Well, hello there, Warrior. I tried to think of a clever intro for this post but came up empty. There is really no other way to say it: Mental Health is a big deal. A good percentage of my content mentions it is some way, shape, or from. And it seems to finally be getting some of the attention it deserves as part of our overall wellness. So, deep breath and let’s get neurological today!
Dimensions of Wellness
If you are new to the concept of Dimensions of Wellness, I’ve got a full blog post that goes into some detail. You can also read my intro to the series post here and the first post on Occupational Health here.
Defining the Mental Dimension
The human mind is one of the most powerful things we possess. The brain allows us to communicate with our body creating movement, responding to stimuli, and course correcting when needed. Our thoughts are also extremely powerful and can influence how we feel (Emotional Health) in situations or keep us stuck in loops (fear of failure).
The mind also craves stimulation. Just like a kid asking a thousand why questions, our brain wants to continue to learn and grow throughout our lives. The topics may change, but the desire to pursue new knowledge does not.
The Mental Health Dimension encompasses those things that directly affect or influence the mind and our mental processes. These can include illness or injury (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, memory loss or cognition issues due to stroke or traumatic brain injury), intellectual pursuits, and self care practices.
Illness and Injury
So much has been put out there recently about mental illnesses. In particular, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder have been hot topics as more of us recognize we struggle. Of course a global pandemic hasn’t helped matters. I won’t belabor much of this here. Many have said better things in better ways than I ever could. Long story short, just like with Physical Health it is important to know your risk factors (family history, traumatic experiences) and to track any important changes (falls, speech or cognition changes).
This is also not my area of expertise, beyond my own experience with anxiety. And that’s the real rub here. Each experience is unique to the individual. Anxiety and depression can take very different appearances, even among family members or individuals with similar trauma. If you are looking for good quality information, I’d recommend starting with these simple resources from the Mayo Clinic and a chat with your primary care provider.
Intellectual Pursuit
I want to spend some time chatting about an area of Mental Health that I believe is often overlooked in adults. We obviously know that learning is important for our kids. But exercising our mental muscle (ha!) is just as important as we move into adulthood.
I make no secret that my husband and I both teach at a local university. So it should come as no surprise that we place a pretty high value on education in our house. It should be said, though, that learning can take tons of different forms throughout life. Certainly, from a strictly educational standpoint college/university isn’t for everyone, but there are plenty of other options. From something more straightforward like a vocational degree or night classes to earn a realtor’s license to something less traditional like travel.
Intellectual pursuits, to my way of thinking, just refers to something you engage in that is meant to stimulate your mind. This could be reading or taking up a mentally stimulating hobby like woodworking or sewing. Basically, anything that forces you to pick up a new skill or think in a different way.
I’ve tried to provide a few examples, but the sky is the limit here. I mentioned in my Vocational Health post about the very blog you are reading being part of my purpose. Well, it also serves my Mental Health as part of pursuing knowledge. I am trained as an exercise physiologist, but the skills I have learned in terms of technology, writing, photography, graphic design and layout, time management… should I keep going? Suffice it to say I’ve learned a lot.
Again, these things will probably change over time. But that’s okay. Having a few of these that you participate in regularly helps keep your mind active and functioning well. Many studies have shown that people who read, do the crossword or Sudoku, or something similar retain more information, have better recall, and are able to access info faster. Just like exercise has a protective effect from aging on the physical body, exercising the brain does the same thing for Mental Health.
Self Care
Another hot topic in Mental Health right now is self care. And as I’ve noted in the past, self care is not just slapping a face mask on and relaxing for an afternoon. That can absolutely be part of it if you are so inclined. But self care are those things we do on a regular basis (daily or weekly) that keep us functioning as optimally as possible and (spoiler alert: this next part is what most of us miss) free up mental space for other decisions.
Daily movement is often mentioned as part of self care because it has so many benefits in optimizing function. Moving consistently regulates appetite and sleep, both of which are key to our physical and mental function. Moving consistently creates a pause in a busy day allowing us to regain a mental balance. And moving consistently allows us a path to clearer and more creative thinking.
Obviously, I love mentioning how exercise benefits Mental Health, but in terms of self care there are a myriad of other practices that reduce mental load. Meal planning and prepping take the guesswork out of grocery shopping and daily decision making. Taking an hour on the weekend to check out your calendar and to-dos and block out work time can help you be more productive. A simple nighttime routine which helps you wind down and get more optimal sleep will have a great spillover effect for the next day.
Just like with intellectual pursuits, the sky is the limit. Figure out where/how you spend most of your decision making time. What contributes to the most mental fatigue, then brainstorm a few ways to help alleviate those pain points. Those are your self care must dos. These will change with time, so be prepared to re-evaluate.
In the meantime, I’ll be multimasking with the next of the Bridgerton novels. Stay tuned for the next installment on Physical Health!
