Tuesday 13 March 2012

Mental Health

You know, I was just thinking that a lot of you are tired out, after  the week-end Blogathon!!! I saw some amazing posts. 

I would like this week's post to be interactive. I have noticed that the  title Mental Health seems to connote negative and kind of scary emotions in people and they tend to just avoid it. Now, here's the plan.  I would like to change the name and I need your help.  I will let you know some ideas I have but I would truly like to know what YOU think,,,,,,, can't help the play on words here!!! 
I thought about Mind Health, Mind Musings, Thought Wellness....that's about it.  But I know you have great ideas. Just drop and idea in the "comment" box as I would really appreciate it.  Sorry, don't have a prize!

Taking care of your body is a powerful first step towards mental and emotional health. The mind and the body are linked. When you improve your physical health, you’ll automatically experience greater mental and emotional well-being. For example, exercise not only strengthens our heart and lungs, but also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals that energize us and lift our mood.
 
Some of  the things one can do to accomplish this are listed here.

  • Get enough rest. To have good mental and emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body. That includes getting enough sleep. Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep each night in order to function optimally.
  • Learn about good nutrition and practice it. The subject of nutrition is complicated and not always easy to put into practice. But the more you learn about what you eat and how it affects your energy and mood, the better you can feel.
  • Exercise to relieve stress and lift your mood. Exercise is a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety, and depression. Look for small ways to add activity to your day, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going on a short walk. To get the most mental health benefits, aim for 30 minutes or more of exercise per day.
  • Get a dose of sunlight every day. Sunlight lifts your mood, so try to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of sun per day. This can be done while exercising, gardening, or socializing.
  • Limit alcohol and avoid cigarettes and other drugs. These are stimulants that may unnaturally make you feel good in the short term, but have long-term negative consequences for mood and emotional health.
With spring almost here, or we hope it is anyway, it is a time of new beginnings and perhaps we can begin to put the time and effort ( yes, it does take effort) to be mindfully well.

Take care.



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Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.                                                           

 



8 comments:

  1. I liked your ideas. What about Thought Health or Positive Mentality?

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    1. Good ideas,Heather. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

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  2. Thanks for a great post! I shared on facebook!

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    1. Thanks, Savingwith Saveone, I appreciate that!

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  3. This is a wonderful post with lots of great information! I really notice a difference in my whole outlook when the days are dreary,there's is nothing quite like a sunny day to lift your spirits.

    As for a name...hmmm...what about "Wellness"

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  4. Thanks, Monica. I think I will go with just Wellness , and focus on Mind/Thought wellness, but it is a broader term and gives me a bit more leeway.!

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  5. The reason we think of mental health as negative is because we assume it means lack of mental health. It sounds weird to say we are mentally healthy. Wellness sounds good and great post!

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  6. Thanks, Callista, love the input!

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