We all know that taking care of our physical health is important. For example, we go to the dentist regularly, try to drink water, eat healthy foods, and make sure we see our physicians at least once a year. All of these put together are the foundation for which we base our physical health. Additionally, our mental health works in the same way.
To maintain our brain function and establish a good mental health routine, we must first lay the foundation. If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, depression, or PTSD for any stretch of time, then you understand that building a foundation for your mental health can benefit you on the days when life weighs you down. But how do you accomplish this routine and foundation in the first place? Grey Matters of Carmel is here to tell you.
Build Your Circle of Care
As humans, we are incredibly social creatures. Even if you consider yourself an introvert, you still need human interaction to function. It’s in our genetic makeup to require some level of connection with others. So, the first step in building the foundation for a good mental health routine is to identify those within your current circles who you could lean on. However, be conscious of the people you surround yourself with or choose for this task. Not everyone in your life will be up for the task, especially if they’re battling their own mental health issues. Instead, look for those who inspire you and make you feel good when they’re around you. Ask them for permission to be that person you can turn to when times are rough, and you don’t want to burden others. Your circle of care should include at least two or three people you fully trust.
Manage Your Time
When you’re struggling with your mental health, even the mundane, everyday decisions can feel overwhelming. This is why your time management and routines matter. With established patterns, you can count on some things being solid and unchanging. It could be something as minor as brushing your teeth every morning or making your pot of coffee at the same time every morning. These little tasks can help you feel grounded and give you some sense of peace, even when the rest of your life seems to be spiraling out of control.
Another great way to manage our time and build upon your foundation of a good mental health routine is to set your bedtime and wake-up times every day. Putting off going to bed is one of the most common problems people have when struggling with anxiety or PTSD. However, going to bed and getting up at the same time is great time management and can help you avoid waking up late, stressed, and in a rush.
Practice Emotional Self-Care
Emotions are a strong force that many of us struggle to maintain and manage, even into adulthood. Some of us have these internal rules about when, where, and how certain emotions are allowed to be expressed. Even in some cultures, emotions like anger and sadness are not to be expressed at all. However, we strongly discourage the suppression of any emotion. Instead, we want to help you build a solid foundation for managing them and practicing self-care.
-
Journal
In many cases, our emotions cloud our thinking and our judgment. When this happens, we become reactive rather than proactive. One of the best ways to lift that mental fog is to journal. Sometimes, we don’t see the bigger picture until we start to write out our feelings. Writing things down can help you connect dots and help you dive deeper into your inner self. This form of self-reflection might just uncover the truth about what you’ve been feeling and or help you address a past traumatic event. Journaling is also a great exercise to add to your mental health routine.
-
Meditate
When we are under pressure or stress, our thoughts can feel cluttered as we try to move away from the stress, either physically or mentally. A few moments of meditation can help you re-center and bring your focus back to the present moment when this happens. To get in a quick, 5-minute meditation session, we recommend:
- Finding a quiet place
- Close your eyes
- Relax your shoulders
- Breathe in and out naturally (don’t try to force it)
- Spend the 5 minutes focusing on how your body feels when you breathe in and breathe out.
- Bring your wandering mind back to your breathing.
This quick exercise can relieve tension and is the perfect addition to your mental health routine.
-
Train Your Brain
If you haven’t caught on by now, everything we’ve mentioned above is laying the foundation for you to train your brain with neurofeedback from Grey Matters. Incorporating neurofeedback from Grey Matters is the perfect addition to your mental health routine. Sometimes, our brains get rewired, leaving us feeling more stressed, anxious, depressed, and exhausted. Rewiring can happen for various reasons, but it’s often because of trauma or a head injury. Either way, your mental health concerns can all be mitigated when you have a great mental health foundation that includes neurofeedback training.
Build Your Mental Health Foundation Here
If you’re ready to add neurofeedback training to your mental health routine, then it’s time to schedule a brain map with Grey Matters of Carmel. Our non-invasive, drug-free approach to your mental health care is what makes our treatment so unique. We don’t use anything other than the power of your own brain to build healthier, happier neural pathways. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule your consultation.
Image by Benjamin Balazs from Pixabay
