Everyone wants to keep themselves healthy, especially as far as mental health is concerned.
People adopt different methods of boosting their mental health which may involve doing exercise or yoga on regular basis or doing meditation for specific time period in a day. People love to do things that they feel more comfortable to carry on regular basis.
Of course, different methods for achieving mental relaxation may not be suitable for everyone. For example, if a person is suffering from spinal injury, then he or she may not be able to exercise or do yoga, as obviously that may cause further damage.
Likewise, a person shall adopt such a method for mental relaxation which makes him feel better and subsequently happier, such as dancing instead of going to gym. In such cases, the benefits of dancing on mental health are much greater than spending same time at gym.
Therapists recommend patients different activities for improving their mental health, and some of those have been listed below. You need to pick and choose the ones you find applicable to your specific needs.
Prioritize Your Worries According To Time
Thinking about your problems the entire day without prioritizing them according to their time-specific requirements will keep your cortisol level high throughout the day, making you prone to developing stress. Overthinking never provides a better resolution to your problems, that is for sure.
Hence, it is better to designate a specific time of day to resolving your worries, during which you may focus only on resolution of your problems. It is a good practice to jot down all that’s bothering you on a piece of paper. This will help in prioritizing your worries and leave the rest of your day for other matters which require your attention.
Laugh More
Things which make you laugh and feel better need to be done more, as laughter is definitely the best medicine.
Research shows that laughter has its impact on reducing pain and lowering blood pressure. Making humor part of your daily routine can obviously be challenging, since it is not always possible to find the humor in everything and under all circumstances.
For this reason, one should identify situations and circumstances which provide a positive environment, and then spend a considerable amount of time experiencing them. It’s simple to do.
You can watch a comedy film, cook, paint, dance, or spend time with friends and family, especially those you know have the capability to make you laugh. It sounds selfish, but with a hectic routine, it’s important to surround yourself with such people and include such activities in your daily life.
Keep Your Body Warm
Stress, depression and anxiety get worse when body temperature is low, at least that’s what the science says. This is because the motion of fluids in your body is slowed down in cold weather which impacts your kidneys.
Hence, it’s recommended that you consume warm fluids and restrain the intake of cold fluids. This is also why that cup of hot chocolate feels so good, as it helps your body achieve optimal temperatures. You can also consume vegetable soup as that also helps in regulating the hormonal balance in your body apart from regulating body temperature.
Indulge in Effective Breathing
Breathing is a very powerful tool when it comes to managing stress and anxiety. Different therapists recommend breathing exercises to their patients according to their individual requirements.
One breathing exercise which is recommended by many therapists involves exhaling your breath completely and then inhaling through the nose by counting silently from 1 to 4. After inhaling, you need to hold your breath and count silently from 1 to 7, and then exhaling while counting from 1 to 8.
Studies have shown that this exercise effectively reduces stress by slowing down the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. The good thing about this exercise is that it can be performed anytime and at any place.
Brush Off Anxiety
The good news is that this technique of brushing off your anxiety and stress is very easy to perform. It involves taking your palm and moving it around your body from head to toe.
You need to assume that you are brushing off stress with the movement of your palm. This technique can also be practiced using a brush with soft bristles, if you want to get too literal with it.