Here Are 17 Tips For Self Care Straight From The Cast Of "Sex Education"
From meditation to staring at fine art.
We all know self care is super important! Getting the right amount of zzzs, venturing outdoors, or taking time for yourself can be exactly what you need when life gets a bit too much.
But have you ever wondered how your favourite TV stars like to kick back and relax? Well, we asked the cast of Sex Education about their self care habits, why self care is important, and which activities they think everyone should try at least once in their lives to help them relax and centre themselves! Here are their suggestions:
1. Ncuti (Eric) thinks exercise is the best thing you can do to look after yourself.
2. Tanya (Lily) highly recommends getting into puzzles and sudoku.
"If you have a problem like I do with anxiety, do puzzles! Even if I'm watching TV or something, I like to be focussing on something else like a puzzle or a sudoku. Something that occupies your hands and requires you to focus on it so that your mind doesn’t run away with itself. I find things like that really calm me down."
3. She's also a big fan of a bath!
"Whenever I feel horrible, I have a bath and read a book – that’s my favourite thing! I know it's a bit cliché, but it's cos it works. Put some magnesium flakes in there, ah lush!"
4. Alistair (Mr. Groff) recommends staring at a piece of art and seeing how it makes you feel.
5. He also says "read a book – doesn’t matter what the book is!"
6. Trish (Ola) prescribes a little meditation to keep yourself centred.
"I’ve gotten deeply into meditation during lockdown. I find that taking time for myself — even though sometimes I don’t want to do that — really helps clear my mind and ground me. Even if it’s ten minutes, take yourself out somewhere for a walk in the park."
7. Asa (Otis) likes to keep it simple – "take time out if you need it, and give yourself space if you need space."
8. Another tip from Alistair is to walk alongside someone that you like.
"It sounds very simple, but go for a walk with someone that you like and chat. I think that makes everyone feel better."
9. Ncuti also believes in leaving people's expectations of you at the door.
"Aimee Lou Wood has taught me so much about taking things in your own time and not constantly needing to people-please. I personally think she's like a guru! Aimee and I really came on a journey together with that."
10. And he also says if you need help, reach out for it!
"I actually started therapy today, which is perfect for Sex Education. That’s an exciting journey, but also I guess not the most affordable thing. Just continue to talk to people, communicate, talk to your friends, family, keep the people you love and the things that make you happy very close to you."
11. Connor (Adam) thinks open communication with friends and family is super important.
12. Mimi (Ruby) advocates being a little bit selfish every now and again!
"It’s good to be selfish sometimes. Not all the time, but save a day for yourself in the week if you can, and if you can’t save a whole day save a couple of hours where do something that makes you feel really chill and happy. You need to be a little bit selfish to be selfless!"
13. And she and Trish are very into the healing power of crystals.
"We both love our crystals and we both like zen time, which is all to do with self care. We're always exchanging crystal knowledge!"
14. Trish also has a great technique for relieving pain and stress using pressure points, according to Mimi.
"She's very handy if I feel stressed! She taught me about these pressure points – if I feel sick, she’ll squeeze my shoulders to relieve the nausea. She also showed me this thing on my hand – it's kind of like pressing down into it. Basically, there are points on your body where it helps if you apply a little bit of pressure."
15. Aimee (Aimee) is big believer in poetry's ability to soothe the soul.
"I've always liked poetry, and I carry around a poetry collection wherever I go. Whenever I start to feel anxious or too in my head, I read a poem. Sometimes, with my attention span, a novel can feel like too much. I always have the intention to read it but then I end up feeling like a failure. A poem will only take you twenty seconds to read!"
16. She recommends Raymond Carver, Maya Angelou, and Ellen Bass.
"I've just finished a full Raymond Carver collection and he's amazing! I like reading really different voices because I read Maya Angelou – obviously incredible – and then I went on to Raymond Carver. Both really resonated in different parts of me, and I think that’s what’s so gorgeous about it. Oh, and Ellen Bass, she's my favourite!"