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Anxiety

Understanding Anxiety and How to Deal with It
  • March 30, 2023
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Understanding Anxiety and How to Deal with It

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time; it’s a normal emotional reaction in anticipation of an unpleasant occurrence. Overwhelming distress is the benchmark indicator of anxiety.

What Is Anxiety?

Constant worry can leave the patient incapable of responding appropriately in daily interactions, making handling stress even more challenging. “Persistent and excessive worry” causing individuals to shift from a healthy perception of their life to an irrational view where they “expect the worst even when there is no obvious reason to be concerned” is the Anxiety and Depression Association of America’s definition for anxiety.

Although anxiety can bring fearful feelings, they are two different things. In psychological terms, fear rises from anticipating an actual future event, whereas anxiety is typically a nervous response to an irrational viewpoint of a potential occurrence.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is an obstacle to daily function, engagement and a mental health condition. The various anxiety disorders each have particular indicators and challenges. Understanding the specific anxiety disorder plaguing you is essential to receive proper treatment and resolution.

The primary anxiety disorders are:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAC)
  • Panic Disorder
  • Phobias
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Agoraphobia
  • Social Anxiety

Some mental health issues like PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) exhibit elements of anxiety disorders

The Symptoms Anxiety

Aside from excessive worrying, fatigue, irritability, problems with concentrating, difficulty falling or staying asleep, are among the many problematic symptoms of anxiety disorders. Patients suffering from these conditions often experience sweaty palms, shaky hands, a racing pulse, and dry mouth, to name just a few of the unpleasant symptoms associated with anxiety disorders.

These symptoms result from your brain readying your body to face a perceived danger or threat. The fight-or-flight reaction kicks in, and blood is diverted from your gastrointestinal system and other areas not critical to defending against this threat.

While this reaction is natural, healthy, and beneficial in the face of actual danger, it is debilitating when the threat is not real. The heightened level of hormones and the diversion of essential blood flow remain at high levels far longer than in an actual threatening environment which can result in serious health consequences.

What Can You Do?

You can do several things to alleviate and even free yourself from anxiety. Changing your outlook and adopting a more rational and less fearful perspective is the first step.

Lifestyle choices can be crucial for moving beyond the burden of anxiety. Common sense solutions such as a balanced and healthy diet, going for a walk and experiencing nature regularly, and establishing a regular exercise routine are all healthy strategies to reduce or eliminate anxiety.

Setting limits on your commitments and learning to say no when necessary can provide substantial relief and make your life more fulfilling. Overcommitting due to the inability to say no can quickly become overwhelming.

While beneficial in certain circumstances, procrastination can become a significant source of anxiety when we let things slide and suddenly have a mountain of incomplete chores and obligations. Writing down all of those neglected tasks and completing them one at a time can be rewarding and will indeed eliminate substantial stress and anxiety.

Summary

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are treatable mental health concerns. Different anxiety disorders present particular symptoms and challenges that need specific treatment.

The main challenge to resolving these issues is adjusting your viewpoint, the perspective you hold about your life. Anxiety results from irrational and fearful thoughts regarding a perceived future event. Fostering a more realistic vision is crucial to move past this debilitating issue.

If you suffer from anxiety in any form, there are well-established therapies to help you live a less fearful and more productive life.

 

Check out our other blogs here. 

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social media

Mental Health and Social Media – What to Know
  • February 28, 2023
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Mental Health and Social Media – What to Know

Being social creatures, companionship, and connecting with others is essential and significantly impact our happiness and mental health. