People talk about “mental health” when they often mean “mental ill-health” or “mental-illness”. We all have ‘mental health’, just as we have ‘physical health’ and it changes throughout our life-time and even over the course of the day. Please care for, safeguard and protect your mental health because it is precious. The more you protect and look after it, the better able you will be to deal with life’s curveballs. Here are some reminders to help protect your mental health:
“Mind your body to mind your mind”. Eat well and regularly. Include natural foods. Increase intake of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, beans and live yogurt. Include protein and fatty acids (oily fish, almonds, avocados etc). Avoid alcohol, trans fats, caffeine and high-sugar and processed foods. Cook your own meals. Stay hydrated with water.
Get your sleeping pattern in order. Ensure you get sufficient, good quality, uninterrupted sleep.
Exercise, movement, physical activity – we all know what we should be doing but there’s a big divide between knowledge and behaviour! Decide to move more and do it! Start small and build over time. Baby steps in the right direction are better than no steps! Celebrating those steps can help keep you motivated. Use the stairs, dance or go for a walk. I have a fridge magnet that says “housework won’t kill you but why take the risk” but one way to increase your movement is to do physical chores around the house like hoovering, dusting or cleaning windows. Being physically active helps you feel good and is great for your emotional wellbeing.
Set realistic goals – short, medium and long term. Acknowledge each achievement. Keep focused on the future – the best of life has yet to come.
Do things that you enjoy doing – gardening, painting, baking etc. Be creative when you can.
Give. This can be something small like holding open a door, saluting someone, making eye contact and smiling. Give your time by volunteering or give your energy by doing something nice for others – giving makes us feel good.
Always be kind. Kindness is the universal language. When we help others feel good we feel good.
Try to spot the good things in life and be grateful. Gratitude safeguards our mental health.
Spend time with people that are easy to be with.
Learn to say “no”.
Meet someone for a coffee or for a walk and a chat.
Join a club or start a club. We need social connections.
Stop being too busy to do the things you love and make the time.
Give yourself a break from technology and this includes the tv! Do something practical like read a book, bake, colour, draw, chat, get outside in nature, journal about your day, take a bubbly bath – there are so many things to do instead of being plonked in front of the tv.
Do something outside of your comfort zone, outside of your usual routine. When you feel discomfort in a safe environment/setting, remind yourself that it’s healthy and good.
Stop comparing.
Accept yourself as you are. You’re perfect. There is only one of you.
Be gentle with yourself when things go wrong. Praise you when things go right.
Learn how to relax and live with stress. Take up yoga or Tai-Chi, read a magazine, play with your children or a pet, listen to great music, sing out loud, write poetry, stand outdoors and admire the trees or the skyline.
Take time alone for yourself by yourself every day. I sit in my car when I return from work before I enter my house so that I leave work outside my home.
Smile. It brightens up those around you and also your face!
Learn how to control your breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose, hold for a couple of seconds, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Breathe into your tummy rather than into your upper chest. Do this for a couple of minutes a couple of times a day. We all have to take bathroom breaks so why not breathe slowly and deeply every time you’re in the bathroom or when you wash your hands or turn on the kettle. There are opportunities for calm breathine but you must be disciplined! You’re worth the effort!
Get help. If you need it, ask for it. No one needs to face a problem on their own. We are better when we work together.
Find someone with whom you can talk about your issues or difficulties. If that person is a professional such as a counsellor, doctor, psychotherapist, psychologist, you can rest assured that whatever you say will be kept confidential.
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Years ago, when I woke in the middle of the night, sleep would simply elude me and I would start to anticipate how exhausted I was going to be the following day! I’d even calculate the remaining hours I had in bed. That’s not very relaxing!
Now, instead of getting anxious about being awake in the middle of the night, I reassure myself that I will not stay awake forever, that eventually I will sleep and my body and mind know exactly what they are doing!
