Author: brianrooney

Guest post from Brad Krause of selfcaring.info

What Everyone Needs to Know About Self-Care and Mental Health

Learning to truly love yourself can take work. For one thing, you have to take the time to find a career that truly inspires you and makes you happy. However, loving yourself also means taking some time for self-care. Even the most basic self-care habits, and often, the most-overlooked, can help you stay in control of your mind and emotions. If you are starting on the path to true greatness, you should start by asking yourself these questions.    

 Are You Really Getting Enough Sleep?

 To be the strongest version of yourself, you must get enough sleep, which plays a critical role in the preservation of key functions inside your brain. Getting enough rest helps regulate hormone production, boost concentration levels, and manage basic cognitive function. If you are suffering from a chronic loss of sleep, you could find yourself facing future mental health issues.

Additionally, you may also need to consider a new mattress. Your mattress can affect your health in numerous ways, so making sure you have the right one is important. If you’re sleeping on an old mattress, you could be getting overheated or waking up in pain. Choosing the perfect new mattress, from selecting the right materials to finding the right support, can be tricky, so use a shopping guide to make it easier to find the right one.

Aside from your mattress, your bedtime routine may need a refresh as well. Try slipping into bed at the same time each night, avoiding alcohol before you turn in, and keeping those electronics shut off at least a few hours before you go to sleep. You can even add a new nighttime habit to your bedtime routine. Something like reading a book before turning in can help settle your mind. Lastly, if your house feels dry or you suffer from respiratory issues or snoring when you’re trying to get some shut-eye, you might need to invest in a humidifier, which can help bring a little moisture to your surroundings.

What Does Your Gut Health Look Like?

We’re all aware that a big part of being healthy is eating the right foods and taking good supplements, but some of us don’t know that these benefit the connection between the gut and overall health. Our gut flora is made up of different kinds of bacteria that work to keep the rest of our bodies healthy, but if we’re not taking care of our gut, things like the immune system and stress levels are negatively affected.

You can make positive changes to your gut by first knowing what these types of bacteria are. A few examples include L. helveticus and B. longum, which reduce stress; Bifidobacterium, which promotes intestinal health; and Akkermansia, which promotes better metabolism. Because these bacteria are responsible for different areas of the body, it’s important to maintain a balanced gut flora by adding gut-friendly foods to your diet and cutting out bad foods.

How Are You Managing Day-to-Day Stress?

 Stress is another element that can keep you from reaching your true potential. We all have stress in our lives, and sometimes, we need stress to inspire us to achieve our goals. Too much stress, however, can lead to some serious concerns for our mental health. If you already suffer from anxiety, experiencing elevated stress can increase your anxiety symptoms, and stress is also linked to symptoms of depression. Counseling and medication may be necessary to treat any existing mental health issues, but you should also try to incorporate stress-relieving practices into your daily routine.

 Do You Need to Take More Time for Yourself?

 There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking time out of your busy day to tend to yourself, whether that means going for a leisurely walk, relaxing in a warm bath, or just spending a little time doing nothing. Figure out what makes you happy, and do at least one of those activities every single day. That could mean learning to say “no” to requests from friends or co-workers, or it may just mean cutting out time-wasting activities, like scrolling through your social media feeds. Whatever you need to do, know that making time for you is the best step you can take in bettering your mental health.

If you want to manifest your dreams, you need to start by taking care of yourself. It takes a lot of hard work to align your dreams, your soul, and your success, and there are bound to be stresses and obstacles along the way. With some very basic self-care steps, you can take on whatever this world throws at you — and come out stronger for it. So, know how much you are really worth. You’ve got this, and you’ve got all you need to make your dreams a reality.

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