8 Tips for your Mental Health
May is Mental Health Month so i have put together a few tips to nurture your mental health. You don’t have to make huge changes to feel a benefit. Listen to what your body and heart are telling you need to do.
1. Sleep
Sleep is the most important thing there is and is often a real challenge for those with health issues, head injuries, PTSD among other challenges. A few tweaks to your habits may help you get a longer, deeper sleep. Try going to bed earlier, set a bedtime alarm if necessary. Block out extra light especially from electronics. Stop using your phone an hour before bed and turn the lights down to get your brain into ‘going to bed mode’. Some breathing exercises and doing a body scan in your head can help you relax and nod off.
2. Get up and get light!
Get outside s soon as you can in the morning after you wake. Getting early light helps set your body clock for bedtime. Have your morning tea/coffee on the deck or in the garden and absorb that lovely light.
3. Cold Showers
There are so many benefits for your cardio-vascular and nervous systems. Check out Wim Hoff to get a more extreme approach. Start small with 30 seconds and build up to two minutes. Try and keep your breathing regular. You will get out of the shower invigorated.
4. Eat whole food
The more ultra-processed food you remove from your diet the better you will be. Sometimes it can be hard to eradicate something from your diet so try eating more whole foods and over time there will be less room in your meals for ultra-processed foods. Have some boiled eggs in the fridge for a filling snack. Bake some biscuits – its still a snack but you know exactly what is in it.
5. Gentle Exercise
Go for a walk for at least 20 minutes. You are not trying to set any personal best times, just enjoy it. Try to walk somewhere with trees or greenery as the green light that is reflected has been found to be very healing.
6. Get grounded!
Take your shoes and socks off and stand on some grass for 20 minutes, walk around your garden. Better still get to a beach and walk in the sand with the waves gently washing in over your feet. You might think this sounds silly but give it a go. It is wonderful.
7. Go on a date with yourself
Do something you love, whether it’s a trip to an art gallery, watching star trek re-runs, exploring antique shops, sitting in a café and reading a book. Whatever is your thing, because it’s to nourish to your soul.
8. Talk to a friend
Open yourself up to talk and listen and laugh. If you can, and if it’s appropriate, have a lovely long hug – 20 seconds to get that oxytocin pumping!
