Are you feeling more stressed than you’d like to? Or just generally not your best mentally?  Here’s a wonderfully positive fact to remember: You can help reset your mental health with simple actions. There are many ways to improve your mental health outlook at a moment on any given day. Below are 7 effective mental health tips designed to help you do just that

The more consistently you can incorporate these mental health strategies into your daily life, the greater likelihood you will experience improved and sustained mental well-being. Keep these mental health reset actions in mind for when you are feeling overly anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, angry, or blue.

7 Ways to Reset Your Mental State

1. Connect with a family member or friend.

Our brains are wired to be social, and our social connections play an integral role in our general well-being. In fact, they are essential to our survival.

Psychology sometimes calls the benefit we derive from quality social interactions as “social connectedness.”  A recent research review of longitudinal studies found substantial evidence that indicates social connectedness has a protective effect against experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Indeed, social connection can stimulate memory and attention, as well as strengthen neural networks. Meaningful social interactions may help to strengthen cognitive reserve and boost mental resilience. These may offset negative mental effects of too much psychological stress, as well as counter feelings of loneliness and social isolation.

Relationships that make you feel like you belong, cared for, supported, and valued are the most beneficial to your mental health, according to a CDC report on emotional well-being. For your mental health reset, connect with a dear friend or family member every week, in person or by phone. Meet for a meal or take a walk. Spend time with someone who makes you feel seen.

Other types of social connections are beneficial to your well-being too. Check in on someone who may equally need connection. Say hello to your neighbor and ask how they’re doing, or chat with the checker at your local supermarket. A variety of diverse connections all benefit mental wellness

2. Pray or meditate.

You don’t have to be religious to pray or meditate and experience a mental health reset. Meditation (in all its different forms such as mindfulness, certain types of yoga, and prayer itself) are associated with changes to certain feel-good brain chemicals.

Stanford researchers found that levels of dopamine (associated with pleasure), serotonin (associated with happiness), and GABA (associated with calmness) all increase in response to meditation. When meditation is practiced regularly, the increase in mood-boosting neurotransmitters can translate to a gentle and gradual shift to a more relaxed, positive, and contented mental state. The relaxation benefits can help with sleep, too, which is also important to mental well-being.

There are many types of meditation to choose from, such as:

• Guided meditation—there are loads available online
• Transcendental meditation—a more formal, well-researched technique
• Reflective meditation—a user-friendly version like simply being quiet for a designated amount of time

In terms of prayer, you can pray according to your religious observance. You can also do it informally by sending thoughts of well-being and happiness to people you love. Or you may recite a prayer for guidance and strength in facing a challenge.

3. Walk in nature.

Much like we are built to make meaningful social connections, we humans are also meant to spend time in nature. All sorts of good things happen when we get outside near a greenbelt, a body of water, or a mountain trail.

People who are more connected with nature tend to be happier in life. You might experience greater joy, calm, and creativity, as well as enhanced concentration after spending time in nature, reports the Mental Health Foundation.

A 2019 research review found that “forest bathing” activities (spending time in nature in a mindful way) may significantly improve both physical and psychological health.

Of course, walking is excellent for mental health too. It increases blood flow to the brain, helps to boost mood, and may calm anxious feelings. When you’re in need of a mental reset, go somewhere beautiful and enjoy a walk. Do it regularly to support your overall well-being.

4. Enjoy a sauna or cold plunge/shower.

If you talk to people who sauna or cold plunge/shower regularly, they will be only too eager to share with you how great it makes them feel! If you’ve ever enjoyed a sauna (dry heat, steam, or infrared), you probably recall how relaxing it can be.

Spending time in a sauna can trigger the release of endorphins, including beta-endorphin. Beta-endorphins can boost your energy and mood while promoting calm and tolerance to pain. Health clubs and wellness centers often offer sauna therapy. Just 15 minutes in the sauna every week will go a long way towards a mental health reset.

Taking a cold shower or a cold plunge (also called cold hydrotherapy, a form of cryotherapy) involves using cold water for a therapeutic effect. Cold water immersion can improve mood, research indicates, as well as increase alertness, energy, and feelings of inspiration while reducing stress and anxiety.

Some health experts believe that regularly challenging yourself to be uncomfortable in this way can help you to build resilience. This may allow you to handle stressful situations with greater ease.

A 3-minute cold shower is ideal for mental health benefits. You can work your way up to it by switching to cold water for 30 seconds when you shower and slowly increasing the length of time. Combining both (for example, going from a hot sauna to a cold pool or shower) amplifies the mental health benefits.

5. Say “Today is going to be a great day.”

Your mind is powerful. It makes happen what it visualizes. If you begin your day with these words, your brain will look for the reasons why it will be a great day, rather than focusing on how it is going to be a stressful one.

Starting your morning with “Today is going to be a great day” is a simple way to train your brain to look for what is right rather than what is wrong. It’s important to counter the brain’s tendency to skew towards the negative, which is a survival mechanism.

Where you focus your attention will determine how you feel. This is not just theory. One research study showed reduced anxiety levels in participants who worked on visualizing something positive. Another way to amplify the good feelings of this type of thinking is to find things to be grateful for. Gratitude is highly associated with positive mental health.

6. Listen to your body.

One of the simplest ways to reset your mental health is to pause and check in with yourself. Are you tired? Or do you need to take action on a task? Do you perhaps need to move your body?

Take a pause and perhaps a deep breath or two to check in and listen to what your body needs. It will tell you. Once it does, give your body what it needs. This is so incredibly simple, but it is the very essence of self-care.

7. Do one thing that brings YOU joy.

Engaging in activities that bring us joy and fulfillment is essential to well-being. When we watch a beautiful sunset, play or listen to a piece of music, pet an animal, work on a piece of art, or simply delight in a good comedy show, our brains release feel-good chemicals.

This boosts levels of dopamine, serotonin, or (in the case of laughter or vigorous exercise) endorphins. These mood-boosting neurochemicals motivate us to do more of the things we enjoy.

Surprisingly, we can fail to make time for the things that make us happy. A 2021 survey of 2,000 adult Americans revealed that 63% of the survey participants felt they didn’t get to do things they enjoyed as much as they wanted to. Adding glimmers of joy into your week can really help to boost that mental reset.

AIM FOR A WEEKLY MENTAL HEALTH RESET

Make a self-care checklist that you refer to each week to ensure you’re making time for your mental health reset. If you incorporate these strategies into your week, you’ll likely experience a mental lift. If you don’t, it might be an indication that you need to see a medical or mental health professional.

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 855-978-2776 or visit our contact page here.