Over the years I have learned a few techniques which help with falling asleep and returning to sleep once woken. What works for me nowadays is busying my brain with maths problems whilst paying attention to my breathing. My mind gets tired and I sleep. Sounds too simple? It works for me but it took a while before I reached the sweet spot where my brain associated sleep with adding numbers together!
If you are not keen on counting or adding numbers like 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 etc., perhaps try listing every car or colour or boy’s name that you know starting with the letter A and work your way through the alphabet. For example, Audi, Bentley, Cadillac / Apple, Banana, Cherry / Adam, Brian, Charlie, etc. Make a mistake and start from the beginning – the idea is that your mind is engaged because you’ve given it a task to do instead of worrying and your brain slows down and you fall asleep. It won’t happen the first night but be persistent and eventually it should work because your mind will associate listing with sleeping. That’s the goal here – creating an association with sleep and your bed.
Go to bed and get up at a set time and stick to those times – even on weekends or days off only allow yourself a one-hour lie-in. This might not be possible if you’re working shifts or have small children or health problems. Try to keep to a routine and do the same things every night so you are sending signals to your body and mind that you are preparing for going to bed to sleep.
Have a wind-down time: put on your pyjamas, brush your teeth, read a book but avoid your mobile, computer and all forms of hand-held screens before sleep time. Having a shower before bedtime can also help with sleep as our core body temperature drops when we sleep and after having a shower, so it can be a good sleep aid.
Not only is caffeine found in coffee and tea, but also in cola, chocolate, and energy drinks. Enjoy your morning coffee if you wish but avoid caffeine from lunchtime onwards. Even if you are able to fall asleep easily, caffeine affects the quality of your sleep. Going without caffeine for just one day can improve sleep quality.
Alcohol may seem to aid sleep but actually impairs sleep quality. It disrupts the natural sleep cycle and diminishes REM sleep, which is important for mental restoration. Avoid drinking alcohol to unwind or to fall asleep.
Ensure your bedroom is conducive to sleep: relaxed, tidy, and cool. De-cluttering can create a calming environment that feels good to spend time in.
Keep bedrooms free from technology and bright lights at night. Light inhibits melatonin production, a hormone essential for sleep. Avoid watching television in bed to ensure the brain associates the bed with sleeping and not stimulation.
Your bed is for adult fun and for sleeping – not for worrying or stressing. Calmly reassure yourself that your body knows when to sleep. Avoid counting down the hours or catastrophising about lack of sleep.
Calm breathing is an excellent sleep aid. Journaling, particularly gratitude journaling, can also support relaxation. Write three positive things daily, even small joys, to help shift your focus towards calmness and contentment.
Views on naps vary: if you must nap, keep it short (no longer than 30 minutes) and avoid napping after 3.00pm. Those with disrupted nighttime sleep due to small children or health issues should rest when needed.
If your alarm feels jarring every morning, aim to gradually go to bed earlier. Ideally, waking without an alarm means you are naturally rested.
Exercise supports sleep but avoid late evening workouts. Similarly, avoid heavy meals before bedtime but do not go to bed hungry. Exposure to daylight every day also benefits your mood and sleep-wake cycle.
Keep a notebook beside your bed. If worries wake you, jot them down to deal with in the morning. Converting worries into a ‘to-do list’ can be empowering. Avoid using your phone to take notes to prevent screen stimulation.
Dr Wendy Troxel notes that “great sleep is the new great sex.” Sleep is critical for emotional regulation, resilience, and physical health. Sleep requirements vary, but the quality of sleep is crucial for all.
Poor sleep can lead to increased blood pressure, higher stress, weight gain, impaired memory, and cognitive decline. As adults, we too suffer irritability and reduced functioning from sleep deprivation. Sleep is vital for every aspect of our wellbeing.
If you have difficulty sleeping for a prolonged period, it is advisable to consult your doctor or medical adviser. You deserve restful, restorative sleep.
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