Leap into New Year with Healthy Mental Health Habits
A new year is an opportunity for a new beginning.
A new year is an opportunity for a new beginning.
For many, that may include adopting a healthier mindset and productive routines.
Brian Ayer, a licensed professional clinical counselor at River of Life Christian Counseling in Newbury Township, and Shilah Cipriano, Chardon Heinen’s wellness consultant, recently shared some food for thought and goal-setting tips to improve overall mental health and wellbeing.
Limit Social Media & Screen Time
“Social media, particularly when used in excess, can contribute to an increase in anxiety and low mood. It also increases screen time, which can impact sleep and leave you less time for other activities,” Ayer said. “Reducing this can be a tool to help lower your anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems and the fear of missing out.”
Based on current usage, people can reduce the time they spend on social media each day, Ayer said.
“Try engaging in at least one activity without your phone each day, putting your phone away when with friends and family and keep it outside the bedroom during the night,” he said.
A recent article by Jesse Mindel, a neurologist and clinical professor at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, called “How less screen time benefits your eyes, brain, mental state and overall health,” Mindel said whether day or night, “using screens for long periods has been associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders in adults and children.”
Learn a New Hobby or Restart an Old One
“We all have a list of things we ‘used to do.’ Restarting an old hobby or engaging in a new activity has important mental health benefits,” Ayer said. “People with hobbies are less likely to experience stress and low mood, as hobbies bring with them a sense of joy and relaxation as well as social connections.”
Ayer suggests people reflect on activities they used to enjoy doing, or something new they would like to do.
“Choose one or two activities you would like to revisit or learn new,” he said. “You could even do this with a friend or a family member.”
Physical Health Can Improve Mental Health
Exercise enhances a person’s sense of self-efficacy and serves as a healthy distraction when a person is distressed, Ayer said.
“Cardiovascular exercise, in particular, can help prevent, as well as alleviate, symptoms of anxiety and depression,” he said. “Translating this resolution into a goal can look like dedicating 30 minutes every day to some form of physical exercise most suited for you, like taking more walks, going cycling, or simply stretching to begin with.”
Eat Healthy, Stay Hydrated
Along with its physical benefits, eating healthier and drinking enough water each day also enhances mood and cognitive functioning, Ayer pointed out.
“Choose one healthy meal a day and replace it with healthy alternatives and keep track of how much water your drink each day,” Ayer said.
Cipriano added, “At Heinen’s, we believe as Hippocrates once said, ‘Food is medicine.’ Food first, then supplements to fill the gaps.”
She said no matter what people’s health goals are in the new year, they can use the following easily-adaptable habits to keep them on the right track:
- Habit 1: Food prep at least one or two simple meals for the week.
“It is so much easier to stay on track if you have a meal or two prepped and ready to grab. Plan it, make the time and know what is in your food,” she said. “You are worth it. Carve out one or two hours a week to meal prep. Even if it is just cutting up veggies that are ready to eat. You can bring them with you in your car, so you are less tempted to stop to get fast food if you get hungry. I always like to double my recipes and freeze half for easy lunches throughout the week.”
Some simple starter meals could be a big batch of soup that is put it into mason jars, salad in a jar, a big batch of chia pudding put into mason jars and frozen smoothie packs that can be easily dumped into a blender, Cipriano said.
- Habit 2: Start off every dinner with a salad.
“Salads before dinner will kick start your digestion and is a great way to get more superfoods into your diet and helps you to eat less,” Cipriano said. “I like to top my salads with hemp seeds for omega 3’s, raw sauerkraut for a dose of probiotics for gut health and sprouted pumpkin seeds for a healthy fat.”
- Habit 3: Keep a list of staple items to purchase on your weekly grocery trip.
“It is much easier to prepare a nutritious meal when your kitchen is full of healthy foods. A few things on my list are sprouts for my salads, a low sugar protein bar, and a prebiotic soda to curb my sweet tooth and boost my gut health,” Cipriano said.
Establish Good Sleep Hygiene
Sleep plays “an extraordinarily” restorative role in improving physical, emotional and cognitive functioning, Ayer noted.
“Getting sufficient sleep lowers the likelihood of depression, plays an important role in trauma recovery and helps with creativity,” he said. “Sleeping for 7-8 hours each night can be very beneficial. You can build a small sleep routine such as making your bed, reading and limiting screen time.”
Seek help When Needed
If a person is feeling overwhelmed, distressed or just wants to see how mental health treatment could help, seeking that support is a good idea, Ayer said.
“Start with identifying local mental health providers and reach out to them to find out what services they offer,” he said. “If seeking in-person therapy feels intimidating, there are video, phone and text-based options that you can engage in as well.”
