As if life isn’t full enough of ups and downs and complications at the best of times – this last year has provided additional challenges for most, if not all of us. With constantly changing rules and regulations, limited social contact and additional stressors such as home schooling, loss of income, health anxieties and so much more, it’s no wonder that so many of us have found our mental health to be affected. Mental health and physical health often go hand in hand and so it’s essential that we do all we can to take care of them both. Whether you’re after a little or a lot more support with your mental health at this time, this week’s blog offers some things you can try straight away which may help to lighten the load and support you in looking after yourself in these challenging times.
1) Journaling– Sometimes the simple practice of getting our thoughts out of our head and onto paper can provide a huge sense of relief. Not only can it feel like literally unpacking all the baggage you’re carrying in your mind, but sometimes once we read things back they may seem less daunting and provide us with a greater sense of perspective. As we allow our thoughts to pour out uncensored, we may identify feelings or solutions we hadn’t noticed before. There are many different types of journaling and it’s a good idea to experiment and find what suits you best. You may also find that different methods suit you at different times dependent on how you’re felling and the particular issues you’re facing. 3 types of journaling you may try are:
Gratitude journaling – This is unique in that you’re focusing purely on the positives. As the title suggests, you’re reflecting on all the things in your life that you’re grateful for. Practiced regularly, gratitude journaling helps to promote a more positive outlook on life and teaches us to identify things that we’re grateful for more easily when we may heave previously overlooked them.
Stream of conscious journaling/ brain dump – This involves writing constantly for a certain amount of time with no set topic or focus. It’s designed to allow us to pour everything out onto the page and not have to worry about the order of thoughts or trying to ‘make sense’ in what we’re writing. It can provide a great sense of relief as thoughts that may have been lingering in the back of our mind and taking up space may come to the forefront as we run out of things to write. If nothing else, it can help us to realise just how much we have on our mind at any one time and remind us to be kind to ourselves as we’re doing the best we can in a complicated and often busy world! It can be done in bullet points if you prefer.
Guided/ prompted journaling – This can be very useful if you’re new to journaling or find it difficult to know where to begin or what to write. Guided journaling gives us a focus for each session with prompts such as ‘What are you grateful for today?’, ‘What went well today?’, ‘What’s one thing you’d love to do but have never got round to?’ and ‘Who would you like to reach out to who you haven’t spoken to in a while?’ It can help us to notice thoughts and feelings that we may have otherwise missed and to direct our actions to help us live our happiest and most fulfilling life. You can find many more journal prompts with a simple online search.
2) Mindfulness / meditation – Mindfulness and meditation are all about being in the present moment. This can be incredibly useful as when we’re feeling anxious and stressed we are often looking back to the past or forwards to the future (or even both), which can trigger feelings of lack of control and overwhelm. Simple practices such as breathing techniques and body scans can give us a brief break from worries and stressors and ground us back into the present moment to check in with our bodies and minds. This can help to reduce blood pressure, slow our heart rate and encourage a sense of calm. There are many different ways to practice mindfulness and meditation and whilst sitting listening to soothing voices or focusing on the breath helps some people, others may prefer a more creative way of being in the moment. Anything that demands your full attention and allows you to let go of any thoughts or anxieties, especially about the past or present, can help us to get into the state of ‘flow.’ This may include painting, writing, reading, doing a jigsaw, playing with pets or children, being in nature and much more. Again, there’s much more information about mindfulness and meditation online as well as guided sessions if you don’t know how to start!
3) Exercise – There are many studies supporting the idea that exercise can help with mental health in several ways. Quite often, whilst working out, we become so focused on what our body is doing that any thoughts making us feel stressed or anxious are temporarily pushed out of our mind which can provide a welcome relief. This can almost act as a mental vacation if certain thoughts have been taking over our mind and we can come back to the issue later feeling refreshed and energised. Exercise can help to decrease muscle tension which can be a symptom of stress and anxiety and in affecting our physical state it can have a knock-on effect on our psychological state. Yoga and stretching may be particularly beneficial for muscle tension. Exercise increases blood circulation the brain which can help us to think more clearly and with a greater sense of perspective and it can also support healthy sleeping patterns which are crucial for good mental health and are often affected in times of stress and worry. Levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are reduced with exercise and endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators) are produced, once again demonstrating both physical and psychological benefits. Longer-term, exercise can help to increase confidence and self esteem which can be linked to low mood and poor mental health.
Whilst exercise may be one of the last things you want to do when you’re feeling stressed and low, you don’t have to push yourself to your physical limits and it’s important to listen to your body. A gentle walk, a dance around your front room or a calming yoga session may be all you need to feel the benefits so go with what appeals to you most and you can guarantee your body and brain will thank you. If motivation is still an issue, check out my previous blog for some top tips to get yourself moving when your get up and go has got up and gone.
4) Talk it out – I’m sure most of us have heard the age-old saying that ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ and with statistics to support the success of talking therapies such as counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for mental health conditions including anxiety, Post- traumatic Stress Disorder and depression, it seems that for many of us the saying is true. Whether you feel more comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings with a close friend, family member or your GP or another healthcare professional – it’s important not to dwell alone with your thoughts. You may be surprised how many others feel the same way or have been in a similar situation in the past which can reduce the isolation often felt when our brains don’t feel like the best place. Additionally, loved ones and healthcare professionals are often kinder with us than we are with ourselves and may help to soothe our worries and stresses. They often offer alternative viewpoints that can help us to shift our thinking to a more positive perspective and again lighten the load of the thoughts we are carrying. If you need immediate help you can always call dedicated mental health helplines such as Samaritans on 116 123 (24 hour support line).
The key factor to remember when it comes to our mental health is that, just like our physical health, there are plenty of things we can do to support ourselves. If we start to notice that things don’t feel their best, we can make simple lifestyle changes or seek professional advice where necessary to ensure that issues don’t worsen or continue to negatively affect us. Let me know if you try any of the above techniques or if there’s anything else that helps you to manage stress and anxiety, and make sure you look after yourself in these challenging times more than ever before.
Bev Meakin – Personal Trainer/ Exercise Referral Officer and Complementary Therapist. Instagram @bevs_life