Ways To Boost Your Mental Health At Home

Maintaining a high level of mental health has never been as important as right now. A pandemic and subsequent lock down means long stretches stuck in the house; and, if you like to get out and socialize, the enforced house arrest can feel like hell. For those who already suffer from mental health issues, it’s essential to keep tabs on any negative emotions.

Of course, it’s not as if you will have help. Sure, Zoom video calling makes it less tough, and some professional therapists will conduct sessions online, yet the options aren’t comprehensive. You may find that you’re alone with only your brain for comfort, and that can be tricky. If you don't take action while you’re locked down, your well-being could be in jeopardy when the world begins coming into its new normal.

Thankfully, there are tons of resources that can be accessed, and the following come with no guarantees, YET they may give you the boost you need to manage self-isolation.

Meditate

The simplest and most effective thing you can do when life starts to get challenging is to meditate. What’s incredible about this tool is that you can do it from anywhere in the world. All you need is a quiet space and plenty of focus. Don’t worry if you don’t have the latter because you’ll build staying power the more you practice.

There’s no reason to fret about understanding the “dynamics” of meditation at all. Yes, most people do it one way, but if your methodology is a little different, it’s not an issue as long as it works. At first, try and channel your thoughts towards a single goal for a minute or two. Then, the more you get used to the feeling of weightlessness, the longer you’ll be able to meditate.

Meditation allows you to eliminate thoughts and emotions that lead to stress and anxiety. Therefore, meditating once a day should act as a factory reset for your mind and body.

Go Outside (If You Can)

Depending on the rules, you may not be allowed outside at all. Certain countries have only relaxed their state of emergencies, and even then it applies to kids and pregnant women. So, going outside every day may not be an option. However, if it is, you should take the opportunity to leave the house and relieve the tension.

A PNAS study found that spending ninety minute outside of the house can lower brain activity. Now, this doesn’t sound like a good thing, but it’s essentially a form of meditation. You use walking (or any form of exercise) to forget about the problems that appear as if they are insurmountable. They seem that way because you’re surrounded by and have nowhere to go. Of course, leaving the confines of your property instantly opens up the brain to a new, healthier environment.

Repair Stuff That Makes You Self-Conscious

It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t change anything about your body if you think the step is too great. After all, it’s not as if you can get your old features back once they’re gone. Still, you don’t need to revolutionize the way you look to make you feel better about yourself when you stare into a mirror. Repairing can be as simple as updating your wardrobe or meeting a wellness goal. Moreover, think about your smile for a moment - does it impact the way you act when you’re in public? Lots of men and women will try not to smile as smiling shows oral flaws and imperfections. With Invisalign treatment, though, you can straighten out your teeth in no time without invasive procedures. Plus, the treatment is proven to work, so the odds of boosting your smile are high.

Review Relationships

Mostly, your relationships will help you to get through tricky periods in life. Without a strong core of people who support you no matter what, maintaining your mental health is hard. That said, not every relationship will be healthy. Some are toxic and people don’t realize it until it’s too late.

One of the resources you have in abundance is time, and you should use it to reflect. Analyzing whether a friendship, partnership or romantic relationship is helpful will allow you to cut the cord if necessary. The key is to watch out for the telltale signs, such as a lack of compromise and constant judgment. Inc has more if you’re interested.

Purging people from your life is a decision you shouldn’t take lightly. Yet, it could be the correct one if those people only bring negativity.


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How To Cut Down On Screen Time When You're Stuck At Home

Lots of people are stuck at home right now, and this may continue for a while. To relieve boredom, it’s easy to reach for your cell or tablet to start streaming videos or watching YouTube. While devices are excellent for passing the time, you will increase your screen time if you rely on them too much. As a result, it’s not uncommon to harm your eyesight or suffer from tiredness and fatigue.

Kids are often targeted as being exposed to devices, yet grown-ups aren’t exempt from the side-effects. Your health, both physical and mental, is likely to take a hit if you stare at screens all day. So, here are four tips to help you cut back and stay healthy.

Limit Home Workouts on Your Devices

Let’s start by noting that working out at home is essential at this point. Without exercise, your immune system, among other things, could fail and leave you susceptible to diseases. However, the majority of the home-based workouts are done by staring at a screen and repeating the activities. Thanks to this step-by-step guide to meditation, there’s no reason to use a screen whatsoever. You merely sit quietly for an hour or two and try to relax. Yoga, hiking and outdoor fitness activities are an excellent alternative, also.

Choose One Device

There are lots to choose from regarding portable devices; and, there’s a healthy chance that you have the full range at home, whether it’s a smartphone, laptop, or iPad. While you’re used to using whichever is nearby, the key to help you cut back on screen time is to pick one and stick with it. By doing this, you don’t spend inordinate amounts of hours glancing between devices. Some people champion blue light lenses, yet there is no research to suggest that they work effectively.

A tip: go with your cell phone. It’s always on your person, and it’s the hardware that you use most often.

Factor In Virtual Interactions

Relying on mobile devices is inevitable when you’re stuck at home as you can’t leave the house without a decent reason. That includes seeing family and friends. The result is that you’ll speak to them via your handsets. Whether it’s a virtual date for adults or a playdate for kids, it’s incredible how creative people are when the chips are down. Still, it’s not hard to forget that it classes as screen time. If you want to cut down, then, you’ll need to factor these events into your routine. It may mean turning off the TV early to catch up with Mom or Dad.

Get Out When Allowed

The best tactic is to leave the house. Depending on the state, you may be limited on the type of outdoor activities that are available to you as cases across the country continue to rise. However, depending on your choices, you can make it work. A man has completed a marathon by running around his garden, so there aren’t any excuses for failing to get some fresh air!

