Looking after our mental health is so important these days and there are many reasons for doing so, alongside the general health and wellbeing of yourself.
Stress is becoming more and more a part of our lives at present, with so many variables such as the cost of living crisis, work, climate change and all manner of other day-to-day stresses creeping into our lives.
Too many of us let that get on top of us, and the likes of anxiety, depression and even addiction can enter our lives, dramatically changing them for the worse.
Many professionals are encouraging we take more care of our mental health and from addiction rehab centres like Primrose Lodge to therapists and TV experts are recommending mental health exercises to become part of your routine as we look to tackle such stresses.
So, to help you with your mental health, here are a few exercises you should give a go…
Practice yoga
We’ll start with the most obvious, yoga. Yoga has been an exercise to improve mental health for thousands of years and it’s commonly prescribed to people suffering with their mental health. Yoga relaxes and calms the mind as well as encourages focus, meaning you can think clearly about any problems you have and how to tackle them.
Desk meditation
If it’s at work where you mostly struggle, then why not meditate at your desk? This is becoming more of a common practice and it can just take a few minutes and make you feel all the better for it.
Here are a few top tips on how to do so.
Interact socially
We’re finding ourselves on our own more these days with the likes of remote working, but it’s so important to engage with others. Social interaction is a key part of your mental health, so make sure you take a few minutes to have a general natter throughout the day. That might even mean you set up a quick Zoom call with colleagues just to shoot the breeze for five minutes.
Laugh!
Laughter is so underrated, so do make sure you exercise those laughter muscles as you’ll certainly feel the benefit. Taking a moment to laugh can be the perfect way to lift your mood quickly, whether it be putting on your favourite TV comedy, listening to a podcast, or even taking a break from work for five minutes to read some jokes. It’ll reduce your stress levels and leave you feeling that little more optimistic.