The mind and body are often seen as separate, but mental health and physical health are closely related. Having good mental health can positively affect your physical health, as well as the reverse.
Stress Management: Keys To Coping With Stress
One of the best ways to start managing stress is to focus on your daily habits and routines. Do you have the so-called “basics” covered? You have heard and maybe even read about them before: exercising, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and so on. But have you evaluated how well you do each of these well-being habits and even if you are doing them consistently? Consistency is the key to building and maintaining healthy habits.
Your Body: The Doorway To Your Mental Health
Using your body to get your “foot in the door” with your mood regulation can be done in many ways. These include breathing techniques, balanced sleeping and eating habits, soothing sensory-based skills, using open and confident body language, and using exercise and exhausting your muscles to allow your brain’s natural endorphins to regulate emotions. For those of you who feel that you cannot yet find an effective coping skill for your challenging thoughts and feelings, consider starting with your body first. Discuss with your therapist or trusted supports as to what behavior changes may effectively lead to desired changes in moods and thoughts, and then, allow the new behavior to have an impact.
How Diet Impacts Anxiety (& Stress)
With juggling many responsibilities including work, family, friends, and other responsibilities, it is easy to feel fatigued and overwhelmed. We know practicing self-care is important however at times can be difficult when having so much to do. One of the ways to cope with stress and anxiety is through our diet, via healthy eating. When stressed or anxious we are often consuming a lot of quick, unhealthy foods that only make us feel worse. We often feel these foods make us feel better, however stress-eating has been shown to be an ineffective coping strategy that can actually cause us to feel more anxious, moody and fatigued.