Happy New Year everyone. I sincerely hope that this blog post finds everyone well and making slow and steady progress towards their 2023 goals. I would like to continue to thank everyone who continues to support us in the Inner Health journey. We are here because of the inspiration we derive from behavioral and mental health providers we talk to every day. We continue to push towards our 2023 goals because of the urgency that is palpable in the individuals who are experiencing any mental illness or burn out. We continue to write these posts to raise awareness among families and friends who are looking to support others in the well being journeys. For all of this inspiration, I am eternally grateful.
Greetings everyone, this is Priya from Inner Health and did you know January is Mental Wellness Month? I admit I should have written this post slightly earlier because we could have come up with 31 cool ways to celebrate mental wellness daily. Of course, better late than never. The World Health Organization defines mental wellness as ‘a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community’. Note there are 4 dimensions of one’s awareness this definition is pointing to:
- Abilities and skills
- Coping with Uncertainty
- Relating to oneself
- Relating to others
January is an interesting month to raise this awareness because one is moving away from the excitement and bustle of Christmas only to come up against the cold weather, dark mornings and unrealistic new year resolutions. This creates the ‘January Blues’ for some and sometimes a serious condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD (prevalent in countries with little daylight) for others.
Here are some Inner Health tips (provided by our very own mental health subject matter experts) for giving yourself the best start to the year.
Tip #1: Accept that this is normal. There are a number of reasons people feel anxious and sad during January. There is nothing wrong with feelings. Feelings are the door to caring. Don’t make them the enemy.
Tip #2: Get as much daylight as possible. Sunlight can regulate your sleep cycle, help you produce vitamin D and increase levels of serotonin in the brain to improve mood.
Tip #3: Stay active. Be proactive about regular exercise. Consistent exercise daily is proven to release endorphins which makes the body and mind feel happy and improves self-esteem.
Tip #4: Learn a new skill. A new skill such progressive muscle relaxation can be a big step in dealing with stress. You may be surprised to hear of relaxation referred to as a skill. But it requires physical training just like any other skill you want to develop.
Tip #5: Sleep well. The guideline advice for healthy adults is between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Try to reduce screen time to wind down before bed and allow for good quality of sleep.
At Inner Health we are on a mission to be bold about eliminating the barriers to mental wellbeing. We do this by innovating and building digital solutions that can gather actionable data for clinicians and their clients.
Do you know a behavioral and mental health provider we should talk to? Let us know by sending an email to priya@innerhealth.ai . Want the latest in Inner Health news directly to your inbox? Sign up here.
It is my privilege to serve this community every day. I am deeply appreciative for all the encouragement and look forward to an impactful 2023.