Self-care is a great way to take care of your mental health. It can be difficult to find time in your busy schedule to get the care that you need for those mental health benefits, though. Technology can help you make the most of your time and encourage you to practice good self-care habits. It’s a matter of finding the right tools for the job and putting them to work.

Here are three ways you can use technology to incorporate more self-care into your daily routine, courtesy of Deisy Suarez’s Beauty & Wellness Blog.

Getting More Exercise

Exercise is great for your physical health, sure, but it’s also a big boost to your mental health. Getting just 30 minutes of exercise a day can help burn off stress and decrease your anxiety. That’s because exercise releases endorphins into your bloodstream. Those chemicals boost your mood and overall sense of well-being.

Using a fitness tracker can boost your motivation through reminders, goal setting, and marking progress. These devices can monitor your heart rate, how many steps you are taking, and even track your workouts. Having a visual reminder on your wrist can encourage you to get in more exercise during the day. And if you fall behind, they encourage you to pick up the pace so you don’t miss out on those mental health benefits.

Getting More Sleep

How much sleep are you getting at night? It’s probably not enough. The Sleep Foundation notes that over one third of Americans aren’t getting the sleep they need to rest their brains. Many people struggle with getting to sleep quickly, while others struggle to sustain a deep, restful sleep during the night.

This is another area where tech can help. Calm Moment recommends looking for apps that focus on bedtime routines. These apps (many of which are free) include guided meditations that help you calm your mind, which gets you to sleep faster and sleeping more deeply when you do. There are also many great white noise apps that can help drown out background sounds that could interrupt your sleep.

And whatever you do, make sure you turn your phone to silent mode so those little beeps and pings aren’t keeping you awake. Some phones even include bedtime routines, which turn off the blue light on the screen (which can keep you awake) and help you wind down for the night.

Getting More Downtime

It can be hard to find time in your schedule, but Scientific American notes that your brain needs downtime. It can make you more productive, encourage creativity, and reduce your stress. With that in mind, find things that you enjoy that don’t take a lot of brainpower.

Sipping a soothing herbal tea is a great way to start. Enjoy a cup with calming benefits, such as peppermint or lemon balm, and settle in for a bit. Coloring apps for adults, like Pigment or Color Therapy, are also great downtime activities. They allow you to get creative without investing in expensive marker sets.

Consider using a mindfulness app, too. These can prompt you to set aside time every day for at least five minutes of meditation. Try a guided meditation or simply empty your mind and be present for a while. Of course, if you have a slow connection, it’ll add frustration to your life instead of relaxation, but these days we can take advantage of 5G. Do what you need to so you can take a little time out of the day to relax and that offers benefits that last long after you stop.

A trip to your favorite spa can also be a boon. A detox session, massage or facial can help you look and feel your best; massage is particularly helpful if you’re struggling with insomnia or anxiety. If it has been too long since your last pampering session, use the web to book something at your favorite location today.