7 tips to manage your mental health

1. Set Realistic Expectations

One of the key things we can do to safeguard our mental health is to be accountable for it.  To have agency over the things we can either control or influence.  This starts with expectations - of ourselves and others. There is a lot of pressure around the holiday period: pressure to be sociable, creative, thoughtful etc.  But if we are burnt out - from work or relationships - we simply won’t have the capacity to do more.

Try writing a daily list of things that you feel able to achieve and prioritise (or delegate) things that feel out of reach.

Remember, it’s ok to say ‘no’. 

2. Acknowledge Your Feelings

Acceptance - of situations or emotions - can be really challenging.  Whereas acknowledging how we feel at any given moment, is more achievable. So much of our time is spent doing and not being.  This can make it difficult to be ‘present’.  However, sometimes being present can be painful.  We experience our emotions in our brains and our bodies, so take some time to be still and check in with how you are experiencing your emotions. 

A great tip is to take a hot shower or have a hot bath.  Immerse yourself in water and scan every part of your body.  Notice where you are experiencing tension or pain.  And acknowledge it!

3. Prioritise Self-Care

Our usual routine often slips around this time of year. When we try to cram too much into our days (and nights), we forget to look after ourselves.  Whilst self care is something we should incorporate into our daily routine, we probably need an additional first aid kit at this time of year.  

If you don’t have a self care routine, think about creating one.  Things to consider including:

• Exercise - whatever you can engage with from chair yoga to dancing whilst hoovering  - 30 minutes a day

• Space - find some time to be on your own without any interruptions

• Diet - even if you are indulging, try to look after your gut health.  This can include taking a pre or probiotic or eating fermented foods such as kefir.  Protein is important to help maintain our muscles and aids sleep, whilst hydration will help with fatigue.

• Stimulate your senses - I often recommend clients take a portable sensory first aid kit with them when they travel.  This can include things like: a polished stone or crystal to touch, a favourite scent or perfume, a piece of dark chocolate

• Mindful tasks - meditation can be challenging to engage with, so why not try engaging in a mindful task.  This could be washing glasses in the sink or putting some moisturiser on your body.  

4. Practice gratitude

Even when things are stressful in our lives, there is always something to be grateful for. It can be challenging at first, but writing down a gratitude list every morning and every evening can improve both our mental and physical health.  Practicing gratitude over time can literally rewire our brains to strengthen our neural pathways and overcome negativity bias.  Being grateful helps with the production of dopamine and serotonin - our feel good hormones.  Both of these hormones are important in combating the symptoms of depression. 

5. Limit Social Media Exposure

Though we often feel a sense of excitement or connection via social media, the ‘dopamine dose’ we get (unliked when we practice gratitude) are synthetic. This means that they don’t have a lasting effect, which leaves us craving further hits.

Being on social media is something that we often do sitting down, so limiting ourselves to certain periods of time, can also help us get up and move more.

Curating our content on social media can be really helpful at this time of year.  Reflect on what you might find personally triggering at this time of year, and filter your feed accordingly.

6. Stay Connected

Call a friend or family member and engage in active listening.  This means listening with intention to understand - what we call in therapy being in someone elses ‘frame of reference’.  This can help us gain perspective about our own circumstances and feelings, and bring a sense of connection.

If family and friends aren’t accessible, consider engaging in your local community.  Singing at a choir service, or helping out with a charity; can have a positive impact on our mental health (and costs us nothing)!

7. Get out!

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is linked to a lack of sunlight and is particularly prominent in winter months.  So, as we approach the shortest day of the year, it’s important to get outside as much as we can in daylight hours.. Although there might not be much sun coming through, going for a walk outside - particularly in the morning - can help reset our circadian rhythms.  This is really important for our sleep, given that one of the symptoms of SAD is difficulty in getting up in the morning.  Set your alarm and try to walk for 30 minutes at a brisk pace within 90 minutes of your waking window.