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When we think of our overall health, the first thing that comes to mind is physical. Do I have any aches and pains? Are my teeth intact? Do I have a fever? Why won’t this bruise go away? While physical health is, of course, an incredibly important component of our day to day life, mental health often gets swept under the rug and forgotten. With so many daily stressors, it’s important to take some time to keep your mental health in check as well. Ranging from a little meditation to an entire week at a spa, here are a few ways to get centered, focused, and prepared to tackle your day by strengthening your mental health.
Take a yoga class. While practicing mindful breathing, your nervous system calms down. Anxiety reduces and you will feel more relaxed. The calmness that washes over you can help you prepare for upcoming events that were perhaps viewed as stressful. After a good hour of yoga in the gym, you will feel refreshed and ready to take on the day (or night)!
Meditate. Though the thought of sitting for hours on end in silence is likely impractical, a few minutes per day to focus on having an empty mind is doable. Consider sitting in a quiet room, perhaps repeating a mantra, listening to a repetitive instrument or counting beads. Leave all your worries behind for a while and focus on your breath.
Read a book. There’s no better way to forget all about your own problems than to get sucked into a good book. Easy to pick up whenever you have a minute, a good book can be on your phone or in paperback. Sometimes it’s the little things that we stop to do that make all of the difference.
Watch your favorite movie. Sometimes just having the drowning sound of the television on in the background is all it takes to quiet the mind. Watching one of your favorite movies is great because you don’t have to concentrate on the story. You already know what is about to happen and are prepared to feel content with the outcome.
Go to a wellness spa. If an hour of meditation just isn’t going to cut it, consider going to a wellness spa. Depending on time and money constraints, you could do a massage and facial for a few hours, or opt to stay home and try a detox for a week. While this may seem excessive, sometimes it takes a little extra to get our minds focused and our bodies fully healed.
When it comes to mental health, don’t be afraid to be selfish. You have to decide how you are feeling and what makes you the happiest and stress-free. Maybe add a yoga class to your routine once a week to switch things up. Perhaps a seven-day wellness retreat in Portugal is for you. Regardless of how you go about finding mental stability, don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t important. Try to implement just one of these practices into your daily routine and hopefully your stress levels will decrease.
