The topic of mental health seems to have exploded over the past years however it is something that has been around since the existence of man. Just because we only recognise it now, doesn’t mean it wasn’t there before. Our mental health is about our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. Just as we would examine our physical health, we need to also explore, evaluate and analyse our mental health. For me this year, my focus of self development needed to also include investing in my mental health.
At the beginning of the year, my assessment of my mental health was that it wasn’t where it needed to be. Between the stresses of work and the coldness of the British weather, I was low emotionally. This was one of the reasons why I knew I needed to do something about my personal development. I know when I’m feeling low, I won’t make healthy choices, I struggle to regulate my emotions and I don’t want to socialise. There’s also a lot of research that outlines how our mental health has an impact on our physical health.
I must stress that even though things may be good, it’s still wise to invest in your mental health as we never know what life may be bring and so having the right strategies and tools in place will help to strengthen our minds.
The National Institute of Mental Health suggests these strategies and I have put them into an acronym to help me remember to practice these regularly - STEER. This acronym is also a good reminder for me that I am steering my mindset:
Socialising - Stay connected. The benefits of community and a support network is huge and often when we’re feeling low we opt to withdraw instead. Make sure you stay around people even more so during this time.
TICK - Set goals and priorities. I love a tick list, but this is good in helping to prioritise and helps to ease feelings when overwhelmed by how much there can be to do.
EXERCISE - Get regular exercise. A little goes a long way and even just 30 minutes a day can reap huge benefits.
EAT - Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated. There’s a lot of research about how gut health impacts our mental health. It’s important to eat well and drink water.
RELAX - Try a relaxing activity. This will help to calm your nervous system and help your body’s response to stressful situations. In the activity, it is also important to focus on positivity and practice gratitude. This also helps to shift your mindset. I have also included sleep in relaxing. Sleep is known to have an impact on our daily functions. Lack of sleep not only affects our cognitive function but also our emotional health.
If you are struggling with your mental health, the NHS outlines a number organisations that can provide further support: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/urgent-support/
If you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E now.
If you need help urgently for your mental health, but it's not an emergency, get help from NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental health option.
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