Daily tips for improving your mental health

Maintaining positive mental health can be one of the biggest challenges in our modern society. Making small changes using these tips and tricks below can be a great start to applying change to your daily routine and can make all the difference in you feeling happier and healthier.

Meditation and mindfulness is a key way to stay present and in the moment.

START YOUR DAY RIGHT

Anxiety and stress can often be worst in the mornings so start your day with a positive morning routine to avoid triggering stress.

For example, simply start your day with a warm shower then enjoy a morning tea/coffee or even better some exercise too before reading any emails. That way you are energised and ready for the day and will be able to handle situations better.

EXERCISE YOUR BODY

We all know that exercise has positive effects on the body, not only does it release good endorphins and release tension, it helps to focus the mind and energise the body. This doesn't have to be a full gym workout, even taking a 20 minute walk before work or taking the stairs more throughout your day.

BREATHING EXERCISES AND MINDFULNESS

When we are stressed our breathing becomes shorter and shallower. By implementing meditative breathing techniques can make you feel much more relaxed and calmer. Start by taking deep, full breaths and exhaling slowly out of your mouth. Using an app such as 'Calm' or 'Headspace' is a great way to get conscious breathing in to your daily routine.

LET GO OF NEGATIVE WORDS FOR POSITIVE PHRASES

Do you catch yourself saying words like ‘never’, ‘none’, ‘no’, ‘can’t’ and ‘don’t’? Dwelling on problems and focusing on the past/future can send people in to negative thinking patterns which are both unhelpful and impinging on positive mental health. Start catching yourself and form new thinking habits to open your mind to more positive outcomes and possibilities.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Good quality sleep links to positive mental health, so if you’re burning the candle at both ends and not allowing your mind and body time to relax, you can get into a vicious cycle. Feeling exhausted is likely to accelerate feelings of anxiety, and this in turn will impact on your ability to sleep well. Incorporate a night time routine which relaxes you for example, a warm bath, facial cleanse, read book... and try to get minimum 8 hours per night.

MAKE DAILY LISTS

Making daily lists of gratitude may sound a little cheesy, however when we start to appreciate the things around us that we take for granted like our health, being able to eat good food, interacting with others, our mood shifts to more appreciative attitude and helps us to feel more connected and willing to accept things as they come. Make a list of 3-5 things per day and look over them when enjoying a cuppa.

TECH DETOX

It can be hard to move away from our phones when so much of our daily lives involve communication with friends, family, using Google to search answers to questions or to muse over social media. Switch off from technology (especially work emails) in the evening and make time to spend quality time with you and/or loved ones.

I hope you find these tips and tricks useful. If you have any other ideas, please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear more ideas.

Have a great day!

Lydia

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