If you’re looking for a way to relieve stress, you’ll want to consider incorporating exercise into your daily routine (with a doctor’s approval). Exercise is renowned for being an excellent stress reliever, but how exactly does it affect stress levels? Exercise can:Increase endorphin production – Your pituitary gland and hypothalamus produce endorphins, hormones that can help reduce your stress, relieve...[ read more ]
If you’re looking to improve your mental health and overall well-being, one of the best things you can do is track how you’re feeling. Not only does this allow you to identify any issues you might be experiencing and set goals for how to resolve them, but it can also help you analyze how you’re progressing toward those goals. Here...[ read more ]
The brain has three main executive functions: working memory (which helps you remember what you’re doing at the present moment), cognitive flexibility (which helps you shift your thinking from one topic to another), and inhibition control (which helps you focus and stop yourself from saying and doing certain things). Executive dysfunction disrupts these functions, making it difficult for someone to...[ read more ]
Often times, when we think about what could harm our mental health, our minds go to major life events—the loss of a job, the end of a relationship, or the death of a loved one. But small habits that often go unnoticed can also play a major role. Below are three common habits that could be negatively affecting your mental...[ read more ]
Rumination involves obsessively thinking about negative experiences and feelings. Some people replay events that occurred in the past, while others worry about situations that could potentially occur in the future.Rumination tends to have a snowball effect—certain mental health conditions (including generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder) can cause someone to ruminate, and rumination can in turn worsen the symptoms of...[ read more ]
If you’ve been researching self-care practices, you may have come across something known as journaling. But what is journaling, exactly, and what can it do to improve your mental, emotional, and even physical health?Journaling, at its core, is the regular practice of writing down experiences, thoughts, and feelings. However, it can be adapted to whatever your specific needs or goals...[ read more ]
Words have power, and the way we talk to and about ourselves can have a significant impact on our thoughts and behaviors. That’s where affirmations come in—repeating certain phrases to yourself can boost your self-esteem, reduce your stress, create a more positive mindset, motivate you to take certain actions, and improve your overall well-being.So, how can you start taking advantage...[ read more ]
You’ve probably heard of meditation, a practice that focuses on clearing your mind to improve your overall well-being. But how familiar are you with it? Here are three things you never knew about meditation.1. Meditation Has Been Around for Thousands of YearsWhile meditation has grown increasingly popular in the United States over the past few decades, it has a much...[ read more ]
You might have heard that happiness is a choice and wondered if that’s actually true. Unfortunately, for some individuals, mental health conditions like depression and bipolar disorder make it difficult for them to feel happy. There can also be several factors outside someone’s control—such as their age, physical health, or geographic location—that could make it harder for them to achieve...[ read more ]
Dissociation is a mental process that involves disconnecting from your own thoughts, feelings, memories, or personal identity, often in response to a traumatic event. It can cause you to:Believe that the world around you is distorted or unrealExperience sudden mood swingsHave trouble concentrating, remembering things, or handling intense emotionsExperience anxiety or depressionBehave much differently than you normally would, possibly doing...[ read more ]
