Are You Paying Attention to Your Mental Health?

Hi there, my name is Lynell LaMountain, and it’s my privilege to work with an awesome production team and amazing people as one of the co-hosts of the award-winning television show, Lifestyle Magazine.

Look, life can get pretty stressful at times; we all get stressed, overwhelmed and even burned out.

Life can stack up on you real fast, and all it takes is just one more thing – and it doesn’t have to be big – to break the camel’s back. Normally you’d be fine. But when it’s one thing after another, sometimes it can start feeling like a little bit too much.

That’s why it’s so important to actively manage our emotional and mental wellbeing.

To do this, consider the important areas of your life, have there been any significant changes? Doing this will help you figure out if you’re just battling the blues or whether it’s something more serious like depression.

Are You Sleeping Well?

Good mental health and sleep are very closely related.

Studies suggest that sleep deprivation raises the risk of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD and other mental health disorders.

On the other hand, insomnia and other sleep disorders can be symptoms of mental illness.

You know you’re sleeping well if:

• You are able to fall asleep in 30 minutes or less
• You do not wake up more than once during the night
• If you do wake up during the night, it takes you 20 minutes or less to fall back asleep
• 85% of your time in bed is spent sleeping

Do you get seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night, and feel well-rested in the morning upon awakening?

 Are You Engaging in Social Activities?

Social activity plays a very important role in regulating our negative and positive emotions. In fact, one of the early signs of depression is checking out and avoiding social interaction.

While different people require different levels of social interaction, everyone needs someone to talk to about their feelings, and good friends they can trust and confide in.

How much time do you spend with your friends?

Are You Relaxing?

If your mind is always racing and you find it hard to relax, you might be suffering from anxiety.

The inability to relax can cause physical symptoms such as tension headaches, tight shoulders and irritable bowel syndrome.

Regular relaxation activities such as reading, listening to calming music, meditation and even light exercise can go a long way in reducing stress, which takes a toll on your mental health.

Are you able to give yourself permission to relax or do you always have to be doing something?

How’s Your Appetite?

Your appetite is a key indicator of your mental wellbeing. Some people engage in emotional eating when they’re stressed while others lose their appetite and find it hard to eat anything.

As long as you’re eating regularly and not craving too much junk food, you probably have nothing to worry about.

Do you have an appetite, and eat healthy meals most of the time?

How’s Your Mood?

Grouchiness is a sign of mental or emotional issues. If you go from being happy-go-lucky to blowing up over small things, something else could be going on.

Are you usually calm, cheerful and pleasant?

When it comes to mental wellness, it’s best not to obsess over what is or isn’t normal; just ask yourself whether there have been any notable changes in your eating and sleeping habits, social interactions and mood.

You can use the above checklist to identify if there are any special areas in your life that deserve more of your attention before things spiral out of control.

And remember, seeking the help of a qualified counselor or therapist might be a great way to uncover any issues that could be negatively affecting your mental wellbeing.

Thanks for dropping in and visiting us on our blog.

Until Next Week, You Take Care of Yourself!

Lynell LaMountain