Mental Wellbeing -Let’s Talk

By Kimberley Exton

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by everyday life & societal pressures? 

Do you ever feel guilty for taking some time for you?  

What fires you up? What sparks passion within your soul? 

What feeds your reason for being? 

You are the one person in your life that must be a priority, in order to fulfill God’s purpose and live a well balanced and satisfied existence. To thrive and flourish, you must LOVE YOURSELF FIRST.

Brain Health for Mental Health

What an amazing organ the human brain is! It is in charge of everything. What we see, smell, taste, touch and of course … our emotions.

Containing billions of nerve cells (neurons), the brain is a very complex structure. These neurons work together and communicate with each other to enable the body to function normally. These little, tiny neurons communicate through electrical signals. 

Special chemicals, called neurotransmitters, help move these messages from neuron to neuron. 

Abnormalities within these pathways and circuits can cause us to be … well … out of sorts! It can affect our mood, behaviour & thoughts.  There are some things we can do to aid these abnormalities and help us to feel, well, BETTER.  

You will probably ask, how do I know if I have poor mental health?

Headaches / Numb / Detached / Tearful 

Angry / Irrational / Worry / Fear

Palpitations / Panic Attacks 

Practice Mindfulness 

This is something I have found extremely helpful along my journey, and I use a combination of journaling, breathing exercises and focusing on being present in the moment. Take notes daily of everything you feel grateful for and how you are feeling. 

This can change down to the minute, so if you feel this needs to be done hourly, then DO IT!! 

This should boost your productivity, improve your focus and make you feel like you have more purpose.

Sleep 

Sleep is that tricky one! 

There is a very close relationship between sleep and mental health and often it can be a vicious circle. Living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep, and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health. 

Here are my top tips for getting a good 40 winks; set your space to sleep, put away your phone and don’t watch television in your sleep space, ensure your sleeping area is comfortable and there are no distractions, run a bath or read a book before you hop in the sack!

Exercise/Diet 

Endorphins … who wants a boost? The natural feel good chemicals in our brain are released on engaging in physical activity, this can be absolutely anything! Find something you love or even try something different? 

It may be zumba class with friends, hiking a mountain , running or biking … the possibilities are endless. If you find something you enjoy and can commit to, you are more likely to stick to it. This will also give you a sense of achievement and focus!

Diet can play an important role in our overall well being and you can improve yours with just a few small tweaks;

• Stay hydrated – dehydration will affect your ability to concentrate, your mood and your energy levels!
• Eat regularly to boost energy levels and stop blood sugar dropping. 
• Watch out for caffeine – this can make you irritable and enhance anxious feelings!

Creating a great routine with fitness and nutrition can boost your mood, enhance your sleep, improve physical health and generally make you feel a whole lot better. So why not give it a try?

Talk

They say a problem shared is a problem halved … these sayings were not created from nothing and having a good support system in place around you for when life gets hard, is vital to getting through those periods. 

If you don’t have friends or family to turn to there are places to go. 

Feeling alone? The anxiety of visiting a new place or person that can help shouldn’t overshadow you looking after yourself. For example, The Night Light Café is a place where you can feel yourself, unjudged and heard. We are here to hear you.

Finding your peace

Search out the places and people who make you feel calm. 

Sometimes, we chase excitement, we crave thrill but the most thrilling thing can be romanticising your own life. Find the glimmers of hope in a day. The sunrise and sunset, the buttered toast in the morning with that first sugary cup of tea, the small act of watching the world go by from your window, whatever it is, find it and hold onto it. 

Be proud of who you are and what you have achieved. You may be climbing a mountain in your mind but if you break it down, it can be simplified, day by day, hour by hour.  If you get out of bed today, know that I am proud of you. 

Be proud of you too.