October is Mental Health Awareness Month, and caring for our minds has never been more crucial. The modern world is fantastic, offering us so many conveniences and advantages. But it comes at a price: we are more stressed and engage in tasks longer than our ancestors.
We don’t even have to look back to ancient times. According to research published in the journal American Psychologist, people in their 30s and 40s today are almost 20 percent more stressed than people of the same age in the 1990s. We are even more stressed than a couple of years ago: Gallup polls show we’re more stressed today than in the mid-2000s.
Why is this happening? We live in uncertain times—that’s a fact. But we’re also much busier and do much more in our days. Our brains have not evolved for this constant level of activity, and our modern lifestyles, full of sitting and eating, don’t help. Even if you are not incredibly stressed, your mind might not be as sharp and healthy as you’d like it to be.
Let’s look at ways to keep your mind healthy, bright, and engaged, split into three categories: basics you should do, extras you can consider, and tasks that take things to the next level.
The Basics
Exercise: You don’t need to run marathons; a brisk 30-minute walk three times a week will help tremendously and is a great start. Use light weights to help maintain muscle levels and consider light yoga or Pilates for balance and strength.
Proper sleep: Sleep is non-negotiable – you need around 7 to 8 hours of sleep for the brain to clear waste from its cells (that’s why we feel groggy when we have too little sleep). And you can’t ‘catch up’ sleep over the weekend, though afternoon naps are helpful.
Eat healthily: Your brain takes up a fifth of your energy (yes, it’s very hungry). Try to avoid junk food and sugars, consume regular helpings of fruits and vegetables, and cut down on snacking.
You can track sleep and monitor your activity with a smartwatch, plus YouTube has great healthy food channels, which you can access with a smartphone. Both of these devices can be found on the Vodacom Shop.
The Extras
Stay mentally active: As we age, we risk becoming less mentally active. Sure, we use our brains all the time, but often for the same tasks. Shake things up with puzzle games, crossword puzzles, Soduko, reading, learning new skills, starting a journal, and trying new activities that engage the mind. Use your senses: learn a recipe with new ingredients, listen to music and sounds outside your usual choices, and enjoy hobbies with tactile experiences, such as crafts, drawing, or scrapbooking.
Socialise: Humans are social creatures – even introverts do better when they have regular contact with others. You don’t have to be a party animal or organise social get-togethers. Even just hearing a friend’s voice regularly on WhatsApp voice messages can boost your mood and mind.
Control your blood pressure: Blood pressure is one of the best indications of our health, and high blood pressure and underlying factors such as cholesterol radically increase stress and reduce mental performance. An annual trip to a clinic, doctor, or pharmacy with basic healthcare facilities will keep you in control of your blood pressure.
The Next Level
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is to practise awareness of your senses and surroundings. For example, if you get angry, have you thought about what triggered your anger and what built up to that moment? Creating such awareness is not easy, but research shows it leads to less stress and emotional uncertainty. Mindfulness meditation (such as body scanning) and emotion journaling help exercise mindfulness
Plan ahead and know your limits: It’s hard to say ‘no’, and we often overload ourselves with too many tasks and responsibilities. But there is a deeper cause: we often don’t know our capacity – how many tasks can we handle in a day? How often and long should our breaks be? If you are always running around and feeling slightly out of control, start your week with a plan. Take an hour on a Saturday or Sunday, look at your task list and calendar, and make a basic plan. There will still be unexpected things that happen, but you’ll have more control.
Watch for burnout: We tend to think we have hit burnout when we are incredibly stressed and overwhelmed. But the truth is that burnout starts developing long before that happens (up to 90% of us might be suffering from burnout right now!). Growing apathy and irritation with others are often the first signs of burnout developing, followed by heightened stress and emotional outbursts. It doesn’t help to be tough or to ignore these symptoms because the burnout will eventually win. Consider making lifestyle changes, starting with some of the above tips.
There are many smartphone apps that can aid with anything from mental health and mindfulness to exercise and fitness. Get the right device, from smartphones to smartwatches at the Vodacom Shop.