How will you cut down on screen time?


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How Your Home Could Be Damaging To Your Health

While we are progressing in the pandemic “Safer At Home” shut down order, and we have been secluded to our homes for weeks now, I thought it would be important to talk about how we can really be SAFER at home. We are all trying to maintain our sanity at this point from finally putting those healthier lifestyle goals to work (by exercising and eating clean) to ZOOM and chill nights with our friends. However, have we really taken time to make sure our homes are safe to do these things?

Our environment has a big role to play in our health and if you are not careful, your home could be damaging your health in a lot of different ways. These are some of the potential ways that your home could be harming your health.

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

Moving Home 

When you initially move into a new home, this can have an impact on your health, but a lot of people don’t consider this. It is a very stressful process and that can negatively impact your mental and physical health. That’s why it is so important that you plan your move carefully and try to find ways to reduce stress during the move so things don’t get on top of you. 

Poor Air Quality 

The air quality is becoming superb outside due to the shut down, but have you ever thought about the air quality inside your home? Most people haven’t and it can be a big problem. In fact, the air quality inside your home is often worse than it is outside because the air does not circulate. Things like cleaning products or certain types of candles can release a lot of chemicals into the air, and breathing all of that in is not good for your health. It is important that you try to open windows and circulate air as much as possible and switch to green cleaning chemicals where you can. An air conditioner can help, but only if it is cleaned and maintained properly or it will make the problem worse. You should also consider getting more plants in the home to help purify the air as well. 

Dangerous Materials 

If you live in an older home or apartment building, there may be dangerous materials like lead or asbestos in your home, and these can lead to some serious health problems. Asbestos is the main cause of a type of cancer called mesothelioma, and if you are exposed for a long period without realizing, you may be at risk of developing the condition. If this does happen, you may be entitled to some compensation, so get in touch with a mesothelioma lawyer right away. If you suspect that there are dangerous materials in your home, make sure to call in some professionals to test and remove materials if necessary. Never try to do this yourself because you could be putting yourself in more danger.

Missed Spots When Cleaning 

We all like to think that we have a clean home, but are there spots that you are missing when you clean? Most people don’t realize, but there are a lot of common spots that get missed when we are cleaning, and this can lead to a buildup of bacteria over time. Things like light switches and door knobs, for example, are touched a lot and carry a lot of bacteria, so they need to be cleaned properly on a regular basis. 


These are just some of the ways that your home could be harming your health, so you need to be careful.


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A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation

The art of meditation has grown in popularity over the years. It is recommended for everyone because of its benefits. Physically, mediation is said to lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, lower heart rate, lower respiratory rate, and lower blood cortisol levels.

Meditation is also associated with mental health. It's believed to be helpful for those who experience anxiety and depression, helping them maintain peace of mind. It also helps reduce stress, increase relaxation, and improve cognitive skills like concentration and attentiveness.

With all the wonderful effects of meditation that encompass physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual health, there's no question why many are eager to try it out. If you're trying meditation for the first time, here's a guide to help you get started.

Sit quietly for two minutes

The art of meditation requires peace and quiet so you can get in touch with your body and mind. For most people, it can be difficult to sit quietly with minimal movement for a long time. That's why it's ideal to take things slow, especially for beginners. In the first few days of trying out meditation, start with sitting quietly for only two minutes. Do this every day and you'll find that you'll be able to do it for longer periods of time as you go along.

Don't worry too much about knowing how to meditate

Most beginners worry too much about the logistics of meditating. They try to find the perfect spot, get a comfortable cushion to sit on, etc. These are all really good when it comes to maximizing your meditation efforts, but for your first time, you don't really need to worry about these things. You'll figure it out sooner or later. But for now, all you have to do is sit quietly and begin without worrying about whether or not you're doing it right.

Keep track of your breathing

Once you're all settled down, close your eyes and keep track of your breathing. Count how many breaths you're taking, starting with 1 and ending with 10. Repeat the cycle again and again. When you do this, you're focusing your mind on one thing. But later on, your mind will start to wander. You may recall good memories, see peaceful places, or think happy thoughts. This is all completely normal. Allow yourself to live in the moment and then start counting your breaths again later on.

Acknowledge thoughts and emotions

Many people think that meditation is about clearing the mind. It is at some point, but that's not entirely the purpose of it. Oftentimes, when you meditate, you'll feel all sorts of different emotions. You may feel anxious, scared, lonely, or sad. But it's all part of the process. Learn how to embrace these emotions and allow yourself to go through them. Stay and get curious about where your thoughts will take you, but be careful not to dwell on them and make sure to end your meditation on a good note.

Commit to it

It's easy to say you'll meditate every day. But with the hustle and bustle of life and our busy schedules, it's easy to neglect it. But in order to maximize its benefits and really feel the power of meditation, you have to commit to it. Set a reminder for yourself to meditate at least 10 minutes daily. You might even want to consider getting mala beads to serve as a reminder to live in the moment.

Meditation is a powerful art, and all you really need to master it is dedication. Use these tips to help you get started, especially through these trying times that we are currently experiencing present day.


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Staying Protected During The COVID-19 Pandemic

As the pandemic continues to rise, and stress levels continue to heighten worldwide; I wanted to take time out and provide you all with some basic information that I think will help you to stay protected,. I also want to make myself available to you if you have any general questions I may be able to answer, or if you would like any additional tips for reducing stress or anxiety.

Make sure you all are practicing safe sanitary habits and being safe while we await a vaccine.

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