Hi guys and happy Friday. Why is it that we are more likely to go and look for help if we have a physical injury yet we are reluctant to seek for help if we are feeling low or anxious? Maybe it is the fact that we can see an injury like a broken leg or symptoms of the flu , but that we can't see our feelings of low self esteem and emptiness? We have to start treating mental health issues like physical injuries. Say you fell off a wall while hanging up Christmas decorations. You landed on your foot and after icing it and resting it, your foot is still causing you agony. Most of us would head straight to our GP or the hospital for a professional opinion and to learn what it actually is, is it broken or a fracture? From there you know how to treat it and how to get it back to full health. You might have to take tablets however most of the time after it is put in some sort of strap or a cast, it is up to you to rest it up and once it starts to get better you must strengthen it again by doing exercises etc. It is exactly the same with regards to your mental health. Imagine you felt low all of the time for about a month. Instead if trying to think of what it could be you keep pushing these feelings to the back of your head where they keep building up and eventually they get too much for you, that everything will seem ten times worse than if you had of looked for help at the start. Although for some people talking to a professional and taking medication may not suit us or might just scare us, this does not mean that you should just ignore your feelings. Below I have seven tips that everyone can do, not just does who suffer from mental health illnesses, we should all be taking care of our mental health just like our physical health. These are easy to do tips and they will definitely help to improve your general Mental health! Step 1: Talk about your feelings Whether it is with a friend, a family member, a colleague or you decide to go to counselling, do not bottle up your feelings. Whether someone said something small that bothered you or whether something is on your mind from years ago or you are stressed about something in the future, talk about things. Most of us never have an empty mind, we always have a list of things that we have to do from the minute we get up to the minute we go to bed. On top of that we have emotions and feelings that are an extra thing that takes over our mind. No matter how small or big you think your feelings/ problems are you will be surprised how talking to someone you trust will lift a weight off your shoulders. Sometimes all we need is a cup of tea and an hour to chat away with someone, a problem shared is a problem halved! Step 2: Exercise I know what you are thinking, "when will I have the time to exercise!" however just like drinking 8 glasses of water and eating three meals a day, 30 minutes of exercise a day will improve our well being in more way than one! Whether it is a small walk with friends, an aerobics class, a yoga class, an exercise DVD etc., all will help help as your mind and body are linked. According to mentalhealth.org.uk, experts believe that exercise releases chemicals in your brain that makes you feel good. These chemical help to lift our mood and gives us some energy which a lot of people who are feelings down lack sometimes. This in turn boosts your self- esteem, helps you sleep better and keeps your brain healthy. Step 3: Rest, sleep and me time! Sleep: This is something I know I could personally work on. Remember when we were kids and you mam and dad used to insist that it was important for you to go to bed early and at the same time every night and you would kick up a fuss? Well they weren't doing it to just get rid of you, as studies have shown by going to bed at a regular time and having good habits of getting a better night's sleep, that your mind benefits hugely! As I mentioned earlier, our mind is constantly full of a list of things to do and emotions running around that we never have time during the day to restore our minds. If we have a good night's sleep( eight hours if possible) then our mind has time to restore and will feel less hectic the next day! Rest: It is also a good practice to give yourself 10 to fifteen minutes of doing nothing away from everyone. Whether you are on your break in work, you have just parked the car or you go to your room, close your eyes and let yourself think of absolutely nothing. What I do with this time is I practice a basic mindfulness technique or I focus on just my breathing. Practice this break of doing absolutely nothing everyday and you will find that your mind is not racing half as much as it was before. Me time: As you all know I love some me time, especially in the form of a lush bath!! However I don't give myself as much me time as I should and I think we are all the same. Instead of focusing on ourselves we are busy running around that if we sit down for a half hour and watch a film we feel guilty for not cleaning house, visiting a relative or calling a friend! Whether that me time is a long walk with some music, make sure you try to have some me time everyday for at least 10 to 30 minutes. Even if it is at the end of the day watching TV, it is 30 minutes were you have your own space and do not have to worry about anything just on yourself and relaxing! Step 4: Eat Well According to Mentalhealth.org.uk, there is recent evidence to suggest that good nutrition is essential for our mental health. A healthy and balanced diet benefits not only our physical health but our mental health also. It sounds easy however many of us ignore it as we have a hectic diet to suit our hectic lives. If we eat well, we are more likely to feel happier and better in