It is the time of the infamous seasonal depression. Naps are a top priority, weather is getting colder, days are getting darker sooner, and of course finals are just around the corner. It can be tough to try and keep up with all of your busy work of school and your job and making sure you as an individual are feeling healthy physically and mentally. Stress, depression and anxiety are a lot more common than most people think. Coping with these things can be quite a challenge. Here are a few easy ways you can make sure you are feeling good about yourself and staying positive in times of high stress.
- Journaling
Writing down your thoughts can really help alleviate some of that stress. It is often difficult to find the exact words on how you are feeling, so writing them down can really be useful. Try writing down 5 things you like about yourself before you go to bed each night. Write something good that happened that day and something bad. Embrace the positive and create a solution on how you can fix the negative. Writing down ideas about how you can fix things in the future can really create a sense of control for your mind and feel like you can really conquer what you want to accomplish.
- Meditation
It does not have to be a three hour-long meditation session. Sometimes only 20 minutes can really help relax your mind and body. When you are busy it can be hard to find time to really sit down and focus on yourself. Try downloading sleeping meditation apps or daily meditation apps that have exercises for you to do before bed or sometime throughout the day. The results will never always be seen right after your exercise, but the next day your body and mind will feel almost lighter and able to move quickly and full of less negative energy.
- Drink lots of water
Staying hydrated is key to healthy brain functioning and immune system. Drinking a class of water right when you wake up actually boosts your metabolism, can get your body moving and makes you feel more awake.
- Fruits and veggies
Getting the proper nutrients can really be key to a healthy mental and physical state. Instead of grabbing that pop tart for class, grab an apple or a handful of carrots and celery. When your immune system is fighting off the bad guys and working properly, you feel better overall making you able to complete the tasks in your busy schedule easily.
- Exercise
Not everyone’s favorite place is the gym, but getting some type of physically activity relieves stress and anxiety almost instantly. Whether that be getting some fresh air and going for a walk, doing sit ups and jumping jacks when you wake up or going for a run, getting your body moving is so important.
Mental health is so underrated. Make sure you are taking care of yourself.