How To: Improve Your Mental Wellbeing

Unless you’ve just spent the last 18 months living on Mars you could do with learning how to improve your mental wellbeing. *She says peeling herself off the floor!* The end of last year completely floored me. In a Ross from Friends like fashion I thought I was ‘FINE!’. I was anything but fine and it was November before I even realised.

I’d been running on autopilot, completely disconnected and totally in denial of the fact I’d been running on fumes for much of the year. The result of which meant that not only was I physically run down, I was also mentally drained. The brain fog so heavy I would find thinking so hard that even keeping my balance began to become a chore!

Journaling

For the first time, in a long time (possibly not since the 90’s) I’ve been journalling. This time to consciously improve my wellbeing. Although, blogging is not too dissimilar, I’ve never really blurbed just to off load! However, if there’s one thing I think most of us have learnt from lockdown it’s that our wellbeing needs to reign King! It needs to be acknowledged and heard.

Whether you’re a morning person or an evening person journaling is not only easy to fit into your routine, it offers instant gratification! I use both a daily sketch/doodle book/journal as well as a bullet journal for organising tasks and daily goals.

Brain Exercises

Training your brain with brain exercises is a great way to begin building your cognitive resilience. The brain is arguably the most important organ of the body. It controls and coordinates everything we we think, feel and do.

Reading

Just by reading 10-30 minutes a day you can increase your cognitive ability. I’ve found the best way to find time to read has been to carry a book with me every where that I take my phone. I’ve not actively read for fun in years, my main reason for which being that with the kids I just don’t have time. And don’t get me wrong I can rarely get through chapters with the savages around, but there’s been plenty of times when I would have been just aimlessly scrolling through my phone that instead I’ve picked a book up instead.

Moving

Take out “for weight loss” or “hit” style exercise routines and just move. In what ever way feels natural to you, just move. Sway, walk, run, dance, jump, wave your arms, stretch. Moving for just 20 minutes a day can increase your mental health and help keep depression at bay.

Muscle atrophy is when muscles waste away. It’s usually caused by a lack of physical activity and can cause severe pain to your joints and limbs. Low level, consistent daily movement and stretching can help to keep muscles alive.

Drinking Water

The human body comprises around 60% water and although there’s little evidence around just how many glasses you should drink a day, staying hydrated is a must! Staying hydrated makes physical movement a lot easier. Dehydration is also the number one cause of migraines. Combated both is a vital way to improve your mental well being.

What do you do to improve your mental well being? Share your tips in the comments below.

All my thoughts,

Berrit x

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