Looking for gifts that provide and improve self-care practices? The options are endless. From yoga practices to adult coloring books, there are self-care gifts that work for everyone. A self-care basket is easy to put together and can be a personalized experience. What works for one person may not help someone else. So, as you explore self-care gift ideas, remember that everyone does self-care differently - and that is perfectly okay! 

 

1. Yoga Sets

Self-care and yoga go hand in hand. Yoga is all about finding inner peace and balance with yourself and the world. Traditional yoga sets include yoga mats, cork or foam yoga blocks, towels, and a yoga strap. These sets work great as gifts for beginners and experts alike.

Why It Works:

Yoga provides gentle movement to help reduce pain and tension in the body. In addition, the practice focuses on calming breathing patterns proven to reduce anxiety and stress. Yoga tools like mats and blocks help new practitioners develop good foundations and better flexibility for their practice.

What To Look For:

Kits should contain at least a yoga mat and block for adequate practice. Look for mats at least ⅛ thick, though ¼ is more comfortable. Here is the best yoga gift set that l love and have been using for 3 year!

2. Personalized Self-Care Gift Set

There nothing more special than receiving a gift that was put together just for you and personalized with your name and preferences. Giving a personalized gift with a beautiful unboxing experience is always going to be a winner.

Why It Works:

Self-care gift sets often include everything you need to create a complete self-care experience. Gift sets such as a body care gift set often include a whole routine you can do starting with a bath or shower with beautiful soaps, bath oils, flowers or bath salts, then exfoliation with a body scrub followed by a nourishing the skin with a body butter or scrub.

What To Look For:

We have found that smaller store and business do an excellent job at customizing gift packages and are very good at paying attention to small details and creating a perfect gift opening experience.

Buying a gift from Ritual Light will give you all of the following that you can’t get with a big name store:

• Personalized box with recipients’ name

• Customized wrapping paper color

• Personalized card

Make sure to add “Gift Wrap” item in your cart when shopping on Ritual Light.

3. Mindfulness Cards

Sometimes, knowing how to destress can make all the difference. But not everyone knows exercises or practices that can help. A deck of mindfulness cards can provide a person’s guidance and variety to create a cohesive mindfulness practice.

Why It Works:

Mindfulness reduces rumination on anxious thoughts and cyclical worrying and provides a deeper awareness of one’s thoughts and body. Mindfulness cards offer exercises to help the user develop that awareness.

What To Look For:

Look for decks that contain various exercises, from writing prompts to deep breathing exercises to physical activity. The body and mind often need different stimuli to help process various stresses; one card does not suit all anxiety! Here are my favorite cards for a mindfulness gift: 

4. Journal

Putting our thoughts and worries onto paper can take the edge off emotional turmoil. Journaling as a practice has grown in popularity for self-care, and many journals come with mindfulness or self-care prompts included to guide the practitioner.

Why It Works:

Research by the University of Rochester and other psychiatry institutes shows that journaling helps reduce stress, manage anxiety, and work through depression.

What To Look For:

Find journals with built-in prompts and plenty of space to write for several months to a year. Remember to think about personal preference and style such as lined pages vs dotted vs blank, color, and the size of the journal. Check out the journal I have been using:

5. Mindfulness Coloring Book

Who says adults can’t color? Adult coloring books have become popular for fun and stress relief, with pictures ranging from adult vocabulary words (read: swear words) to intricate animals or landscapes.

Why It Works:

Coloring provides focus, direction, and relaxation for the anxious brain. When focused on intricate coloring pictures, our mind distracts from pressing thoughts or concerns. Also, coloring is a low-stakes exercise, meaning you can enjoy it without worrying about rules or steps! Coloring also provides movement and connection with the body and pairs well with mindfulness and deep breathing practices.

What To Look For:

Look for coloring books with good reviews and plenty of pages. Checkout this coloring book with 112 pages of beautiful designs!

6. Stress Balms and Relaxation Oils

Give the gift of calm in a bottle or jar! Stress balms and essential oils provide soothing, scent-sational aromas that can guide an individual into a calming respite from everyday stress.

Why It Works:

Certain herbs, like lavender and mint, reportedly help heal and reduce stress in homeopathic medicine, though scientific results vary inconclusively on the subject. Mint, lavender and eucalyptus can reduce tension when applied as a balm and enhance the relaxing benefits of a massage.

What To Look For:

Look for body oils balms made with therapeutic grade essential oils and therapeutic grade. To make this gift extra special look for oils with real botanical flowers or petals.

Our favorite relaxing body oil hands down is the Lavender Mahina Moon oil because it was created with 7 luxurious oils and with all these aspects in mind to make for the perfect gift.

7. Weighted Sleep Masks and Blankets

Getting a good night’s sleep does wonders for relieving stress and providing self-care. Weighted sleep masks and weighted blankets can guide an individual into dreamland faster and deeper than a typical night’s sleep.

Why It Works:

Research indicates that the gentle pressure of weighted blankets and sleep masks can reduce physical effects and symptoms of anxiety caused by autonomic arousal, including increased heart rate and hyperawareness. Individuals with autism, ADHD, and anxiety find it easier to fall asleep with a weighted blanket. Sufferers of migraines find relief with weighted masks. The glass beads in the blankets and masks also provide a cooling effect helpful to overheaters and menopause sufferers.

What To Look For:

Look for blankets and masks that use glass beads and natural ingredients to fill their pockets. Find blankets with evenly distributed pockets to prevent uneven weight. Also, consider shopping for sleep masks that can go in the microwave or freezer for added relief. Here is best weighted blanket that our family always fights over:

 

Remember… Self-care is essential to living a healthy, balanced life. Any self-care gift is given with good intentions, so don’t worry too much about finding a 100% perfect gift. Instead, select something that you think can help your friend, loved one, or yourself, and give it a try! These ideas also work great as unique Christmas gift ideas.