While dating can be fun, it’s not without its challenges. Many women are empowered by the ability to find a casual partner or look for a longer-term relationship, depending on their needs and desires. The key thing to remember while navigating the world of dating is to put your health and safety first.
Here are six ways women can stay healthy while dating.
Protect Personal Information
The first consideration when trying to stay happy, safe, and healthy while dating is to protect your personal information. Be cautious in what you share while getting to know someone. Consider using an app to facilitate your conversations rather than sharing your phone number. Contemplate placing your social media apps under advanced privacy restrictions and don’t share specifics about your workplace until you know the person better.
When you meet someone for the first time, choose a public place. Always share the information about your date with a trusted friend and schedule regular check-ins. Protecting your personal information in the early days will help you create healthy boundaries if you accidentally encounter someone unstable or toxic — an unfortunate reality in the dating world.
Get Regular Check-Ups
The modern woman has the freedom to pursue casual relationships and determine the course of her future. While exploring the options, it’s integral to maintain regular check-ups with your doctor. When dating, prevention and protection are a must, but sometimes things don’t work as planned.
Set aside time for regular Well Woman check-ups for preventative care and consider purchasing home test kits from Easy Test Hub. Many infections and STDs are asymptomatic and difficult to detect without regular testing. This practice is recommended for everyone in the dating world. However, women tend to be more susceptible to infections like HPV, which can lead to ovarian cancer.
Know When To Take a Break
Dating isn’t always fun and easy. You may find yourself getting worn out or discouraged from your experiences. To maintain your mental health, it’s essential to know when to take a break and focus your energy elsewhere.
Taking a break from dating allows you to check in with yourself and revisit your goals, dreams, and motivations. Use this time to hang out with friends, enjoy some alone time, and do activities that you’ve been putting off. The best part is, when you re-download the apps and get back out there, it will feel new and novel again.
Prioritize Self-Care
Don’t neglect your self-care when out in the dating world, and remember to schedule dates with yourself as well. With continuous access to dating apps, it’s all too easy to lose yourself in swiping left and right.
Set scheduled evenings dedicated to your own care and engage in acts of self-love. Whether your idea of self-care is hiking the trails or enjoying a bubble bath, your first love will always be you.
Dating often uncovers some interesting truths about ourselves and some past traumas. Remember that going to therapy and learning how to process emotions is another form of self-care.
Monitor Financial Wellness
Dating can be tremendously expensive. Spending time at bars or restaurants, purchasing new outfits, going to the movies, and even parking or cabs tend to add up.
Stay healthy by monitoring your financial wellness while dating by setting a budget for yourself. Think outside the box when it comes to dating, opting for free activities when possible. If you’re looking for a long-term relationship, try to find someone with similar values as you.
Look for Green Flags
Dating often comes with the warning to watch out for red flags. Yes, it’s important to be aware, but it doesn’t need to be a negative experience. Remember to look for green flags, too — signs that someone is a good person who has their stuff together.
Prioritizing your health and wellness is essential when navigating the world of dating. Remember that health goes beyond physical wellness and also includes your mental health, financial responsibilities, and setting strong boundaries.
