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532Yoga offers a beautiful award-winning space where we have combined a zen-like eastern minimalism with a reverential, inclusive homage to teachers past and present. Contact us today for more information! 703.209.0049  Perhaps you’ve been struggling with anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition. You’ve experimented with yoga, meditation, journaling, and all kinds of other typical self-care strategies - but you haven’t experienced much in the way of benefits. It’s time to start going beyond the usual self-care tips and exploring new avenues. 532Yoga shares a few ideas for improving your mental health that you may not have tried yet.
Declutter Your Home Creating a better atmosphere at home can definitely boost your mental health. You may not even realize how much a cluttered home can affect your mindset until you clean it up! You can begin by getting rid of items you no longer need, dusting regularly, and adding more storage options to your space. Try Working From Home Maybe you’re getting tired of commuting to work every day. It’s not easy to get up extra early, sit in traffic on your way to the office, and then do it all again at the end of the day. You may want to request a trial run for working from home. You’ll be able to spend more time with your family, get some extra sleep, work out in the mornings, and cook healthy meals rather than getting take out. Begin Practicing Yoga Are you curious about trying out a new form of fitness? Yoga is an excellent way to make a positive impact on both your mental wellness and physical health. Getting started may seem a little overwhelming at first, but you can connect with a local yoga professional who can help you begin your practice. Additionally, there are many apps and online resources that can help you supplement your practice. Plus, you’ll be able to get a full-body workout outdoors. Getting a Pet If you’ve ever had a pet, you know how the unconditional love they give can easily turn a frown upside down! Many pet owners find that having pets benefits their mental health. Newport Academy states that spending time with a pet can lower your stress levels, reduce feelings of depression and loneliness, and even increase your sense of self-esteem. Before bringing your new furry companion home, be sure your living area is outfitted with all the necessary items, such as food, a bed, a crate for training, and a food and water bowl. First, go online and read up on expert and unbiased product reviews and see how they rate in terms of durability, quality and affordability. If you can’t get a pet right now, consider volunteering at a local animal shelter or offering to pet sit for friends. Birdwatching Maybe you’ve never tried birdwatching before - but you may be surprised by how enjoyable it could be! Birdwatching can actually be a great way to care for your mental health. You’ll spend time outside, deepen your connection with nature, and get your mind off of your stress for a while. Scrapbooking Do you have lots of photos and family mementos? Consider creating scrapbooks to preserve those memories. Scrapbooking can be very relaxing. Plus, you’ll get to focus on your artistic skills and enhance your creativity! Reiki Your local yoga studio or massage therapy spa might offer reiki. This is an energy healing practice that can help you process complex feelings and release stress. It doesn’t hurt to try out a session or two to see how you feel afterward! Camping Do you feel like you need to escape from the pressures of daily life for a while? Try planning a weekend camping trip! Camping can help you leave your stresses behind. The Dyrt states that camping can improve your circadian rhythm, give you a boost of dopamine naturally, and even reduce inflammation. Managing your mental health can be complicated. Sometimes, the techniques that work for other people won’t always work for you, and that’s okay. By trying out methods that suit your lifestyle and interests, from decluttering your house to practicing yoga, you may notice that you’re feeling a little better day by day. Photo via Pexels
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 We all have those days, the ones where the clock feels like it is standing still, or the days when you feel like nothing is going your way. It happens to all of us and usually is out of our control. What you can control, however, is how you take care of yourself and your mind after a day like this. Follow along for some simple tricks on how to decompress and destress after a long day.
Make a Yoga Routine Yoga can be a great way for you to relax your mind and body. Not only does yoga give you a chance to stay fit but it can also help you ground your mind and become more in tune with your breath. Not sure where to start? Take a class with 532Yoga; they have beginner to advanced level classes to help you understand the ins and outs of yoga poses, which will help you learn some moves you can do before bed or in the morning to connect your body and mind. The stress is bound to leave your body as you learn to breathe through beautiful yoga positions and improve your overall wellness. The more classes you take the more knowledgeable you will become and more able to ground yourself and your thoughts. Make sure you always check your alignment with 532Yoga instructors before you try anything new. Focus On Self-Care After a long day, it is going to feel good to take off your makeup and let your hair down. Relax your muscles with a long hot bath, or a shower, and do some self-care. Find a face wash routine that leaves your skin feeling beautiful and clean. Wash away all of the negativity from the day. These nighttime routines are for you to prioritize yourself and let your body wind down. Prioritize your hair as well. If you are in for the night, try a hair mask that will leave your hair moisturized and smooth for days after! Taking care of your skin and hair is something you can always do for yourself no matter what has happened during the day. Pamper and take care of yourself. You deserve it. Practice Journaling Daily Another simple way to wind down and relax after a long stressful day can be to journal. Sometimes you have so many thoughts in your head from the day that the best solution is to find a way to get those thoughts down on paper and out of your head. This way you can focus on the now and put today behind you. While you have the journal out, it can be an excellent chance for you to think about your future goals and set some intentions for tomorrow. This could be as simple as creating a checklist of things you want to do in the next 24 hours or setting goals for a month down the road. What do you want to have accomplished by then? If you are feeling as if your thoughts are taking too much control of how you feel day to day, then your stress could be leading to a bigger issue. As you are sitting with your thoughts before bed it might be the perfect time to assess if you should be talking to a medical professional. If you are feeling stressed every single day, it might be time for you to look into different types of therapy. Therapy might be the extra help you need to learn new strategies to handle your stressors every day. Taking the time to work with a therapist and establish new coping mechanisms for your stress will help you be able to unwind after a long day. Unwind While Reading A lot of times when people get home after a long day they just want to sit in front of the TV for hours and binge-watch their favorite show. Don’t get me wrong, I also have had days where I do the same thing. However, reading to de-stress can be a game changer, especially for your sleep habits, plus it also limits the amount of blue light and screen time you’re getting before bed. So grab a good book and get snuggled in bed. There are so many benefits to reading before bed, including how much it has proven to decrease stress. Find Someone to Connect With After a long day, finding someone to talk to and even just get a hug from can help you de-stress. Invite a friend over for a movie or game night. Maybe go out to dinner with a family member and treat yourself to your favorite delicious cuisine. Having someone to talk through your bad days with can help change your mindset before you are even in for the night. If you live alone or just want time to yourself that works too. Perhaps grab your furry friend and get some snuggles in or go for a walk and get some fresh air? As you are walking you can try some of the breathing techniques you’ve learnt in your yoga class to calm your mind and body. Having a companion can make you feel like you are not going through stressful days alone. We al have stressful, never-ending days, but next time you feel overly stressed and need to decompress, try out some of these techniques. Stress happens in life. It’s what you do to help yourself deal with the stress that matters. Take control of how you feel at the end of the day. |