Looking After Your Mental Health
It's Mental Health Awareness Week this week and in these times of lock
down and limitations it's important to look after not only your physical health
but your mental health too.
Corona virus has affected all aspects of our lives and the constant news about the pandemic can feel never-ending.
It's easy for those who are managing OK to overlook that there are those who are struggling. And let's be honest we've all struggled at one time an another. I know I have.
Looking after yourself is important and these few things may help if you're struggling. Remember. It's OK not to be OK.
Taken form Google.
Practise self-care
It's easy to slip
into the habit of sleeping late, spending all day in your pyjamas and eating
junk food, but looking after yourself is essential for your mental health. Even
simple tasks such as washing your face can feel difficult sometimes, but they
can make a big difference to the way you feel.
Exercise if you can
Getting moving is easier said than done when you
feel low or anxious, but it can significantly boost your mood. If
you are well enough, exercise is really good for mental as well as physical
well-being. Find music that helps boost your mood. If you are able, get into
your garden and get daily doses of sunshine.
Set up buddy groups
Set up a "buddy group" with family or
friends and regularly check in with people, either online or by phone. That
way, you can offer support to anyone struggling or reach out to others if you
need to. Even just sending daily updates can help us feel more connected
and less alone during these difficult times.
Distract yourself
Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help
offload any worries and fears you may have. It's also important to try to keep
busy, whether that means going for a daily walk or learning a new skill. There
are still plenty of activities you can engage with at home, including crafts,
painting, reading, cooking and baking.
Be
kind to yourself
If you don't feel up to doing anything, though, that's fine too. It's important to be kind to yourself and recognise when you need a break. Try to relax and focus on positive things, knowing that every effort is being made globally to bring this situation to a close, but it will take time.
Wise advice. My daughter struggles with anxiety at the best of times and I am surprised by how she is coping. We have to remember to be kind to ourselves while being kind to others, we're all experiencing things in our own ways and what is fine for one is not for another. The worst thing we can do is try to compare how we are coping with other people.
ReplyDeleteThank you Liz for sharing this. This has definitely been a time of challenges for many of us, introvert or not. I did not realize how much I was slipping into supreme nurturer, making sure everyone else was ok before myself, which certainly drained me. It also made me think I had control of the situation. Our county health team has put together several videos for mental & emotional well being, which is now part of my daily fitness program. Oxygen Mask on first before putting on everyone else's.
ReplyDeleteDebs you're right. Comparing ourselves to others is something we all do even though we know we shouldn't. I think we all need to look after ourselves once in a while.
ReplyDeleteLots of good ideas here - but, alas, it is so much easier to fall into bad habits or neglect rather than good habits and nurturing. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see something negative I try to think of a positive too. Sadly it doesn't always work!!
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