Are you unknowingly sabotaging your health?
Sometimes it's possible that as much emphasis as we put on gaining a beautiful physical body, we may be neglecting the one thing that holds it all together: our mental health. Maintaining a healthy mindset goes hand-in-hand with a proper diet and exercise.
But what role does stress play in all of this? In 2020 life drastically slowed down. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced less travel, more isolation, more angst about contracting the mysterious virus, losing employment, the list goes on, and more time to assess the impact on our physical and, better yet,,, our mental health. The change of pace has enabled many of us to effectively pinpoint other areas that were potentially stressing us out and helped us decide to do something about it.
Today, we are more aware of how daily stress and anxiety can affect your overall health and put you at risk for future cognitive problems such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Stress and anxiety can wreak havoc on your mental state and eventually cause physical problems. That's if you haven't been diagnosed with chronic mental health problems such as depression or bipolar disorder. In that case, there are ways to combat threats to your mental health in collaboration with assistance from your doctor, holistic practitioners, health instructors, and wellness coach.
Some widely popular solutions include meditation, affirmations, guided imagery, Yoga, Tai Chi, music, and regular exercise. Hypnotherapy and acupuncture have also been used successfully in helping calm the body and mind. Let's dig a little deeper as we go over just a few.
YOGA
Many experts agree that the ancient practice of Yoga can improve brain function and strengthen the body by focusing on relaxing the mind and body. Yoga's intended purpose is to relieve stress and anxiety by conditioning your body through poses or postures and the awareness of energy passing through it. It also focuses on breathing to increase the healing effects of increased oxygen consumption.
VISUALIZATION
Almost everyone who has achieved great success has practiced some form of visualization. It's a method that can provide confidence and motivation to gain a positive mindset and improve mental health. It uses an individual's ability to imagine themselves in successful situations or overcome problems. A winning attitude often begins by visualizing how it would feel to achieve a big success or complete a goal you've been working on for a long time. You can use any technique using diagrams, mind images, or animation to communicate positive ideas.
TAI CHI
Tai Chi "meditation in motion" is another technique used worldwide to bring about calm and inner peace to achieve physical and mental goals. It uses stretching techniques and gentle physical exercises combined with mindset strategies to bring about fitness, flexibility, and pain reduction associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Many other benefits of Tai Chi are muscle strength, mood elevation, more energy, improved focus, and lower blood pressure. As Tai Chi's popularity has risen over the past few years, you can find classes in almost every town or city. Online guidance is also available.
FLOATATION THERAPY
Floatation Therapy or Isolation Tanks is a relatively new method of achieving a calm mind and more energized body. Although some have widely touted the health benefits, the jury is still out on the total benefits of Flotation Therapy. They seemed to be merely deprivation tanks because they were void of light and sound. Due to strenuous activity, many now seek Floatation Therapy treatment for chronic pain due to arthritis, fibromyalgia, and muscle tension. Many claim that Flotation Therapy helps individuals cope with stress and anxiety by preparing for major mental hurdles such as speeches or stressful personal situations.
HYPNOTHERAPY
Hypnotherapy is another method to increase mental sharpness, self-esteem, positive mental image, and problem-solving, preventing you from winning. Negative thoughts that occupy your mind and destroy your courage and strength can be turned around through hypnosis or self-guided affirmations. It is safe and can help you relax and refocus your attention to empowerment rather than negative self-thinking.
AROMATHERAPY
You may also choose the inexpensive and relatively easy aromatherapy method among the many ways to achieve relaxation. The healing aromas of essential oils, herbs, and spices reverse negative energy and set positive and relaxing thoughts. Fragrances such as lavender, rosemary, mint, sandalwood, and cedarwood can help get you back on track to a healthy mental state.
Given all the methods available today, it's your choice!
Remember to assess your healthy truth continually, decide what actions you can take today, and commit to change!
