Take time for yourself — and your mental health

Were you aware there are things you can do to remain mentally fit in the same way that you can take action to be physically fit?
The National Office of the Canadian Mental Health Association offers these tips to stay mentally fit:
■ Daydream: Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a dream location.
Breathe slowly and deeply.
Whether it’s a beach, a mountaintop, or a hushed forest let the comforting environment wrap you in a sensation of peace and tranquility.
■ “Collect” positive emotional moments: Recall times when you have felt pleasure, comfort, tenderness, confidence or other positive emotions.
■ Learn ways to cope with negative thoughts: Negative thoughts can be insistent and loud.
Learn to interrupt them.
Don’t try to block them (that never works), but don’t let them take over.
Try distracting yourself or comforting yourself, if you can’t solve the problem right away.
■ Do one thing at a time: For example, when you are out for a walk or spending time with friends, turn off your cellphone and stop making that mental “to do” list.
Take in all the sights, sounds and smells you encounter.
■ Exercise: Regular physical activity improves psychological well-being and can reduce depression and anxiety.
Joining an exercise group or a gym can also reduce loneliness, connecting you with new people sharing a common goal.
■ Enjoy hobbies: Taking up a hobby brings balance to your life by allowing you to do something you enjoy because you want to do it, free of the pressure of everyday tasks.
It also keeps your brain active.
■ Set personal goals: Goals don’t have to be ambitious.
Finish that book you started three years ago; take a walk around the block every day; learn to knit or play bridge; call your friends instead of waiting for the phone to ring.
Whatever goal you set, reaching it will build confidence and a sense of satisfaction.
■ Keep a journal (or even talk to the wall): Expressing yourself after a stressful day helps you gain perspective, release tension and boost resistance to illness.
■ Share humour: Life often gets too serious, so when you hear or see something that makes you smile or laugh, share it with someone you know.
A little humour can go a long way to keeping us mentally fit.
■ Volunteer: Volunteering is called the “win-win” activity because helping others makes us feel good about ourselves, widens our social network, provides us with new learning experiences and can brings balance to our lives.
■ Treat yourself well: Cook yourself a good meal or have a bubble bath.
See a movie.
Call a friend or relative you haven’t talked to in ages.
Sit on a park bench and breathe in the fragrance of flowers and grass.
The key is, do it just for you.
Thank you for your
questions and comments and for reading Mental Health Matters. You can reach us at kamloops@cmha.bc.ca, and be sure to check out our website at kamloops.cmha.bc.ca because, after all, your mental health does matter.