ourselves. By having a healthy diet we have more energy to carry on throughout the day. Although food with a high sugar content gives you a sugar rush immediately, it does not last long and you suddenly crash which ends in you feeling tired, low and worse than before. Instead try to have a diet with a mix of all the nutrients and instead of having a bar of chocolate so some coffee for a boost of energy, half a cup of green tea and a bowl of mixed fruit. Not only will your mind be healthier but you may drop a dress size, its a win win situation!! Step 5: Drink sensibly Although I don't drink every day, just once at the weekends, this is one tip that I have to work on myself. You don't have to be drinking everyday for alcohol to affect you negatively. Alcohol is a depressant in it's self. Although we may have had a good night with friends having a few drinks and got home safe and sound with no dramas or fights, it is the next few days that follow that we feel the effects. Ever feel the day after a night out that you are in a grouchy mood and any little thing will set you off? Yes this is due to a lack of a good night's sleep but it is also due to the drink the night before. This is not good for anyone especially people who are feeling down or are suffering from a mental health illness. I know for me, that if things are getting too much and I feel like I am getting to breaking point that on a night out I will drink way too much and I will try my best to get drunk in order to try to forget everything that is going on in my life. To try to hide the emotions and to try to have just one good night. These are the nights that end in tears. I mean I know we all have one night were we have one too many but when I feel really anxious and depressed I drink shot after shot and I mix my drinks on purpose, but the thing is drink magnifies everything and hides nothing. When I drink I find that the next day my anxiety and paranoia hits the roof and I worry about everything!! I text friends every Sunday morning asking if I have done or said anything wrong, this then sets the next week off with constant worry. Of course you are not mean't to mix alcohol with medication and I can hear all of you screaming at the screen asking then why are you!!!!! However I have learned which drinks to completely avoid while on my medication and my limits. I know if I have a drink to expect more lows than highs the days following but that is a choice that I make. I am certainly drinking a lot less on nights out and I am having more sober nights then I previously did as I hate the effect a lot of drink has on me, I have felt my lowest after a night out. Unfortunately my anxiety has painted a picture in my head that i need a drink on a night out to relax but we don't need drink to have a good time, we just need a healthy and positive us! Step 6: Set small goals I don't know about you but I am a bit of a perfectionist. When I get an idea in my head there is no shifting it and I want it done exactly to how I imagine it. Although aiming high can lead to success and achievement, the pressure of reaching the goals we set for ourselves and the 'what if' worries if we don't achieve these goals, can cause major stress and may lead to depression. I am also very impatient so when I get an idea in my head I want it to happen now. I think too far ahead, I always have which always causes stress and anxiety. I can make myself physically sick for weeks due to stress on things that may not be happening for months. I worry about how I will afford next year's holiday while I am still on holidays. However if we don't plan anything in life, being unprepared can cause stress too. It is good to be focused and organised so that you feel that you are on top of things and that you are aware of what is going on, nothing takes you by surprise for example like a birthday that you forgot about and you are sent into panic about how you are going to afford a present, that is not good for anyone! In order to avoid this, set yourself small goals daily. Goals that you know you will achieve, like having a healthy breakfast. I know it sounds silly but start off small and then build on each week. Sometimes it is more the fear if we don't fulfill our goals that causes us distress, however the key is to set yourself small goals and be proud of your self for achieving them. If it was a case that you didn't complete one of your goals, don't dwell on it. Look at why you didn't complete it and learn from that. Soon your goals will go from daily to weekly, to monthly etc. and will help you get stronger and help you to manage your stress easier. Step 7: Meditation and Mindfulness As of recently, I am a big believer in Meditation and Mindfulness in helping our mental health. Meditation and Mindfulness both help train the mind to think and feel in the present, to become more aware of your thoughts, feelings and body sensations instead of being afraid and feeling overwhelmed by them. Anyone can practice meditating or mindfulness as there are different practices to suit different people of different ages. You don't have to spend money on class or courses, there are loads of videos and books on line available to help you practice these and to help clear your find and understand your mental health better! So these are my seven tips on how to help improve your mental health. These are things that although they seem so simple we don't practice enough but it is better late than never. Let me know how you get on!! Love Em X
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This is where I share parts of lifestyle which I feel help or hinder my mental health. Archives
January 2018
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