Something that more of us are paying attention to nowadays is our mental health. There are lots of ways that you can encourage better mental health and also find out more about various mental health conditions and how to help yourself and others who may be suffering from them.
As well as there are many online resources that you can use there are also more ways that you can learn about mental health such as these mental health training courses tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-courses
Something that many people find helpful when they are looking after their mental health is meditation. Meditation has been used for many thousands of years and is most well known for being a Buddhist practice, however many religious groups have used it throughout the centuries, and it is a great way of focusing the brain and helping to induce feelings of calm.
You don’t have to be religious to meditate-in fact there are many people who belong to no religion that use this practice daily to help keep them calm and grounded. When you are just starting to get into meditation it is a good idea to take it slowly at the beginning as the brain needs time to get used to this.
If you have a look online, there are not only lots of meditation videos that you can watch to help guide you but there are also apps that you can use on your phone, so you can introduce meditation into your life wherever you might be. This can help to reduce feelings of anxiety by controlling your breathing and helping you to gain focus.
Pairing meditation with other calming habits
Stress affects concentration and productivity at work and can make it hard to relax with family and friends. Meditation is one of the most effective ways to ease it. Many people give up because they cannot empty their minds, but that is not really the aim. It is about sitting or lying still with your thoughts and letting them pass. Just 10 to 20 minutes a day can lower stress and sometimes help you see a way through a problem.
Other habits work well alongside it. Essential oils have long been used to help with stress and anxiety. A few drops in a diffuser, or mixed with a carrier oil for massage, can help you settle into a session.
Walking is another. A short walk in fresh air improves fitness and is often recommended for anxiety, as exercise helps burn off stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Music helps too, but choose pieces with happy associations, as music linked to sad memories can raise stress.
What regular meditation may do for mind and body
Meditation has been practised for centuries, and there is good reason it has lasted. Taking time to calm the mind lets you shrug off everyday stress and give yourself room to breathe. Studies have found that regular meditation can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and may help people control how the brain processes negative thoughts and sensations such as pain.
It also works on stress directly, damping down the fight or flight response that releases the stress hormone cortisol. Research suggests that around 25 minutes of meditation three times a week may make tasks feel less stressful. Many people also find it improves their memory and cuts back on distracting, racing thoughts.
Sleep is another area where it may help. With phones and tablets in the bedroom, many of us struggle to quieten our minds at night. Keeping the mind in check during the day through meditation can reduce stress and lead to better, more satisfying sleep.