I know my mental health has had its ups and downs, as I’m sure yours has too. So what do we do when we’re not at our best emotionally? When my mental self is not at its healthiest, most often I’m lacking in some basic areas, such as sleep and exercise. For me, these two things have a direct impact on my mental health.
First, if I go for extended periods without enough sleep, I will soon be grouchy, agitated, and angry at the world. I tend to snap on people for no reason and have limited impulse control. But this will all go away if I could only get six or seven straight hours of sleep. But with a crazy job, two toddlers, and a new baby, sleep tends to evade me. I think it has been at least four months since I have slept more than four hours in a row. So what do you do when you find yourself in this situation? See if you can rearrange your schedule to accommodate a better sleeping routine. Sometimes, if I’m really sleep deprived, I find myself going to bed at 7:30, right after I put my girls to sleep. But if this isn’t possible, try and schedule in a nap a few times a week. Although broken up sleep isn’t as refreshing as one long bout, it is still better than no sleep at all.
Exercise, for me, is also very beneficial to my mental health. It is a stress reliever. Although I don’t exercise now the way I used to, I miss it, and I notice that my stress levels are higher than they need to be. I used to run, lift weights, and swim daily in the summer. Not only did doing these things help keep me in shape, but it was a release. If I was angry, stressed, or just needed to refocus myself, a run would give me the time to do it. Now, I may not always have the ability to go for a run or a swim, but I can throw in a workout DVD or get the kids and plug in the Wii and do some dancing or yoga. Not only does this give me a little bit of a release, it also entertains the children (and wears them out for bedtime).
So, if you find yourself being overly emotional, or having a hard time dealing with the stress in your life, sit back and see if you could be lacking in sleep or exercise. These two fundamentals may be all you need to refocus yourself and get a handle on your life again.