5 Daily Habits That Could Be Harming Your Mental Health
Can’t
stop scrolling? Haven’t exercised in days? Healthiest spoke to Dr Emeka who
reveals 5 daily habits that could be damaging your mental health Habits are
things we do again and again with little to no awareness of how they can impact
the bigger picture. There seems to be a growing awareness of how bad habits can
affect our physical health. But people are less in the know about every day,
unconscious habits that could be having a negative impact on our mental health.
Changing the pattern or breaking these unknowingly harmful habits can have a
positive effect, so it is time to sit up and take note if you are guilty of any
of the following…
#1 Overuse
of social media One habit many of us have in this day and age is the overuse of
social media. This can promote anxiety and low self-esteem, especially if you
are comparing yourself to people you have seen on apps like Instagram. So set a
limit on certain apps, such as Instagram and Twitter Several different cases
and studies have noted mental health issues from social media. Research shows
there is a connection between social media and loneliness as well as
depression. Finding a way to ‘control’ your social media use is really
important. iPhones now have a great feature that means you can set timers for
each app. So set a limit on certain apps, such as Instagram and Twitter, to
just two hours a day. It can have a positive effect on your mental health.
#2
Poor sleep Overuse of social media can be linked to another bad habit that
impacts your mental health, poor sleep. Sleep is a source of physical and
emotional resilience. Improving your sleep, can improve your mood, and improve
your natural physical and mental health. Poor sleep and cutting corners in
sleep increases our challenges, makes us feel groggy, grumpy, fatigued, and can
have a negative impact on our mental health. Improving your sleep, can improve
your mood, and improve your natural physical and mental health Researchers
think that poor sleep is linked to depression, anxiety, and a number of mental
health disorders. Due to the constant access we have to screens, it can be hard
to switch them off before we go to bed, but spending as little as 30 minutes
without your screen before you plan to fall asleep can greatly improve your
sleep.
#3
Overthinking Over thinking is a habit that many of us are guilty of, and most
may not even realize they do it. Over analyzing could refer to paying too much
attention to opportunities we have not taken and feelings of regret or finding
ourselves anxious and worrying about future tasks that we have not completed;
bills we haven’t paid and relationships that we need to work on. These sorts of
thoughts can really impact mental health and heighten the anxiety we feel on a
day-to-day basis. overthinking is one of the hardest habits to change However,
overthinking is one of the hardest habits to change. My advice is to write your
thoughts down in a journal, or even on your phone. This will help you to rationalize
your thoughts and prevent them from getting overly destructive. Alternatively,
put on your favorite song and sing-along to the lyrics and then your focus will
be on the music, not your thoughts.
#4
Lack of exercise Another habit that many people do not think is affecting our
mental health is poor exercise or lack of exercise. We know that regular
exercise may ease depression by releasing endorphins and feel-good chemicals,
suppressing the immune chemicals that worsen depression. Many people think
exercise is just for physical health. However, it has positive effects on
mental health too, so the lack of it is likely to have a negative impact on
mental health. Many people think exercise is just for physical health
Dedicating just a small part of your day to exercise can be incredibly
beneficial for your mental health. If you are not sure where to start or are
looking to switch up your fitness regime, fitness apps like Freeletics offer
workouts that are suitable for any age and fitness level, with a wide range of
training journeys to suit your goals and lifestyle.
#5
Being negative Another habit that many of us have, which may be harming our
mental health, is constantly complaining, and looking at the glass as half
empty instead of half full. Perception can be changed by a number of things,
such as things we watch, like the news, how we consume media and things we
read. Wake up with gratitude and see for yourself the positive effects on your
mental health, rather than constant complaining. Looking at the glass as half
empty instead of half full Being grateful for all of life’s blessings, like
food and relationships are likely to ease your anxiety and ease depression.
Complaining and thinking of negative things and worrying about the past and the
future is likely to have a negative impact on your mental health. And this is
something that many of us do all the time without even knowing it. Dr Emeka is
the Brand Ambassador of the AI-based fitness and lifestyle coaching app Frenetic.
Not only is this but also a front line worker for the NHS, while also being
having an online presence. Dr Emeka Okarche utilizes his platform as a doctor
to create inspiring, educational and fun content for users that encourages them
to take control of their own health.
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