Five Manageable Ways to Support your Mental Health and Wellbeing
Today’s society and mental health
Currently statistics paint a picture of increasing numbers of people reporting mental health issues. Research shows depression and anxiety are more prevalent year on year. We live in a world of increasing pressures and stress. The question to consider is, ‘How can we help ourselves in the current climate?’
Why pay attention to our mental health
Mental health affects our quality of life. When our mental health is good, we can deal with challenges creatively and with imagination. We feel motivated and we have energy to meet challenges. We feel more joy. When our mental health is not so good, we can feel ‘shut down’. We lose some, or nearly all, of our ability to think of fresh answers, to tap into our imagination and creativity. Our motivation can drop and our energy slows down. Life can become a struggle when our wellbeing is reduced or diminished.
Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly recognised that our physical health is connected to our mental health. We are holistic beings and looking after our mental health is a benefit to our physical health, too.
Thinking about our wellbeing
When we are aware of stress and the pressures of life around us, we can take action to support ourselves through this time. However, no two people are exactly the same. The reality is that everyone is unique. Jo may find running is an exercise which gives them a mental boost, delivering a feel good factor. On the other hand, Sam might find running to be a real ‘no-no’, preferring judo or dancing as an exercise that suits them. Science tells us that running brings mental health benefits but if you feel it is not for you, consider other exercise options. Keep in mind the thought of finding something that works for you.
Ideas you may want to consider
If you want to take care of your mental wellbeing here are some suggestions you may wish to bring into your weekly habits and routines.
1) Time in green spaces.
Forest bathing is becoming increasingly popular. It is a borrow from Japanese culture, ‘shinrin-yoku’; ‘shinrin’ means forest and ‘yoku’ means bath. Forest bathing is the exercise of absorbing the forest surroundings through all our senses. Hearing the rustle of the leaves or the singing of the birds, seeing the different colours of bark and leaf, the patterns on the bark of trees or the veins on the leaves, smelling the earth, touching the tree trunks, leaves, noticing the crunch of your feet on the path. You may notice differently to me. Whichever way you pay attention to the surroundings is exactly right for you. You may find yourself drawn to the visual experience, whereas someone else may find themselves focusing on the sounds. There is no ‘one size fits all’. The aim is to allow all of your senses to find something in the environment.
In the 1980’s, several studies in Japan reported that time in the forest led to the benefits of lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels and improved memory and focus. Cortisol is a stress hormone. Clearly an activity which can lower levels of cortisol in the body is allowing the restorative process to move us to a balanced experiencing of life.
2) Journalling
The act of journalling has benefits for mental health. Keeping a journal, where you can express your thoughts and feelings, gives you time to consider what is working for you. As you start to write about an event or some thoughts that have been coming up for you, new thoughts may emerge. It can be a beneficial exploration. As your awareness around what is meaningful to you and what is helpful to you, as well as, what is not helpful to you grows, you may start to consider other ways of doing things. Ideas on changes you can make to improve your wellbeing begin to emerge and you find you have more options available to you.
On a practical level, journalling is very easy to fit into your life. You just need some paper and a pen. You can choose a time to journal around your schedule, you may find a daily journal appeals to you or a couple of times a week. There is no need to think about spelling, grammar or structure. No one has to read it. You can choose to keep it private. You have the opportunity to consider and think through aspects of your life in a way which works for you.
3) Celebrating your successes
Today’s world is full of demands and expectations, celebrating success is sometimes overlooked as the next task comes into view. What does success mean to you? As individuals, success is available to everyone and it can look different to everyone. However, society models going for the big successes. Let us not forget the small successes. They are every bit as important. Examples of successes can look like reading 5 pages of a novel (or maybe 1 page), trying a new recipe, going for a swim or making a phone call you may have been putting off. As you give some thought to your day, you may find there have been regular successes to celebrate.
When we recognise our small successes, we feel lifted. We are paying attention to our worth. If you think of yourself as gaining small wins, how does that affect you? Compare that to commenting to yourself, it was nothing and dismissing your success. The two scenarios produce different emotions. One set of emotions are positive and supporting and the other set of emotions bring the feeling of ‘not good enough’. The recognition of success can support you. It can help build confidence, self esteem and motivation.
Keep track of your small wins each day. At the end of the day, give some thought to 3 small wins that meant something to you. It might be getting out of the house, cooking a healthy meal or washing the car. You may wish to write it down or quietly congratulate yourself. If you have achieved something, you can enjoy the accomplishment. You did do it, why not enjoy the accomplishment!
4) Gardening
Exercise is beneficial to our mental health and gardening provides exercise. Weeding, digging, mowing, raking are forms of physical exercise. Gardening is outside in nature and we have looked at the benefits of nature already in this piece.
The gardening calendar of preparing, planting and harvesting creates connection to the natural cycle of the seasons. The planning and tending to plants and seedlings provides a sense of enjoyment and achievement. The British Psychological Society reports many benefits from gardening activities including the reduction of stress levels and a decrease in anxiety and depression symptoms.
5) Colouring
Colouring is a mindful activity. As you plan and choose your colours and designs, your mind becomes absorbed in the activity. This gives your mind the opportunity to move away from stressful thoughts. Colouring can also provide a sense of satisfaction and achievement. It is another activity which is relatively easy to fit into the day and can be part of a wind down in the evening.
The Mayo Clinic Health System website states: ‘Colouring is a healthy way to relieve stress. It calms the brain and helps your body relax. This can improve sleep and fatigue while decreasing body aches, heart rate, respiration and feelings of depression and anxiety.’
When you wish for support
If you wish for support with your wellbeing, these are some suggestions of beneficial activities and habits you can consider. Whilst each suggestion does not offer a complete solution in itself, you may find something which helps you. Every person in the world is unique and you may think of another activity which appeals to you which I have not mentioned here. Instead of colouring, you may enjoy collage, or you may enjoy a different form of exercise.
If you have feelings of depression or anxiety that are persisting over time, the advice is to seek professional support. Seeking help can be daunting, yet, it can bring the changes you want. As the world moves forward into increasingly stressful times, it is becoming more neccesary to look around at different ways of taking care of our mental and emotional wellbeing.
I wish you well.