As a yoga teacher and health coach, I see firsthand how these practices can transform not just your physical health, but your mental and emotional well-being too. There’s always something new to discover about how movement, breath, mindfulness and lifestyle behaviors can enhance your life. So, let’s dive in and explore how you can improve your mental health and well-being through these powerful practices.
Tools to Improve Your Mental Health
Move Your Body
Research has shown that exercise and physical movement of the body improves your mental health both cumulatively and acutely. It helps reduce the risk of developing mood and anxiety disorders. Even single acts of exercise have shown positive effects. It has reduced anger, confusion, depression, tension, and improved energy and moods. The cognitive benefits of enhanced memory and cognitive function can help you stay sharp as you age.
Exercise has become an alternative therapy to improve mental health as well. It has less side effects than medicine. Although evidence shows that medication may deliver quicker reductions in individuals with major depression, exercise is equally effective in the long term and contributes to a lower rate of relapse.
Exercise reduces levels of stress related hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. In a 2015 study, a sample of highly trained, sedentary young men found that those who completed 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise were much more resilient to acute stressors than those who did not exercise. Yoga elevates a chemical in your brain called gamma-aminobutryic acid (GABA). GABA is a neurotransmitter and known for producing a calming effect. Yoga reduces activity in the limbic system which deals with emotions. This helps improve emotional reactivity in stress related scenarios.
Just Breathe
Breath is energy. As you take in more breath, it charges you up and creates expansiveness in the body. Releasing the breath is discharging. The exhalation of the breath triggers relaxation, surrender, and can help dissolve tension in your mind and body. If you want more energy, you breathe in more oxygen and if you want to relax, you allow for a longer exhalation. A retention or pause in the breath develops energy in the body. When you control and calm your breath, you calm the mind.
Your Nervous System
Your breathing is regulated by our autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary functions for you like breathing, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. There are only two ways to control this part of your nervous system. One is by regulating your breath by using breathing techniques and the other is strengthening your willpower by having a single point of focus (i.e. meditation).
The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) or “fight or flight” system is activated in times of stress or danger. Chemicals are released in the body to set off physiological responses to fight or run from a situation. The SNS is very important to your survival but unfortunately in our modern society, you can get stuck here. Spending too much time in the SNS can create havoc in your body that can lead to insomnia, anxiety, tension, and muscle pain.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS) or “rest and digest” system controls functions like reproduction, digestion, growth, and repair, fighting disease, and learning. The vagus nerve is the main part of the PSNS. By regulating the motion of the diaphragm and lungs, you can control the vagus nerve and the PSNS. The vagus nerve also sends signals between the gut and the brain (digestion and gut instinct) and sends an anti-inflammatory signal to other parts of the body.
Use Mindfulness to Reduce Stress
Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” Being mindful asks for you to be fully present in each moment to what is happening around you and within you. Mindfulness triggers the relaxation response which can help with hypertension, anxiety, IBS and cancer.
But mindfulness isn’t just about soaking up the good moments; it’s also about facing the tough ones head-on. Kristin Neff suggests that mindfulness allows you to experience emotions fully, to move through them without getting bogged down by negativity or trying to shove them under the carpet. It’s about acknowledging your feelings, giving yourself the space to feel them, and then letting them go, not getting caught up in the whirlwind of ruminating thoughts about what should or could have been.
Through regular practice, you can develop greater attention, emotional and behavioral self-regulation, and a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. Two common aspects of things that get the relaxation response are to use repetition (word, prayer, repetitive movement) and passive regard for thoughts as they arise.
Meditate
Meditation is practicing a single point of focus for an extended period. It is used to cleanse and calm your mind and free yourself of the constant thoughts that come up in your mind called mind chatter. By focusing on something repetitive like a sound, your breath, a mantra, or movement and attempting to let go of all your other thoughts, you elicit the relaxation response in your body. Meditation triggers the parasympathetic nervous system or “rest and digest” part of the nervous system. This relaxation response can bring feelings of inner peace, an improved mood, and an increase in overall well-being.
Follow Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors
Proper Nutrition
Eating a healthy diet does not just benefit the body, but also your mind and mood. A diet low in caffeine, added fat, and sugar but rich in vegetables, fruits, and fish can help reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Drinking alcohol can exacerbate anxiety so it is best to avoid it.
Take Control of Sleep Habits
Poor sleep can exacerbate anxiety. Sleep disruption or insomnia affects levels of neurotransmitters and stress hormones which impair thinking and emotional regulation. Long term sleep deprivation can cause a decrease in the function of dopamine receptors. Dopamine receptors regulate decision making and impulse control.
Lack of proper sleep can also be a signal that there is something more serious going on with your mental health. Health professionals use sleep issues as part of a criteria when diagnosing mental health conditions. Sleep issues are a common side effect of depression and anxiety. Many people who have depression have trouble falling asleep and frequently wake up throughout the night. They also sleep longer than normal.
Establishing a bedtime routine and minimizing stimulants like caffeine can promote better sleep hygiene. Also, you can use relaxation techniques such as gentle stretching, meditation, and light reading to prepare your mind and body for sleep.
Establish a Self-Care Routine
When you don’t practice self-care, you become depleted. That can turn into something physical like an illness. Or you may settle into a low vibrational frequency like stress, agitation, depression, or anxiety. When you are in a low vibrational frequency, you can act out in ways that are not your authentic true self.
Having a self-care routine was clinically proven to reduce and eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, and increase happiness. Self-care rituals can help you adapt to changes, build strong relationships, and recover from setbacks. Americans who use self-care said that it enhanced their self-confidence (64%), increased their productivity (67%), and their happiness (71%).
Final Words
Remember when focusing on your mental health, it’s all about finding what works best for you and making it a part of your daily routine. Whether it’s a yoga session, a walk in the park, or a few minutes of deep breathing, every bit counts. Keep moving, keep breathing, keep being mindful, and keep following good lifestyle behaviors. Your mental health will thank you for it!
Much love & health,
Carrie
*Resources can be found under the original blogs linked in each section.
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