India, July 22 -- Self-care has become a marketing category. Scented candles, spa days, and weighted blankets all carry the label, and the wellness industry has been happy to sell the idea that tending to the mind is something a person can purchase. Research tells a different story. Studies point toward habits that are cheaper, less glamorous, and considerably more durable: sitting quietly with the breath, writing honestly about a hard week, and learning to say no. International Self-Care Day, observed each July 24, offers a moment to separate the practices that hold up under scrutiny from those that mostly hold up a receipt.

A Date Built to Redefine Self-Care

The observance was established by the International Self-Care Foundation in 2...