HEALTH MAKEOVER
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Being mindful
b y A N N D O U G L AS
The past year has been a tough one, which is
why it’s more important than ever to spot the
warning signs that your mental health is
suffering. That means being on the lookout for
physical symptoms (like headaches or stomachaches), as well as any persistent changes to your
eating habits, sleeping habits (which could
mean sleeping more or sleeping less), activity
level, energy level and mood.
If you feel like you’re no longer functioning
at your best and your mood is interfering with
your overall enjoyment of life, it might be time
to make some changes. Here are five simple yet
powerful things you can do to start feeling better right now.
1
Pay attention to the physical health
fundamentals. Ensure that you’re getting
adequate sleep, participating in regular physical
activity and eating well. When you’re sleeping
well, you’re more likely to feel energetic and less
moody. When you’re exercising regularly, you’ll
sleep more soundly and feel calmer and more
alert during the day. When you’re eating well,
your blood sugar will be more stable, which can
help to minimize fatigue and mood swings.
2
Have your own personal toolkit of strategies for managing stress. There’s no onesize-fits-all approach to stress management. It’s
a matter of figuring out which strategies work
best for you. You might want to experiment
with relaxation breathing, positive visualization
and mindfulness meditation.
3
Know how to put the brakes on unproductive worry. Instead of endlessly spinning
your worry wheels, either find a way to take
action on that worry or give yourself permission
to take a mini-vacation from the worry by losing yourself in an activity that you find
pleasurable and engaging.
4
Learn how to treat yourself with selfcompassion. When you’re treating yourself
with self-compassion, you’re treating yourself
with at least as much kindness as you would
extend to a friend who is struggling. It’s a powerful and science-backed strategy for silencing
the inner voices of self-criticism and self-blame
that only serve to make life harder and can
actually fuel feelings of anxiety and depression.
5
Tap into support from other people. As
humans, we’re wired to turn to one another
for support in times of struggle. Let friends and
family members know that you’re having a hard
time. And if you’re finding things are really
tough, don’t be afraid to seek support from a
mental health professional. You deserve to feel
happier and better.
Ann Douglas is the author of numerous books
about parenting and mental health, and she is the
weekend parenting columnist for CBC Radio.
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