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Simple habits, big mental health shifts
Simple habits, big mental health shifts
What are mental health rituals?
What are mental health rituals?
These are activities that are meant to stimulate and/or boost brain activity. This includes boosting and maintaining the integrity of various cognitive processes (thinking, learning, and problem-solving), emotional processes (emotional regulation and healthy outlets), and related behavioral processes such as proper speech.
Any adult balancing life certainty needs these rituals in order to maintain order in their life or not to be so overwhelmed that they devolve into depression.
The morning is the perfect time to execute a mental health ritual because
• Your mind is still relatively fresh
• You get to set the tone for the day
• Your body is still not fatigued
• Other distractions are minimal
Benefits of mental health rituals
Benefits of mental health rituals
• Helps alleviate symptoms of mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.
• Boost cognitive pathways, hence boosting mental clarity and associated processes such as learning.
• Calms the body and trains it to have a harmonized pattern of doing things, hence better compliance and outcomes with activities.
• Foster emotional support and stability.
• Helps to relax and bring the body and mind a much-needed ‘setup’ for the day ahead.
• Aids in connecting with the outside world socially.
7 simple rituals for starting the day
7 simple rituals for starting the day
- Consistent alarm clock time
The first step is to ensure you have a consistent wake-up time. You can even join clubs such as the 5 am club in order to adhere to this schedule easily. This routine is crucial, as it builds the rhythm for all other morning activities.
Set it at an appropriate time that will enable you to wake up and perform other activities.
Avoid snoozing your alarm by any means necessary.
2. Screen-free morning
2. Screen-free morning
In the era of digitality and social applications, it is tempting to wake up and go straight online to watch or read the daily gist. However, postpone this process by just an hour. You can use that hour to do other things aside from personal grooming, such as meditation.
Having a tech-free start in the morning also allows you to evade early morning stress from bad news and email work pressure, essentially protecting your dopamine.
3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Everyone knows water is important to the body for a number of reasons, such as regulating temperature and maintaining the body's fluid balance. In the morning, waking up your body with some water rehydrates the brain after the night's water fast during sleep. This improves mental clarity.
4. Incorporate morning movements
4. Incorporate morning movements
This does not have to be a hard exercise. Simply doing morning stretches or walking for 15 minutes does the job perfectly. It is simply waking the body up through muscle movements. It helps wake up the nervous system as a whole. It also gives an energy boost.
5. Words of affirmation
5. Words of affirmation
Daily words of affirmation and gratitude practice rewire the brain and set up a positive tone. You can begin by writing down daily words of affirmation such as ‘I am healthy, I am wealthy, I succeed in all my endeavors.’ These are then recited in the morning.
Acknowledge and say blessings to the things that go right in your life. This boosts motivation.
6. Set simple daily intentions
6. Set simple daily intentions
A perfect time to set up your schedules and intentions is in the morning. Write down what you want to do, the best ways to do them, and the work input needed both physically and mentally.
This gives you a sense of purpose for the day and sets you up to be productive.
7. Bask in the morning sun
7. Bask in the morning sun
That vitamin D, accompanied by the warmth of the morning rays, helps to boost your serotonin level greatly. The warmth also fulfills a need for feeling touch and sets off your circadian rhythm for the day.
10-15 minutes is sufficient, and make sure to take deep breaths as well.
Remember!Building habits takes time and consistency. Building them in the morning ensures greater adherence and ease of adapting to routine. It may not pay off immediately, but after a week or so the effects will be felt. The key is to never give up.
FAQs (Frequently asked questions on morning mental rituals)
FAQs (Frequently asked questions on morning mental rituals)
Can morning mental habits still work if on an unpredictable schedule?
Can morning mental habits still work if on an unpredictable schedule?
Consistency is what matters. Plus, even if your schedule is unpredictable, when you wake up you can always practice a simple exercise like words of affirmation.
Are morning habits effective for people who are not 'morning people?'
Are morning habits effective for people who are not 'morning people?'
Absolutely. The habits are about setting alignment and intention early. Mid to late morning still works.
Do morning habits work the same on weekends or days off?
Do morning habits work the same on weekends or days off?
Yes. Morning habits are about a lifestyle and attitude that is supposed to have a positive impact. It doesn't really matter the day on which you do it.
Is it good to have multiple habits?
Is it good to have multiple habits?
When beginning, stick to one or two simple exercises. It's not about doing them all but finding the one that works for you. Too many may also end up stressing you and backing you into a corner of rigidity.
What happens when motivation disappears?
What happens when motivation disappears?
Maintain the habit. This is easy when you have already done it for so long that it has become automatic. Motivation will always come and go; stability dictates that you keep on going regardless.
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