Ultimately I hope that this post is going to help someone to help themselves, but there is a limit to what can be achieved by one blog article, so I will aim to keep this as practical as possible.
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
Firstly there are a few things that coincide very neatly with what we do to look after our physical health, namely eating well and undertaking regular exercise. Research has proven that being physically fit and healthy decreases the likelihood that we will suffer from mental ill health. So much so that the gym has been recommended by GPs as a coping strategy for those suffering from mental health issues for some time now. We all know so much about healthy eating and exercise, so I will not dwell on them too much. Suffice it to say we should aim to eat a wide variety of foods in moderation and aim to do 30 minutes of exercise most days, or everyday if possible.
Sleep Well
Getting enough sleep is key to ensuring we are able to deal with all that life throws at us. If we don’t get enough of it, we suffer from tiredness, mood swings and an inability to concentrate or focus, which in turn can lead to stressful situations. Getting a good nights sleep however, improves our mood, our ability to think and our mental resilience. There are some very simple rules we can put in place to help us get enough sleep - don’t use devices with electronic screens right before bed, avoid stimulants like caffeine, nicotine and sugary foods for at least 30 minutes before going to bed and making a bedtime routine focussed around preparation for sleeping to name a few. I will cover these in detail in a future post, but the crux of it is understanding what prepares your body and mind best for sleep and doing that.
Mental Workout
As mentioned above, exercising your body has a positive effect on your mental health and this is an established principle. Exercising your mind can be just as beneficial through mindfulness meditation, but this is less well known and certainly less widely practiced. There are reasons that hold people back from practicing mindfulness, such as not knowing what it is, how to do it and what it means, but there really are a wealth of resources out there for those who wish to look. And I would strongly recommend that people who are finding it hard to cope try doing some simple meditations. Headspace is a great resource for this that anyone can try for free via their app - it’s simple, unpretentious and effective. There are also many guided meditations on YouTube, but these do vary in quality. Mindfulness meditation is a way of grounding us in the present moment and objectively assessing our thoughts and feelings without judgement, so that we can make sense of them and manage them. Like physical exercise, mindfulness requires practice and repetition in order to reap the full benefits, but you only need around 15 minutes at a time and can do it anywhere. As with sleep, I will be covering mindfulness in future articles and explore aspects in greater detail, but do a little bit of research and give it a try - I find it very satisfying and I’m sure you will too.
Community Minded
Community is also very good for the psyche. Humans are social animals and our rise to dominance on this planet could not have happened were it not for our ability to cooperate in social groups. We are designed to work together and we suffer if we are alone. Being a part of a network, group or family makes us feel connected and gives us a sense of security and confidence, while being isolated can lead to insecurity and undermine our self worth. Finding a community to be a part of has never been easier, with social media allowing us to connect with people both near and far. The darker sides of social media are well documented, but used responsibly they can be great tools for forging relationships and bonds. Having said that, there really is no substitute for meeting people face to face. A recent experience I had when I went to WinchesterBloggers networking event last month is a perfect illustration. Just by speaking with likeminded and friendly people for an evening, I came away with such a feeling of inspiration that it has given me the impetus to actually put my money where my mouth is and publish these blog articles. If one person reads these articles and it helps them be a healthier minded individual it will be testament to the empowering nature of community.
Give A Little, Get A Lot
Charity often comes as an extension to community. If you are part of a community and give of your time and effort to help others within that community, you will find more worthiness in your own mind for yourself and you will see that others will think highly of you as well, building relationships. People who do charity work often describe the benefits they feel for having done it - satisfaction, self confidence and appreciation for their own situation, to name a few. Charitable work doesn’t have to be a grand gesture either. Raising money for charity by selling cakes or by asking people to sponsor an activity you are doing are great fun and a real win-win for everyone involved. I find that looking back at the charity work I have done sometimes serves to prove to me that I am a good person by having made that meaningful contribution. This can be a comfort when I am not feeling good about myself.
This is a collection of what I hope are fairly practical ways to safeguard you mental health, but do you have any other ideas that might help someone? What do you do to stay mentally fit and healthy? Let me know in the comments section below and thanks for reading.
MP
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