As some of you may have been aware Mental Health Awareness day was Monday past.
This is something we are always very conflicted by for a few reasons. Mental health is something that should be discussed and focused on year round but I do think having a day where it is of particular focus is helpful for raising awareness.
Beyond that we very careful about 'stepping out our lane'. We are not medical professionals and we don't pretend to understand even 1/10th of how our brain works.
The danger of this is that we say nothing which I don't think is right either.
I myself have had periods of anxiousness in the past that I was very hesitant to speak about as they were nowhere near as 'bad' or prolonged as others I knew of. However if everyone shared this view then no one would discuss it.
I think most people at some point will have struggles mentally and indeed its estimated 1 in 4 people in England will suffer adverse mental health each year.
This is absolutely not to paint a picture of doom and gloom, as you know that isn't our style.
It's more to reassure any of you feeling this way that not only is it normal but other people you know and probably would never expect are feeling that way too and it does get better.
This is in absolutely no way medical advice but I just thought I'd share 5 things that I class as 'healthy' habits I have:
1- Sleep.
Number 1 most important IMO and there are many studies around sleep deprivation and mental health.
I am very aware this is FAR easier said than done. Anxiety and a restless mind make it very diff​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​cult to dose off before we even get to those of you with young kids, I can't even imagine the stress!
With that said If you aren't going to bed early and getting as much sleep as possible you are missing out on the lowest hanging fruit IMO.
2- Fresh Air/Sunlight.
I aim to be outside for a MINIMUM of 45 minutes per day. For those working from home it can be easy to stay cooped up all day particularly as the weather takes a turn but make a point of getting outside before work, at lunch and after even for 5-10 minutes.
3- Making My Bed.
So silly I know but I really find an unmade bed subconsciously stresses me out and plays on my mind. It sets your day off on the right foot if you make it first thing.
4- Time to myself.
Making even 10-20 minutes a day to read or walk and be with my own thoughts is absolutely invaluable.
5- Elevating my heart rate(slightly).
This comes with a caveat as I totally understand that when some people are anxious they don't want to do intense exercise as elevating their heart rate too much can cause panic.
That said, 2-3 times a week even a brisk walk or a bit of cardio has massive benefits.
I'd be keen to hear which of these habits you feel you could add into your routine or any others I may benefit from!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Komentáře