Daily Habits for Mental Wellness

In today’s world of go go go, maintaining mental wellness can be a challenge to say the least. Stress, anxiety, and mood swings can have a profound impact on our well-being. Here’s the good news, we can incorporate a few simple daily habits that can significantly boost our moods and reduce stress. What follows if your choose to continue reading or listening are some practices that you can easily integrate into your daily routine that could help.

Start to Your Day

Have you ever and be honest here started your day waking up negative? You don’t want to get out of bed and you definitely don’t want to take on the responsibilities of the day! It causes your day to drag on forever, it’s hard to get out of that slump you started your morning in. What if I told you starting your day with a sense of gratitude can set a positive tone for the rest of the day. It can help you day go by smother, quicker, and many people find it helps their overall happiness. All it takes is a few moments each morning to reflect on the things you are grateful for. The things you have in your life that you appreciate. This could be as simple as appreciating a good night’s sleep, the warmth of the sun, or the support of a loved one. You can Keep a gratitude journal where you jot down a few things you are thankful for each day. Dong this can really help overall and be very beneficial.

Practicing gratitude can increase happiness and reduce stress. People who regularly practiced gratitude reported higher levels of positive emotions and lower levels of stress and depression. Also if your not a morning person or your day starts off with you hitting the ground running it is also highly effective to do this same practice right before bed. Recounting your day and showing appreciation for the good things that have happened during the day.

Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools for reducing stress and enhancing mental clarity. These practices as most of you probably already know involve focusing your attention on the present moment and cultivating a non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts and feelings. Even a few minutes of mindfulness or meditation each day can make a significant difference. So you don’t have to spend hours in these states and you don’t have to sit in a cross legged position either. Just take some moments to be with yourself and your thoughts. I know this can be tough for many of us because we are so used to going and doing so sitting still can be difficult. But, the benefits of training yourself to do this is amazing. Start with 5 minutes and see what you can do.

Mindfulness meditation can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and pain. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can help you stay grounded and manage stress more effectively. Being present with yourself helps in so many areas. As we go through the day we build up all sorts of stressors and emotions. Recognizing these can help you let them go and not carry them over into your sleep or the next day.

Sleep

Sleep is essential for our mental wellness. Poor sleep can exacerbate stress, anxiety, and depression, while adequate sleep can improve mood, cognitive function, and overall well-being. Most people I talk to that are dealing with high amounts of Anxiety and stress don’t get enough sleep. I am guilty of doing this myself but most people I talk to that aren’t getting enough sleep scroll social media late into the night and then don’t rest well. We tend to get distracted and not realize how much time has actually gone by. This is by design most times. But, it is a proven fact that social media gives you a hit of dopamine which creates energy and stimulates feelings of excitement which really isn’t what you want for good sleep. This can create hyperactivity and anxiety. Please think about scheduling yourself to be off of social media an house before you go to bed and try to aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to establish a consistent sleep routine. The more consistent your routine many times the more you can sleep and get a better quality of sleep.

Individuals who get adequate sleep are more likely to report positive mental health and well-being. Prioritizing sleep can have a significant impact on your mental wellness. Getting enough sleep can help your days feel brighter and more productive. At the bottom of the news letter is a video for sleep help.

Connect with Others

Social connections play a vital role in our mental health. Spending time with friends, family, or engaging in community activities can provide emotional support, reduce feelings of loneliness, and improve your overall mood. Make an effort to connect with others, even if it’s just a phone call or a quick chat. In person connection is among some of the best connections and most beneficial. Getting a hug from another person can increase your overall wellbeing and the other person as well. Did you know that hugs have been shown to reduce stress and has a calming effect. Hugs can improve mood, promote emotional regulation, improve sleep, and even boost the immune system.

Strong social support networks are associated with lower levels of stress and better mental health outcomes. Social support can protect against the negative effects of stress. So go out there and make some connections today. Create that social network and get a hug. Tell us of a time getting a hug made your situation better.

Sleep Help (Do this before bed instead of scrolling)