Shorter days naturally take a toll on mental health. Less Vitamin D, less fresh air (when it gets too cold), often less exercise, and, the old fallacy is sort of true: our moods can be tied to the weather. Don’t wait until January to make a resolution, make one right now to support your mental health. If you are looking for extra support, take a supportive herbal supplement like D.S.A. MGRx.
Last week the WHO had a World Mental Health Day. And we can all use one, with contentious politics, natural disasters and other tragedies beeping at us from our phone each day on top of our own personal challenges. Here are some small (but not all easy) steps you could take to boost your mental health:
Start by taking a break from your phone. There are lots of reasons phones may contribute to poor mental health: using them can be unsocial, the light interferes with natural sleep rhythms, and what you read might not be very nice. Don’t check the news elsewhere while you’re on your break—instead, find a way to engage your other senses (like in nature!). Root yourself in the now with taste, touch, smell, and sound and sight from something else.
Scheduling a screen break before bed might make this next mental health boost easier: try going to bed a little earlier (even just ten minutes). Lack of sleep can mimic the symptoms of depression and anxiety, so make sure that’s not the underlying cause of any symptoms. And when you do head to bed, try making the last thing you do something other than looking at your phone.
If you’re trying to boost your mental health, it’s important to note the obvious so you don’t skip it: get some exercise, and be sure to eat nutritious, brain boosting foods like healthy fats and berries. (A mild 10 minutes each day is a great starting place for exercise!).
Don’t overlook your resources. If you have vacation time, use it! Record keeping agencies note that vacation time goes to waste in all sorts of jobs—but you’ll perform better, and feel better, if you use it! Whether it’s occasional mental health days or a full week shaking off the mundane for something new, give your brain a break.
And finally, don’t rule out therapy. These days, there’s an app for that—so cost, scheduling, and other impediments aren’t as big a deal as they once were. While not everyone can just talk away their problems, it does help with a large number of cases, so if the basics fail you, give it a try.
Take a break when you need it. Get support when you need it. Work your way up from small solutions to the bigger ones. And make try using herbal mood support along the way, like D.S.A. MGRx. It’s non-addictive, has minimal side-effects, and lets you feel for how much you need.
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