Feeling stressed out? | What You Need to Know About Managing Your Mental Health With Self-Care
You Don’t Have to Go Far Away to Relax on Vacation
Taking enough time to relax and refresh is one of the most important self-care steps you can take. If you have a hard time breaking away from the hustle for travel, however, you can still make time for some local R&R. You can set aside a day or two for a Los Angeles-style staycation. To ensure a little peace and quiet on your staycation, think about booking an L.A. home rental rather than a hotel. If you’re a beach lover, Santa Monica provides a family-friendly atmosphere along with its iconic pier. If you’re a hiking enthusiast, consider the Silverlake area which has some dazzling views of the city. No matter what neighborhood you would like to experience more of, you can map out some fun using a vacation rental site like Turnkey to find a property with a complete kitchen (hello, healthy vacay meals), as well as tons of interesting things to do nearby. A lowkey staycation allows you to avoid travel stress, keep costs low and still have fun, all of which have mental health perks.
You Do Need Better Bedtime Habits for Better Mental Health
Aside from taking time off, your brain also needs proper rest to stay healthy. Oftentimes, however, lack of sleep can be more related to poor sleep hygiene than a busy schedule. Improving sleep hygiene by taking steps, such as waking and sleeping at the same time each day, can be a good way to reset your body’s circadian rhythm. Once you get in the habit of practicing proper sleep hygiene, you should be able to get the 7-8 hours experts recommend for good mental health. Of course, you could be sabotaging your efforts if you are using your bed for activities other than sleep and sex. Screens of all types should be kept out of your bedroom completely, but it also helps to stay out of your bedroom until you are actually ready to fall asleep.
You Don’t Need Drastic Measures to Make Time for Self-Care
If you’re still thinking you’re too busy for self-care by this point, you may need to reassess your priorities. Self-care is a preventative measure for mental health, so you have to find time for it in your schedule. This may mean turning down favors and social engagements from your friends. You may feel a bit guilty the first few times you say “no”, but once you see the benefits of having more time for yourself, those feelings should start to melt away. Instead of spending more time feeling stressed and overwhelmed, you can start practicing self-care that can sustain your health. Break for a few minutes of meditation after your healthy lunch, or give yourself a mini massage with all of that spare time.
You Do Need to Take Care of Your Body to Manage Mental Health
How you care for your body is directly related to how you manage your emotions, and that is most apparent in the connection between food and mental health. When you consume a diet filled with healthy options, you may be less likely to experience feelings of anxiety, but other mental health issues may be related to diet as well. As one such example, experts now believe that probiotics can reduce feelings of depression. You can get those beneficial probiotics with supplements or by eating probiotic-rich foods. Diet can boost your brain and reduce stress, but exercise can help, too. So the next time you’re feeling down or stressed, try getting in a workout for a quick mood boost.
You don’t have to settle for a life filled with stress, depression or anxiety. Instead, you can easily take more control of your emotions by fitting simple self-care habits into your daily schedule. Start making yourself a priority by focusing on improving your mental health.
YouTube channel: YouTube
Post a Comment