Self-Care Strategies Every Couple Should Practice Together

Want to improve your relationship while also boosting your wellbeing?

Many couples believe self-care is something you should only do by yourself. Alone. With face masks on and no distractions.

But guess what?

Self-care for couples is an incredible tool for connection.

When two people practice self-care together, they experience deeper bonds, enhanced communication, and healthier relationship habits that can last a lifetime.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why Couples Benefit From Shared Self-Care
• Couples Therapy vs Self-Care
• 6 Ways Couples Can Practice Self-Care Together
• How to Build Self-Care Into Your Routine

Why Couples Benefit From Shared Self-Care

Did you know that relationships actually play a role in your mental and physical health?

When couples make a commitment to practicing self-care, they both benefit. According to the American Psychological Association, individuals with strong relationship support are 50% more likely to have better mental health outcomes.

50% is huge!

On the flip side, when your partner is experiencing high-stress levels, you tend to absorb some of that stress. If your communication skills are lacking, you’re both likely to feel the frustration. Negativity can grow if you don’t have healthy habits to counteract it.

Enter self-care.

By prioritizing self-care together, couples can start to reverse the effects of stress, communication problems, and much more.

Oftentimes, couples learn the importance of self-care when they work with a therapist. Couples therapy near Littleton helps partners identify the self-care activities that will benefit their relationship moving forward.

Couple’s Therapy vs Self-Care

Self-care and couples therapy go hand in hand. Let me explain why…

When you work with a therapist, you learn communication tools that you can begin practicing at home. But self-care helps you on a deeper level.

Research shows that nearly 90% of couples see improvement in emotional health after therapy.

Therapy gives you the tools, and self-care helps you put those tools into practice.

Here’s how they work together:

• Couples therapy can pinpoint unhealthy communication habits
• Self-care gives you both tools to practice healthier habits
• Therapy and self-care allow you to grow closer emotionally
• You can create long-lasting positive changes in your relationship

Self-care puts what you learn in therapy into action. You can’t just attend counseling sessions and expect your relationship to transform without doing the work at home.

6 Ways Couples Can Practice Self-Care Together

Ready to learn how to practice self-care as a couple? Keep reading…

The self-care ideas below are perfect for any type of couple, whether you’ve been married for 5 days or 50 years.

Let’s get started.

1. Check-In With Each Other Regularly

I can’t stress this first point enough. Make time to check-in with your partner.

Set aside 15-20 minutes once a week to really talk. Not about the kids or what needs to be done around the house. Talk about how you’re feeling. What’s going well, what could be better.

Carve out the same time each week to do this. Put your phones down. Turn away from distractions.

Regular check-ins allow you to course-correct before small problems turn into large ones. They also create a space where you can be vulnerable with one another.

2. Exercise Together

Did you know that working out releases endorphins? Yep. And when you workout with your partner, you can experience an even greater release.

Take evening walks after dinner. Spend your weekend going on hikes. Dance in the kitchen while cooking.

The goal is to get moving together.

Physical activity has tons of benefits for your health. When you do it with someone you love, you not only enhance your relationship, but you build a happy association with spending time together.

3. Meditate Together

Don’t freak out if meditation isn’t something you’ve tried before.

Many couples who begin meditating together report feeling more connected to their partners afterwards.

You can start small by simply sitting in silence with each other. Or you can try…

Follow these four steps to get started:

• Sit facing each other or next to each other
• Focus on your breathing
• Begin with 3-5 minutes, then work your way up

There are even meditation apps for couples! These apps provide guided meditations that help you build the habit.

4. Have Phone-Free Time

Phones are distractions. And when you’re constantly distracted by your phone, you’re not fully giving your partner your undivided attention.

Create times throughout the day that are phone-free. During meal times. The morning hour after you wake up. Before bed.

This will have a huge impact on your connection.

When you’re completely present with your partner, they feel heard. You’ll have better communication, understand each other more, and connect on a deeper level.

5. Find Couple’s Activities

This tip goes hand-in-hand with exercising.

Find activities that you both enjoy. Attend cooking classes together. Have a weekly game night. Take up gardening or walk around the neighborhood taking photos together. Try learning a new language with each other.

You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on your hobbies. The activities you choose shouldn’t matter as long as you’re enjoying spending time together.

6. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is so important!

When you and your partner have proper sleeping habits, you’ll find yourselves arguing less. You’re more patient with each other and better at handling stress.

Here’s what you can do:

Try creating a sleep schedule you can both stick to.

Go to sleep at the same time if possible. Keep your bedroom cool and dark. Stop looking at screens before bed.

You’ll feel so much better when you start sleeping!

How to Build Self-Care Into Your Routine

Self-care doesn’t magically fix your relationship overnight.

You have to be consistent with your self-care techniques. One yoga class isn’t going to relieve your stress. One heart-to-heart conversation isn’t going to improve your communication.

Self-care is a practice.

Pick one or two of the tips above and really focus on incorporating them into your weekly routine. Once you’ve built that into your life for 30 days, start adding something new.

Self-care is a journey. And it’s important to track your progress along the way.

You also want to make sure you’re continuing to work with a therapist so you can practice self-care with your partner long-term.

Remember: self-care at home allows you to put the tools you learn in therapy into practice.

Bring it Home

Self-care is vital to having a healthy relationship with your partner.

When you make your relationship a priority, you help your partner do the same. You practice better communication habits. You learn how to grow together through thick and thin.

Here’s a quick recap:

• Check-in with each other once a week
• Exercise together
• Meditate with your partner
• Create times to be phone-free
• Spend time together doing things you enjoy
• Get enough sleep

Again, self-care gets best when coupled with couples therapy. Therapists can guide you through the self-care process so that you’re practicing things that will truly benefit your relationship.

Choose one self-care strategy from above and try it this week. Your relationship will thank you!