As our well-being takes centre stage this World Mental Health Day, we remind ourselves of this essential but often-neglected fact:
Nurturing our mental health should take priority, as it affects our everyday lives and also determines how we handle stress. Mental health includes your emotions as well as your psychological and social well-being.
Also read: It’s okay to not be okay this World Mental Health Day
Just as we routinely check our physical health, it’s equally as important to practice self-care, as it not only reduces anxiety and stress and minimises frustration but also improves concentration and increases happiness and energy levels.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Looking for things to do in the city, at half the price? Get exclusive offers here.
Make time for your mental health with these 12 activities:
1. Do a daily mood check:
Take a moment every day to filter out the external and reflect on your emotional state. Consider how you’re feeling at that very moment and what events or thoughts might be influencing your current mood. Evaluate whether what you’re feeling is typical for you or a bit unfamiliar.
As you continue to do this every day, this simple practice will help increase your self-awareness and emotional patterns, making it easier for you to identify any concerning mood changes, should they occur.
2. Quiet your mind:
Whether you strike a few yoga poses, meditate or pray, find time to quiet your mind. With our fast-paced lives and the constant noise engulfing us both externally and internally, quieting your mind will bring a sense of calmness and improve your state of mind and perspective on life.
Create a cosy space in the house or a designated spot in the sun outside for your quiet time ritual. With practice, you’ll find yourself being more present in the moment, able to focus for longer periods of time and a lot less tense during your day-to-day responsibilities.
3. Go for a walk in nature:
Beyond being able to appreciate the simple beauty of our lush green spaces, walking in nature is proven to reduce depression, increase energy levels and boost well-being – not to mention getting an essential dose of vitamin D.
Bear in mind, no one is saying you need to walk a marathon each day or even hit the dreaded ’10 000 steps’ mark. Be practical about the amount of time you have available and your current fitness level to ensure walking nature becomes a stress reliever rather than an added stress.
4. Bring out the journal:
From the good and the bad to the ugly, we often don’t realise how much we bottle things up in our inner world. The act of journaling not only manifests the notion of ‘letting go’ but seeing our thoughts and feelings on paper also helps us to mindfully accept whatever it is we’re trying to express.
Take 20 to 40 minutes every day to dump your mind’s contents onto paper. The more often you do it, the more it will become second nature to record your thoughts and feelings and to free up your mind from the weight of the day.
5. Soak in a hot bath:
Soaking in a bath is a great way to slow down, ease the tensions of the day and improve your sleep while increasing mood-regulating hormones like serotonin.
Add some Epsom salts to soothe aches and pains and boost magnesium levels. While you’re at it, go all out by dimming the lights, light up your favourite scented candles and put on your best ‘me-time’ playlist.
6. Colour in the lines:
When it comes to mental health and wellness, colouring in is not just for the little ones. Colouring for just 20 minutes can help clear your mind, promote mindfulness and ease the feeling of anxiety.
Whether it’s mandalas, animals or intricate patterns of flowers and artwork, there are many adult colouring books available for purchase as well as free colouring pages online. For those who prefer to keep things digital, there are a number of colouring apps available too.
7. Stick to a routine:
As creatures of habit, humans love routines and we tend to feel a bit lost and useless without one. In addition to reducing the build-up of stress, having a routine also acts as a mental health check-in, making it easier to distinguish when you may be struggling in certain aspects of life.
Try to schedule a practical, realistic and easy-to-achieve routine, stick to it and reward yourself for doing so. However, be sure to remember that life, and you, are perfectly imperfect. Things may not always go to plan and that’s okay.
8. Log your sleep
It’s universal knowledge that sleep quality is closely linked to mental health, and we often feel the effects fairly quickly. Typically, adults should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night.
Pay attention to whether or not you’re having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up feeling croggy and tired.
9. Go be a lazy bum for 15 minutes:
The sun triggers the release of serotonin in your brain, which is associated with boosting your mood and helping you feel calm and focused.
So for 15 minutes, say ‘see you later’ to the stresses of daily life while you do nothing but bask in the rejuvenating sunlight we so often neglect.
10. Learn how to deal with stress:
Stress is here to stay; you can’t do anything about that. You can, however, do something about how you deal with stress by practising good coping skills or switching things up if you still find yourself struggling to cope.
Take time to identify your current sources of stress and how you’re coping with them. Pay attention to whether these stresses are manifesting physically, like tense muscles or headaches, or emotionally through mood swings or being short-tempered.
11. Keep good company:
As social creatures, our relationships play a significant role in our mental well-being. When life turns dark, we tend to find ourselves isolating more than usual. This is why reflecting on how often we make time to connect with our friends and family can often make all the difference in boosting our mental health.
People’s energies are infectious, so make sure to surround yourself with good people that radiate good, supportive and understanding energy.
12. Keep smiling:
Remember to laugh and just keep smiling. It’s proven that smiling changes your mood and alters your brain to view life’s situations with more clarity and less stress.
13. Believe that you are worthy:
Value yourself enough to avoid self-criticism. Be just as respectful and kind to yourself as you would be to anyone else and make time for the things you enjoy doing.
Additionally, remember that taking care of someone is a sacred form of love, making self-care one of the best ways you can show yourself love – after all, you deserve just as much love as you pour out for others.
14. Find help if you need it:
As strong and resilient as we can be, sometimes dealing with depression, trauma, substance abuse and overwhelming stress and anxiety becomes too difficult to bear alone.
In your times of need, don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) provides the following toll-free helplines:
24-hour helplines
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0800 567 567
- Department of Social Development Substance Abuse Helpline: 0800 12 13 14 | Sms 32312
- Cipla Mental Health Helpline: 0800 456 789 | Sms 31393
- NPOwer SA Helpline: 0800 515 515 | Sms 43010
- Healthcare Workers Care Network Helpline: 0800 21 21 21 | Sms 43001
- UFS #Fair Kitchens Chefs Helpline: 0800 006 333
8am to 8pm helplines
- Dr Reddy’s Mental Health Helpline: 0800 21 22 23
- Adcock Ingram Depression & Anxiety Helpline: 0800 70 80 90
- ADHD Helpline: 0800 55 44 33
- Pharma Dynamics Police & Trauma Helpline: 0800 20 50 26
- SADAG: 011 234 4837
Check out these budget-friendly offers under R100 000 and cruise through Cape Town in style. Find car listings.
Also read:
Study shows that WC adolescents have alarming mental health struggles
Picture: Fernando Jorge / Unsplash
