Mental Health Awareness Month – It’s time to check in on yourself and your friends!
Let’s all get some self-care and become mentally aware
It cannot be overstated: mental health matters. Currently, 1 in 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. What’s really unsettling is that mental health issues frequently go unidentified and untreated.
Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s take stock of our mental health and prioritize one of the best methods for beginning one’s mental health journey—self-care.
The Mind-Body Connection: Why Self-Care Matters
It can be easy to think of the mind as separate from all other components of the self. However, mental health is tied to our physical, psychological, spiritual, social, and emotional well-being.
Because of this, mental health can affect nearly every aspect of life from how we engage with stressors and make decisions to how we interact with others. Also, mental health can influence how our bodies cope with illnesses.
In fact, poor mental health can increase the risk of chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and stokes. Self-care, on the other hand, can mitigate such health issues. It can also provide significant stress relief.
Self-care is intentionally cultivating practices that will increase one’s overall health and well-being.
Self-care has been linked to the following:
- Reducing cortisol (the stress hormone) levels
- Boosting energy levels
- Lowering the chances for burnout
- Improving resilience
- Increasing mindfulness
- Boosting mood
- Increasing anxiety relief
With all of the positive potential of self-care, there’s nothing to lose in giving it a go!
Self-Care Practices for Mental Wellness
The term self-care can conjure images of a lavish spa day or an exotic vacation. In reality, self-love rituals more often consist of small actions that cost nothing at all.
When it comes to self-care, start with the basics. Take inventory of your diet, sleep, and exercise.
- Do most of your meals consist of nutrient-rich foods rather than processed foods?
- Approximately, how many hours of sleep to you get each night?
- Do you incorporate movement daily?
Beyond the basics, there are a myriad of ways to engage in self-care. Check out our self-care tips:
1. Mindfulness Practices
Conduct a body scan- This is a physical check-in of sorts. Still your body, then slowly assess each part of the body. Are your shoulders stiff? Why? Are your legs restless? Would they benefit from a walk?
With a few spare moments, select an affirmation that you might mentally repeat. If your mind wanders, it’s okay. Come back to that affirmation and see what feelings it evokes.
Do a breathing exercise- Throughout the day, slow down and inhale with your nose for 4 counts and exhale through your mouth for 4 counts. Breathing exercises can be very grounding.
3. Self-reflection
Journal- Writing through thoughts and emotions has a way of bringing order to the chaos of the mind. Also, journaling can be incredibly healing. Fun fact: this is a favorite self-care method for me!
Practice gratitude- Think of at least one good thing that occurred during your day. Perhaps write it down. This helps remind us that any given day is typically not all bad.
List your goals- Do a progress report on your current goals to see if you’re on track or if you need to tweak your expectations of yourself.
4. Movement-based Activities
Take a walk- Get into nature! Venture outside and stroll for as long as you need or want. Fresh air can work wonders on an anxious mind.
Go to a yoga class- Stretching the body and creating elegant poses engages various muscle groups and helps undo any tension.
Workout- Cardio, weightlifting, etc. flood the body with feel-good hormones such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine.
Wake and sleep without a phone- If you have a hard time getting up or falling asleep, it could be because you’re bookending your day with your phone which contains many outlets for stressors. I speak from experience—the freedom is exhilarating!
Turn off notifications- Reclaim your time by refusing to be constantly interrupted.
Try a tech-free weekend- Fast from screens for 2 days and reassess after. Unplug and unwind.
In addition to the above self-care tips, you’re more than welcome to customize your self-care activities to meet your specific needs and wants.
For me, spending time with family and friends, drinking third-wave coffee, and reading books are at the top of my list for self-care.
4 Books that nurture the mind and soul to get you that self-care and mentally aware
Great for holistic wellness seekers!
The Gifts of Imperfection
by Brené Brown
A motivational and inspiring guide to wholehearted living. In this groundbreaking self-help classic, Brown helps readers find the courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness so that they can believe they are worthy of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love.
The Comfort Book
by Matt Haig
Named by The Washington Post as one of the best feel-good books of the year
An uplifting book from Haig, the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Midnight Library, for anyone in search of hope.
Incorporating a diverse array of sources from across the world—history, science, and his own experiences—Haig offers warmth and reassurance, reminding us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and unpredictability of existence.
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modernworld
by John Mark Comer – John Ortberg
“Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.”
Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much distress.
Within the pages of this book, you’ll find a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.
Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking
by Jon Acuff
Overthinking isn’t a personality trait. It’s the sneakiest form of fear.
Popular speaker and New York Times-bestselling author, Acuff, takes a refreshingly honest and humorous look at overthinking—identifying what it masquerades as (being prepared), calling it what it really is (fear), and offering a simple plan to turn it from a super problem into a superpower.
Creating a Sustainable Self-Care Routine
We all have limits whether it’s time, energy, money, etc. It’s important to note those limits before establishing a self-care routine. Every book I’ve read about goals and habits offer this piece of advice early on: dream big, but start small.
Doing one small thing is better than doing nothing. And doing small things consistently is better than doing big things sporadically. Small, everyday rituals give way to significant changes.
