Join the self care revolution podcast with Suzy Reading

Psychologist and yoga teacher Suzy Reading didn't really appreciate the value of self care until a family illness put her under considerable stress.

"I think of self care as health care," she says. "When you define it as health care you can understand its value. It's not a luxurious or indulgent practice to look after your health. It's proactive health care.

"Self care helps us cope in the moment; it helps us deal with stress, change and grief; it helps us to heal from those experiences; it provides us with a protective buffer and helps us to cope with the next inevitable curveball and it gives us access to our best selves."

"Self care gives us the means to achieve the things that we want to and be the people we aspire to be, so there's nothing fluffy, nothing indulgent about either of those things," she adds.

In this episode, Suzy provides easy tips for bringing self care into your daily life and talks about the wellbeing benefits.

Listen on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Acast, Stitcher and most major podcast providers, or listen online above.

The Self-Care Revolution by Suzy Reading was published by Aster on 28 December, £12.99 (octopusbooks.co.uk).

Take part in our 14-day self care challenge

Suzy has put together a 14-day self care challenge to help you start your self care journey. Follow the challenge on social media from 1 January, so simply pick up the challenge in your own time.

Don't forget to let us know how you're getting on using the hashtag #ITMselfcarechallenge!