We all feel sad, stressed, anxious or tired sometimes and our mental health can be one of the first things to suffer, in these scenarios. Science tells us that depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain but I think that this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mental health. I totally agree with these findings and think that there is a very valid place for science at the table of human health but what if there were other factors at play that could help us control these problems a little better for ourselves?
You may not have any faith or belief of a spiritual or religious nature but there is no denying that everything we are and that surrounds us is made of energy. This is also a scientifically proven fact. We are all energy which is constantly vibrating, creating the forms we see.
Energy is infinite, it can’t be destroyed, only passed from one source to another. In terms of a spiritual belief, this energy is our life source and has a large impact on how we function, in our human bodies. As a spiritualist, I believe that this energy has a huge effect on everything around us; we have the ability, when we know how to use it, to use this energy to lift others as well as to bring them down.
I bet there are times when you’ve had a conversation with someone or been in the presence of another person that has left you feeling drained. Maybe they are very negative in how they talk about things or they concentrate on all of the bad things that are happening to them or around them. This low vibration of energy will totally have an effect on you and will not ‘keep your spirits up’!
Being an empath, I get this so often; not only from people but also from situations where there is an overload of stimulus, such as kids, loud noises, overwhelm of tasks, etc., and especially when all of these things are thrown into the same pot, which they very regularly, are!
In these times however, I have learnt how to implement some coping mechanisms and as soon as I am able, I take myself away to find some space to ground myself and refresh my energy levels.
Here are some tips for when you feel like your energy could do with a reset:
Turn off distractions – do this anyway, whether you need a reset or not! Our days are filled with email, apps, social media, news, TV, music – I could go on. Turn it all off. Just be with yourself and the sound of silence. Concentrate on how you’re feeling and not what you’re thinking.
Take some deep breaths – wherever you are, whatever you are doing, a simple way to re-balance yourself is to stop and breathe! It’s amazing how much better you will feel if you let everything go and concentrate on some big deep breaths. Try the technique of breathing in for the count of 5, holding that breath for 5 and breathing out for 5. This tip was a game changer for me! It also works wonders if you struggle to sleep.
Get outside! – find nature, the sunshine, the breeze, fresh air, a tree, a plant, a park, a walk round the block, anything, just get outside. A tip here is to implement point 1 when getting outside. Even 5 minutes could flip your mood. Feel the sun on your skin or feel the cold wind, smell the grass, touch the bark of a tree – remind yourself that you are alive!
Meditate – to be honest, this isn’t for everyone and I struggle to completely switch my brain off but there are some awesome apps out there that will help you step away from reality for a while and reset your energy levels. Using meditation on a regular basis can be a wonderful tool to help build mental strength and build a more positive mindset. Look up Headspace, Calm, Synctuition as a start. Have a look over at Youtube where you can plug in to some free meditations or even some relaxing music and sounds. Who said you have to go to the beach to hear the waves?
Journaling and Gratitude – by journaling our lives, we can start to see it from an outside perspective. Journal as often as you can and use it to reflect on times when you’ve been feeling great or other times when you’ve felt low. What has helped and what has had a negative impact? Also, this is a great place to put down all of your thoughts so they are out of your head and not giving you the chance to overthink everything, which could also be helping to drain your energy levels! Adding in 3 or 4 things that you are feeling grateful about will also help build your positive mindset. When we actively think of all the things we hold dear in our lives, it lifts us and reminds us of the things that we do have instead of dwelling on what we don’t have!
Sleep – one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health is rest! How many times have you ‘burnt the candle at both ends’, getting up early for work and either working into the night or using the time you should be sleeping for catching up with TV or socialising? Our bodies need a certain amount of sleep to help regulate the chemicals within our bodies and to properly repair and regenerate. We also need this down time to rest our minds. Take that nap, schedule a proper sleep routine and stick to it!
How do you reset yourself when you’re filled with anxiety, stress and overwhelm? Do you just ride the storm and live in a perpetual cycle of increased cortisol levels? Even if you’re not living this stress cycle, give some of the tips above, a go and see how you got on. There may be a game changer among the points I’ve given; see how your mental health can improve through some simple ‘stop! and revive’ tactics!
Written by Stephanie