How you can take care of your mental health

We are in the middle of what is currently called a "psychological health crisis" in the western world (whereby 1 out of 4 people has a psychological health problem every year and 1 out of 6 people reports to have frequent psychological health problems such as anxiety or depression per week), there was never a more important time to point out our attention, how we can all take care of our own mental health and those of our people.

"mental health" may appear like a topic that is too great to combat it, but when we realize that the care of our mental health consists of small, daily steps for many of us, the path can appear to be more balanced, healthier and more peaceful. Read on for my top 5 tips on easy opportunities to take care of your mental health.

move

There is a lot of scientific evidence of why the morning run or the energetic yoga class is so good for us, and you can use this as a motivation to stay in motion all winter! When we play aerobic physical activities such as running, playing tennis, a hike in nature, cycling or doing everything that boosts your heart rate and cycle, this also increases our endorphins. Endorphins are released when we exercise pleasant physical activities such as movement, massage, eating and sex, but even if we feel pain to alleviate them naturally. These chemical messenger substances or "neurotransmitters" are our natural pain relievers, stress reliefs and mood enhancers, which is why movement is so often recommended for people who suffer from depression or symptoms of low mood. Especially in the darker winter months, you can ensure your mental health through regular exercise. According to NHS, aerobic exercises are considered the best types of exercises for depression, such as walking, running, swimming, swimming, cycling, dynamic yoga courses, dancing and boxing, but it really depends on what you have fun.

get the basis for movement to improve your mood:

socialize

Investigations show that loneliness has increased significantly during the blocking times during the pandemic (no surprise). However, what may surprise is that loneliness seems to be gaining weight despite the abolition of social restrictions. Reports show that around 33 % of adults feel lonely worldwide and that around 8 million men feel lonely at least once a week in the United Kingdom - with 3 million specifying this as a daily event.

people are really social beings - we have developed to live with family and friends in tight communities and to communicate and share every day. If we don't stick to what our body and brain have developed for, we can cause discomfort, uncomfortable and even diseases. Sleep was something that was severely affected during pandemic, and one of the reasons is probably an increase in loneliness; If our brain feels that we are lonely, this sends a signal to the body that we are not safe, and if we are not sure, the brain does not allow us to sleep deeply, only in the event that a predator or intruder strikes (about a thousand years ago, the members of the tribe have turned away to stay up and guard the sleeping group). All of this is programmed into our ancient DNA - we have to feel that we have love and support around us to really relax and relax. One of the possibilities that we can provide for our mental health is to be more social.

When I say "socially", I mean face-to-face, hand-to-hand, in real life social. As you have already experienced, it can be anything but really sociable to spend a lot of time in "social media". The form could take more conviviality to take part in a local yoga course, a hiking group or a gym. It could mean meeting friends for dinner, celebrating family reunions more often with a Sunday roast or simply saying "hello" instead of altering our eyes on the way to work and at work.

you feel more social with these tools:

(link removed) - The 52-card deck offers questions and exercises for deeper, more meaningful conversations with friends to ensure that our encounters become more happier and more interesting.

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increase your healthy fats

The brain consists of about 60-70 % fat, and the cells within the brain need fats to protect them and enable smooth communication between them. Many studies have shown that a low -fat diet can contribute to depression and anxiety, while the inclusion of healthy fats such as butter, avocado, eggs, nuts, fish and seeds can help to improve and compensate for the mood. A balanced blood sugar level is also of crucial importance for mental health, since an increase and subsequent decrease in blood sugar levels can seriously contribute to mood swings, severe anxiety, panic attacks and depression. To keep your blood sugar stable, make sure you have breakfast and always combine carbohydrates with a fat or protein to slow down the speed with which the sugar is released into the bloodstream. Choose these healthy fats to keep your brain and mood happy:

• fish
• linseed
• linseed oil
• chia seeds
• egg
• Butter
• mct oil
• coconut
• walnuts
• avocado

Leave yourself from recipe books such as Z (link away) and (link away). A golden milk-turmeric latte can also be atmospheric, especially if it is mixed with coconut oil or ghee. Try the (link removed) mix, especially mixed for bioavailability.

improve your sleep

sleep is really the cornerstone of well -being. It is possible to fast for weeks without food, if this happens in a safe and adequately supported environment, but when it comes to sleep, nobody has longer than 11 consecutive days without it. Sleep is so important that only 4 to 5 days of insufficient sleep can quickly lead to predicative symptoms, as well as possibly to high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, depression and anxiety. You probably felt this dull, ducking, uncertain feeling of having slept badly for a night, and this is one of the signals that your brain did not have the opportunity to restart and rest overnight. The gymnastics system is stimulated, moving and rubbish, old cells and waste from the brain, which prevents an accumulation of amyloid plaques, which is believed to contribute to Alzheimer's. A tired brain also remembers threatening, sad and negative situations than positive and relaxing, perhaps because in the past it was more important for our survival to remember things that were dangerous than to remember what helped us relax. Nowadays it is not difficult to imagine that almost all of us will probably have to spend more brain output to remember how to feel calm, positive and balanced instead of waste valuable head space with threatening and stressful thoughts.

improve your sleep:

• Get a lot of bright, natural light in the morning to "set" your inner clock.
• Diminate the light at night and avoid bright screens right before going to bed
• meditating before going to bed (link away) - developed to help anxious adults to fall asleep
• Add a little (link away) to your evening routine, which was specially developed to work in harmony with her natural nightly sleep cycle.
• Make sure that your bedroom is dark or use the spray wellness aromatherapy eye mask

If you want to take care of your mental health, remember that it is the small, daily measures that we take to achieve a great effect. Use as many of these tools as you want to take care of your mind and always remember to speak to someone if you need further help. There is always someone who is more than ready to listen and help.