How our everyday habits lead to poorer mental health.

Our brains are the power houses of information. It is a known scientific fact that our brains regulate everything that goes on with our body and life. I have often begun to feel this restlessness that I am unable to take charge of. I am sleepy at odd hours and then when it’s time to sleep, I lay awake thinking about how it’s my social responsibility to correct everything that is wrong with the world.

I think I blame some of it to my over thinking nature. Overthinking can be a dangerous thing and I have covered the ill effects of it, in my previous blog. The times have definitely advanced and we are openly talking about mental health. We acknowledge the presence and absence of something termed as, “mental health”. The wellbeing of a person begins from the time they are born. A child cries as soon as he/she is born because they are just out of the comfort of their mother’s womb.

A child when being fed or nursed is always looking for the warmth and comfort of a mother and when growing up experiences separation anxiety too. Our lives and mental health is all about finding our comfort zones. Finding our warm spots and being able to move in and out of that warm cuddle spot.

On contrary, our routines that we follow to exist and survive, give us very little time to focus on something as crucial as mental health. The problem arises when we consider mental health as a separate task to fulfill. Taking care of yourself and your health over all should be like an inbuilt program.

In the constant hustle and bustle of being a super hero every day, we tend to ignore the small things that are actually taking our mental health downhill instead of taking it uphill.

Taking a break is different from being inactive – We all love the little vacation is small countryside kind of place where we are disconnected from the social world. These breaks actually help us revive our health and thoughts. Inactivity on the other hand can lead to multiple health issues. Being inactive can drain you mentally too because a sedentary lifestyle can lead to being restless and deteriorate your mental health. It is important that besides your everyday hustle of chores, you take some time out for some physical activity. You need to choose a fitness regime that suits your body. In my case 5 days of yoga works perfectly for me instead of roughing it in the gym.

Multi-tasking has its hazards too – I always took pride in being able to talk and text while I was on the go. I used to be amazed at how people would binge watch shows while on their commute to work. Studies however say that, when we try to do everything, it eventually effects our productivity. You begin to soon turn into a rusted pan that our moms often use to cook almost everything. Our attention usually gets divided when we try and do multiple things at once and can also lead to increase in our stress levels. So it’s ok if you are not as efficient multi-tasker as Captain America or Iron man, you can still take pride in being a solo hero with a single skill being displayed proficiently.

Too much information can make your brain go haywire –  Remember those images where a woman has multiple hands that makes her look like an octopus juggling in an act. Well, that is exactly how too much information can affect your brain. We have learnt about how exposure to gadgets impacts the brainwaves of a child, similarly if your brain is over simulated constantly, it can lead to a few health issues as well. The best way to tackle this situation is to make a checklist of your everyday activites and prioritize them accordingly

Get up and get moving – Spending too much time on the couch can actually turn you into a couch potato .Just like inactivity, spending too much time sitting can lead to your joints aching. It is always advisable to stretch and walk a few steps even when you are work. Here are some exercises you can try while at work.

Sleep regulates everything – We often thrive on just few hours of sleep but that’s a great deal of damage we are doing to our body. A good sleep routine regulates everything from your hormones to your mental health. Lack of sleep in the long run can impair your functioning. A person who has slept well is always well prepared for the day ahead and is not rushing through the day. One must improve their sleep habits in order to get better health.

Right from using ear phones constantly to staring at our screens all through the day, all these are harmful habits and can lead to anxiousness and low productivity. If desire better health and happier us we must be willing to make moderation to our lifestyle. A small change of habits will take you a long way.