Taking care of your mental health is as essential as your physical health. Pixabay photo (CC0).
When it comes to health and questions surrounding your own, it is very common to think of your physical health. However, with the recent surge of information being shared on the internet about mental health, it may be time to reevaluate your weekly health routine and dedicate some time to looking after your brain’s health. When a person is suffering from depression or anxiety, the chemical called serotonin, which helps to balance our emotions, is extremely low or absent in the brain. There are plenty of ways to increase this chemical while taking care of both your physical and mental health. Here are a few examples to help get you started obtaining the well-balanced and healthy lifestyle that everyone strives for.
Getting Outside
If you were to write down the amount of time you spend just enjoying the outside world – rather than doing the commute to work, or weekly errands – you may be surprised how little is on the page. As humans, we rarely remember to slow down and breathe once in a while – much less enjoy some fresh oxygen and sun just for the sake of it. However, if you are feeling like your stress levels are hitting the roof, getting outside for a walk and a breath of fresh air could be the thing your body is craving. Not only has fresh air been proven to help significantly reduce your stress levels and give you a boost to your mood, but you will also be soaking up some very important vitamin D from the sun. Many people actually choose to supplement this vitamin as well as getting some sun, as it is rare you will be able to take in your guided daily allowance every day. To do this, you could enjoy the health benefits of Sunset – a supplement for vitamins A, B, D and omega three, take a daily vitamin D capsule, or a multivitamin. All great ways to ensure you are stocked up on the vitamin well known as “the happy vitamin,” as it has been proven to give your serotonin levels a much-needed boost. Supplements, however, should not be used as a replacement for spending some time out in the sun – make sure you are getting outside alongside your daily supplement.
Scheduling Me Time
It is very rare that a woman ever takes a timeout due to the sheer volume of work and responsibility that may be on her plate at any given moment. If you rarely feel like you have five minutes to yourself, it may be time to start timetabling in some regular “me time.” Having an evening on a Sunday (or weekday that suits you) to do whatever makes you feel relaxed, can help your mind and body to recuperate. Binging on a Netflix series, having a pamper evening, going for a run, doing some meditation – whatever works best for you, making some time for it is extremely important. It will help you to refuel, get your creative juices flowing and assist your productivity. It will also give you time out from the daily grind of life and help see things as a little clearer and less overwhelming – as you’ll be looking at life from a calmer perspective. Life is hard, and it will not nurture you, so it’s time to the take the time out to nurture yourself.
Of course, having a well-balanced lifestyle involves eating a good diet and exercising regularly. Exercising is a great way of releasing “feel good” endorphins and helping you to feel energised. However, it is a smart move to have both your physical and mental health at the top of your health priority list, rather than favouring one over the other. Making a few simple changes detailed in this blog will help you to do just that.
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