In 2022, start your day with regular physical activity, being active is not about losing weight, it is about improving your mood and improving the feelings of happiness that are produced by your brain when you exercise. While staying active, remember to take care of your diet. Eating nutritious and balanced foods is essential. This is true when they say you feel what you eat, which means your mood is also affected by your food intake. It is strongly recommended that you hydrate yourself.

Develop a healthy sleep pattern. Ideally 6-8 hours of sleep is sufficient, but even the quality of sleep matters. To improve the quality of sleep, avoid screen time 2 hours before bedtime and allow yourself 30 to 40 minutes before bedtime to take care of yourself or what is known as sleep. time from me. This time is for you to indulge in self-care activities or in relaxing and therapeutic activities. Some people would like to take care of their hair and skin, others would like to read a light book, others would listen to a podcast or soothing music, do meditation, or write a journal.

This year, another major goal should be to improve our social and emotional support. That comes from our connections, family members, friends and associates. As we are social beings it is because we need to socialize and since the pandemic very little of this has happened. So indulge in online or in-person communication while keeping pandemic precautions in mind with your friends and family on a regular basis. Share your emotions, feelings, and thoughts with them while actively listening to others.

Develop new skills and put your abilities to the test, but at the same time, relax and enjoy your hobbies. Doing what you are passionate about will reduce stress, level of dissatisfaction, and improve your mood and, in the long run, increase your overall mental well-being.

Set realistic, achievable and achievable goals. Design your short-term goals in a way that helps you achieve your long-term goals. Focus on productivity but don’t get overwhelmed by overwork or overwork. Take breaks as needed. During the break, do things that make you happy. Focus on your strength, not your limits.

Start journaling if you haven’t already, a few words or a few pages of gratitude. Track your progress and accomplishments through journaling.

Avoid illegal drug use and alcohol consumption.

Manage uncertainty by staying in the present, take each day as it comes, and focus on the things you can control. Mindfulness and meditation can be great tools. Although we cannot control everything that happens to us, we can control our response to the situation we are facing and the attitude we have towards it. We can empower ourselves by living mindfully. Good mental health does not mean that we have only happy thoughts. Sad or overwhelming things are a part of life. Problems are also a part of life. Good mental health means looking at the situation for what it really is; practice healthy thinking.

We all need to take the time to slow down and relax. It’s a big part of managing stress and enjoying our life. When we don’t take the time to slow down, stress can build up until we feel too overwhelmed to do anything. When we relax, it is easier to see problems and solutions clearly. Difficult feelings are easier to deal with, and it’s easier to have a clearer overview of situations. It’s easier to focus on what’s happening now instead of worrying about the past or the future. You can achieve this through yoga, meditation, exercise, and tai chi, which are some of the most popular activities.

Finally, let’s also normalize the search for professional help from a mental health expert in 2022 and end the stigma associated with mental health so that mental health services are easily accessible to all.

This article is written by Sana Rubiyana, Counseling Psychologist, Fortis Lafemme Hospital, Richmond Road, Bangalore.