The World Health Organization defines health as more than the absence of disease; it is a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Physical, mental, and social health requires strength building, flexibility training, and maintenance.
If you haven’t done any physical activity since your half-marathon training, then there will be no long-term benefits to your physical health. A trip you took with your friends years ago will not result in complete social wellbeing if you don’t keep in touch with them.
Why do we think that focusing on our mental wellbeing for a short time in therapy or working hard to improve it will make us mentally flexible and strong forever? The little things you do every day can improve and strengthen your mental health.
You can improve your mental wellbeing today by doing these seven simple things. Try to do one every day for a week!
Have a Half-Full Glass
The benefits of seeing the glass as half-full are numerous. It has been shown that optimism can reduce the risk of men developing heart disease and promote happiness. It’s not only helpful to see the glass as half-full, but having a half-full glass (or 16 glasses) is good for your body and mental wellbeing.
As we age, we lose even more water. Dehydration can have a negative impact on the heart and concentration. Drinking water helps to maintain a healthy body, including reducing headaches and migraines. It also improves mood.
Practice tip: Drink water throughout the day to avoid having the urge to pee in the night. After waking up, have a glass or two of water at room temperature in a mason jar. Try adding raspberries, mint, lemons or other flavors to water if you don’t like the taste.
Create a Sleep Routine
It can take a lot of practice to determine the ideal amount of sleep for you. While the exact time may be in flux, a routine and sleep schedule are sure to maximize time in bed.
Sleep is essential for a healthy immune system. It also boosts cognition, helps to improve memory and connect with others, balances hormones, and makes the body feel and look its best. Sleep problems have been associated with irritability and decreased attention span. They can also lead to fatigue, headaches or slowed metabolism.
Practice tip: Wake up at the same hour every day. This is true even on weekends. It is best to practice morning yoga by waking up before sunrise (1-2 hours prior to sunrise). The sun salutations are especially helpful at this time.
Take it One Step at A Time
Exercise is important for mental health. It’s good to enjoy each moment, but it’s also beneficial to plan time for exercise. Try to keep your feet connected to the ground when you are walking or sitting on the grass.
Researchers discovered that 90 minutes of walking in nature reduced brain activity in the subgenual cortex, which is active during negative thinking. Researchers have found that even if 90 minutes in nature a day is not possible, five minutes in a green area a day can increase self-esteem. It is likely that gardening also has a positive effect on mental health.
Practice Tip: Purchase some greens and place them around your mat. Bonus points if you breathe in fresh oxygen and exhale helpful carbon dioxide from your plants when practicing mantras.
Detox your digital life
What keeps us hooked on technology when we know that social media can cause narcissism and smartphones can cause insomnia? And college students have less empathy in the presence digital communication?
Some people think that the phone can be compared to an adult teddy, as it reduces our anxiety for a moment and gives us something to hold in this big bad world. A digital detox combined with mindfulness practice can improve your memory, posture and sleep.
Practice tip: Combine a digital detox and a new adventure. Join a yoga or meditation workshop to learn new grounding methods while building community.
Respect Your Gut
The modern culture is often focused on shaming and sucking the stomach, but the gut is home to an amazing community called gut flora. (Also, relaxing your gut helps you breathe.
Fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir kombucha sauerkraut tempeh and kimchi are full of probiotics and active cultures that can reduce anxiety and stress, balance hormones and lower stress levels. They also have a positive impact on the neurotransmitter GABA, which is known to slow brain activity, relieve depression, and treat other mental disorders.
Probiotics also promote good mental health, a healthy weight and the development of the immune system.
Practice tip: Start the morning with a parfait consisting of three parts: yogurt, granola, and seasonal fruit. This is a great breakfast to have after yoga or as a general kick-start to your day.
Owning a Home is a Fine Art.
You can only control what you do. Your opinions, aspirations, and morals are under your control. You have no control over how other people act, think or behave.
Take ownership of your own life doesn’t require money, but it takes a lot of courage and effort. It is also important to avoid other people’s drama and gossip, and focus on the of your own life. Realizing that you have the power to take control of your mental wellbeing and can start working on it today is both powerful and challenging.
Practice tip: Make a list of 10 things that you can control. This will help you remember your strengths when you feel like life is out of control.
Speak to a Professional
Therapy can change your life. It can uncover layers of unconsciously conditioned wisdom and support you in growing and changing.
Therapy can take many forms. Sometimes people will see a therapist alone, sometimes with their partner or family. Therapy can be short-term or long-term. Some styles focus on finding solutions, while others focus on comforting yourself in the present.
Some therapists may work well for your friend, but not you. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the problem if you don’t feel comfortable with a particular therapist. You might simply be a bad match relationally.
Practice tip: Try meeting with several therapists, either by phone or in person. Let them know that you are new to the therapy world and you want to find out what suits you best. Talk to your therapist openly about any fears or goals you have for the therapy. Although it can be intimidating to try new things, the rewards are worth it!
Even when motivation and desire are present, change is difficult. It is harder to change a habit or pattern of thinking when it has become ingrained. This is not a journey for instant gratification. It is a journey to accept that lasting change requires time, discipline, and trust in the processes.
It is important to remember that this is a long-term process. Just because you are able to do these things daily doesn’t mean you will. Do what you can, and be proud of your efforts.
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