In today’s world, many experience daily struggle with stress; whether it be due to work, finances, or personal challenges. Stress can have a major effect on mental well-being. The negative effects experienced will go beyond feeling overwhelmed, as it will lead to anxiety, decrease in quality of sleep and low productivity levels.
The good news is, there are many simple solutions to help address your mental health and reduce stress very quickly and easily through effective and practical solutions that will work when practiced regularly. This brochure will provide you with proven techniques to help with improving mental health.
1 – Start Your Day Off Positive
The way you start your day sends the tone for how you’ll feel throughout the day. If you wake up in the morning and check your phone or think about what’s going on in your life, immediately your body will be stressed out before you start your day.
To help calm your mind and be able to keep it calm throughout the day, follow these steps in the morning:
– Take the first 5 – 10 minutes of your morning and use it as a time of quietness.
– Utilize deep breathing techniques, and,
– Write down 1 – 3 realistic goals that you want to accomplish today.
By using this technique you will allow your brain to stay focused on what is being accomplished and your brain will not have as many thoughts to try to sort out.
2. Practice deep breathing techniques.
Controlling your breath is one of the quickest means of relieving stress. Your breath is very shallow and rapid when you feel stressed.
Here’s what to do:
1. Inhale through your nose for a count of four seconds,
2. Hold the breath for a count of four seconds,
3. Exhale through your mouth with a longer, easy breath for a count of six seconds.
Do this for several minutes or until you feel relaxed. Doing so will quickly calm your nervous system and will enhance your clarity of thought.
3. Move your body every day.
Exercise can be just as much about improving mental health as it is about improving one’s physical well-being.
You don’t need a gym; very simple forms of physical activity can work:
1. Walk between 20 and 30 minutes each day, 2. Stretch lightly, 3. Work out at home.
All of these forms of physical activity produce endorphins (happy hormones), which will naturally relieve stress and raise your mood.
4. Limit social media use and screen time.
Spending excessive amounts of time on screens (social media or otherwise) can often cause mental stress and anxiety without one even realizing it. Constantly comparing ourselves to others as well as the negative news and constant influx of information all play a major role in how our mind is functioning.
Therefore, be realistic:
1. Use social media only at specific times of the day, 2. Avoid all screens before going to bed; 3. Take some short breaks from all screens each day.
By limiting all the noise from digital sources, you’ll give your mind some space to rest (recover and relax).
5. Get Enough Good Quality Sleep
Many people do not pay attention to sleep, but it is critical for us mentally. When we are deprived of adequate sleep, our levels of stress, irritability and ability to make sound decisions rise.
Help improve your sleep by:
Going to bed the same time every day
Avoiding caffeine during the evening
Keeping your bedroom dark and quiet
7–8 hours of good sleep can substantially affect how good you feel mentally.
6. Talk to Someone You Can Trust
Holding everything inside increases your level of stress. Talking allows you to relieve emotional pressure and provide a different perspective.
You don’t necessarily need a therapist at this point; you can begin:
By talking to a close friend
A family member
Someone that you trust
Talking about your thoughts can provide immediate relief from mental tension.
7. Control What You Can
One of the biggest sources of stress is worrying about things we cannot control. This worry causes us to use unnecessary amounts of energy and increases our anxiousness.
You can shift your focus from worrying about aspects beyond your control to taking action and accepting what you can’t change. Do this by:
1) Making a commitment only to take actions that you can control each day.
2) Accepting what you cannot change.
Your creation will be much less overwhelming than the responsibilities associated with those items that are within your control.
8. Express Gratitude on a Daily Basis
While expressing gratitude seems simple, it has an incredible amount of power for promoting mental wellness. When you express gratitude, you begin to change your focus from your problems to the positive things in your life.
Create a habit of:
1) Complimenting three things you enjoy/are grateful for on a daily basis
2) Thinking about your small accomplishments.
Doing so will help you develop a mindset of thinking positively, resulting in decreased daily stress.
9. Eat to Increase Your Mental Wellness
What you eat affects how your brain works. Eating poorly contributes to increased stress and fatigue. Therefore, make an effort daily to nourish yourself primarily with:
– Quite a few fruits and veggies
– Whole-grain breads and cereals
– Staying hydrated by drinking enough water
Also, limit sugary and processed foods because they may cause mood swings.
10. Rest and Take Breaks
Working without taking breaks will not cause you to work more productively; rather, it will increase the risk of burnout while at the same time reducing your ability to function cognitively. Taking a break from work allows your brain to do this.
Ways to take breaks:
a. Take a break every hour for 5-10 minutes
b. Go outside for some fresh air
c. Step away from your work if you feel stressed out
Taking shorter breaks can help to refresh and reset your mind to be able to concentrate again.
Summary
There is no need to invest large amounts of money on extravagant tools or elaborate routines in order to improve one’s mental well-being or reduce stress. In fact, the truth is that simple, everyday actions can produce major results over a long period of time.
By starting out with only 2-3 of these tips and utilizing them regularly, you will soon experience improved mental clarity, have an elevated mood, and therefore reduce your overall level of stress.
If you do not pay attention to your mental health, stress will take over your life; however, if you take intentional steps, whether big or small, you can regain control and develop a more balanced, healthier mental state!