The 8 Best Things Dads Can Do for Themselves in Honor of Father’s Day

Nothing says self-care more clearly than visiting your doctor and getting an annual physical for your — and your family’s — peace of mind. Men make half as many visits per year to their primary care physician compared with women, according to Salvatore J. Giorgianni Jr., PharmD, senior science advisor to Men’s Health Network (MHN). Getting simple screenings for cardiovascular health, high blood pressure, and age-appropriate cancers can help provide treatment for potentially fatal conditions that are very manageable, if not preventable, when detected early enough. “It’s time for men to take a page out of the women’s health playbook and take responsibility for their health and the health of their loved ones,” says Dr. Giorgianni. Consider telemedicine options, which have expanded in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Don’t have an internist? Check with your insurer to find a physician in your area; speak with family and friends about who they see; or try sites such as Zocdoc that allow you to search for a provider by health insurance.

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Between work and family responsibilities, it’s easy to balance your time budget by withdrawing from your time allotted for exercise. Over time, however, giving yourself even a few minutes each day to enjoy moving creates a world of benefits in other parts of your life. Exercise helps you sharpen your focus and sleep better. It also releases endorphins, hormones that make you feel good. A review showed that people who work out as little as once a week or for just 10 minutes per day felt significantly happier, on average, than people who skip exercise altogether. Research showed that you’re more likely to stick with exercise if you do it with other people.

Something as simple as walking is powerful. Regular walking helps reduce risk of heart disease in men, according to another study.

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Ask any man who has waded into a river with a fly-fishing rod: All men need an activity that stokes their passion. With age, it gets tougher to balance the time you spend on your hobby with your family life and work life. Give yourself a chance to reclaim some of that hobby time for your own health. According to research in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, people reported having a more positive mood, less stress, and a lower heart rate when engaging in a recreational activity compared to when they were not.

What’s more, a study published in BMC Public Health revealed that those engaging in creative hobbies or the arts for at least 100 hours per year (about two hours per week ) reported the highest levels of mental well-being on average. Whether it’s a new hobby you pick up later in life, such as tennis, wine tasting, or painting, or an old hobby you had as a child, such as collecting baseball cards or raising tropical fish, hobbies are also a sure way to make new friends and build a social network for yourself.

We all know the joy of checking in on our social media platforms to discover one more like, share, or retweet. But make no mistake: Getting locked in a never-ending scrolling loop can wreak havoc on your mental health. Replacing some of your social media time with listening to music is a simple way to drastically improve your self-care routine and boost your mental health and mood.

According to meta-analyses published in Health Psychology Review, music interventions have a significant effect on stress reduction in terms of physiological and psychological markers. Heart rate and blood pressure were reduced; feelings of well-being were enhanced. Streaming services can provide you access to much of the favorite music of your youth as well as your kids’ favorite modern artists.

Now more than ever, men are taking to the kitchen as a means to not only disengage from the news and work life but to unleash their creativity as well. According to data published in Nutrition Journal, the number of college-educated men who cooked increased from almost 38 percent in 2003 to nearly 52 percent in 2016. And a 2021 review showed promising research associating cooking with improved well-being (though the authors said higher-quality studies were necessary to fully explore the connection). Try starting with a meal that you enjoy, and experiment with a few different recipes to explore the version you like the most. As summer approaches, take it outside and expand your repertoire on the grill as well. Sites such as Epicurious.com contain thousands of free recipes for every type of food you can imagine to help get you started.

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Though mindfulness and meditation have become buzzwords for Silicon Valley businessmen who are trying to become more productive, there are far greater benefits to your physical and mental health. Developing a mindful meditation practice can help reduce stress, lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and help improve the thing every dad in the world wants: better sleep.

A randomized clinical trial revealed that meditation improves sleep quality and decreases depression, insomnia, and fatigue. What’s more, researchers also found that mindful meditation appears to play a role in overcoming “moderate sleep disturbances and deficits in daytime functioning,” which will allow you to feel more alert throughout the day. Free trials from subscription apps can help you get started with short guided meditations to help you develop your own practice.

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Family life and responsibilities tend to reduce the amount of time available to see friends. Many scientists now believe that healthy friendships are key to making aging more rewarding. Research published in the journal Personal Relationships found that “valuing friendships was related to better functioning, particularly among older adults.”

And research from PLoS Medicine found that social relationships improve mortality risk. Compared with subjects without strong connections, those with strong social relationships had a 50 percent increased likelihood of survival during the window of time the research included. So the next time you decide to do trivia night or watch the ballgame with your buddies, remember, it’s for your health!

Over the past several decades, study after study has shown the enormous health benefits of laughter: It helps lower blood pressure, eases stress; some research even suggests that laughter can help you burn calories. When you’re laughing, you’re increasing your oxygen intake, which helps your heart, lungs, and muscles. Plus, you’re releasing endorphins, the feel-good hormones that can ease tension and improve your sense of well-being. Watching comedies at home can be the perfect group activity that is both self-care and quality time with your entire family. Netflix is an excellent source of classic comedy films and series, as well as dozens of stand-up comedy specials.