💜 Mental Health Awareness Month 💜
... because you're not alone!
✨ My top 3 tips to boost your mental wellbeing ✨
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Tip 1: Make social connection — especially face-to-face — a priority and talk to someone 🙋🏽♀️🙋🏽♂️
Phone calls and social networks have their place, but few things can beat the stress-busting, mood-boosting power of quality face-to-face time with other people , especially those you love and people who energize you. Talk to a friendly face. If you have concerns, stresses or worries, sharing these with someone who cares is one of the most effective ways to calm your nervous system and relieve stress.
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Tip 2: Stay active and make leisure and contemplation a priority 🤸🏽♂️🏃🏽♀️
Staying active is as good for the brain as it is for the body. Regular exercise or activity can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health, relieve stress, improve memory, and help you sleep better. We can all be guilty of being "too busy" to take some down time, but leisure time is a necessity for emotional and mental health. Take some time to relax, contemplate, and pay attention to the positive things as you go about your day — even the small things. Write them down if you can, because they can be easy to forget. Then reflect on them later if your mood is in need of a boost.
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Tip 3: Get enough and good sleep and eat healthy food 🛏️🍽️
Anyone who has struggled with sleep will know what a difference it makes to our bodies, minds and ability to cope with life. Try to develop a relaxing bedtime routine to help you start winding down before you actually go to sleep and avoid TV and mobile screens, alcohol and caffeine before bed. How we eat is also important since food and drink affect our bodies, brains and mood - for good or bad. A balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fruit is essential for good physical and mental health.
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Tip 4: Get a dog — because dogs are wonderful companions 🐶
It's no secret that pets can contribute to your happiness. Studies show that dogs reduce stress, anxiety and depression; ease loneliness; encourage exercise and improve your overall health . For example, people with dogs tend to have lower blood pressure and are less likely to develop heart disease. Just playing with a dog has been shown to raise levels of the feel-good brain chemicals oxytocin and dopamine, creating positive feelings and bonding for both the person and their pet.
If you want to learn more about ways to improve your well being, visit
the
WHO's Mental Health Website
Coded by Laura Hermesmeier