleasant feeling of jetlag; it’s an example of disrupting one’s circadian rhythm.

The good news is, you can use your circadian rhythm to your advantage. By sticking to a regular rhythm, you can improve your mood, mental clarity and physical performance. We’ve covered the importance of quality sleep, but to benefit from a healthy circadian rhythm, it’s also important to get enough sleep. How much you need varies by age, but the National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours for adults between the ages of 24-64. Getting enough sunlight during the day is equally as important, as the light differences between day and night drastically impact this sleep-wake cycle. Most importantly, you’ll need to go to sleep and get up at a consistent time each day to obtain a healthy circadian rhythm.

Reconnect With Nature

While you’re heading outside to fuel your circadian rhythm with some Vitamin D, why not use this opportunity to reconnect with the healing powers of nature? Earthing is the practice of grounding by creating contact between the human body (skin) and the Earth. Whether you choose to walk barefoot in the sand, lay down on your lawn with your palms facing the grass, or sit with your legs stretched out in a field of flowers while wearing shorts on a warm day, you can practice grounding in your favorite outdoor spaces. Plus, you change it up as often as you like!

Scientific studies have found that Earthing offers many benefits including but not limited to stress relief, reduction in chronic pain, reduced inflammation and improved sleep. For empaths, Earthing is an invaluable tool for resetting emotions, focusing the mind and releasing tension. You can maximize your impact by silencing your phone and reducing the possibility of outside distractions, too.

Let It Go

Much like turning your bedroom into a sacred sleeping space can help you get a better night’s rest, making conscious choices regarding the objects and activities that happen inside your home can help you unwind. Letting go of mementos or objects that conjure up stressful memories or negative thought patterns can be very beneficial. If you’re not quite ready to part with them completely, it’s ok to keep them somewhere out of sight, such as a garage or attic, just make sure they’re out of sight.

After an emotional phone conversation with a family member, an unexpected visit from a neighbor, or other disruptions, it’s a great idea to smudge your space. There are many benefits of burning sage. In addition to being a time-honored ritual practice, research has found that sage possesses antimicrobial properties that can improve air quality and white sage, in particular, can elevate mood and alleviate stress.

Make Time for Yourself

The most important thing you can do you for yourself as an empath is to get in a routine of making time for yourself. Tailor this time to you! This can be as simple as removing yourself from the company of others for just 15 minutes to practice some breathe work or as elaborate as treating yourself to an at-home spa ritual complete with a hot bath infused with salts and essential oils. You know best what you need, after all, you are an empath! You just have to take the time to take care of yourself and make yourself a priority.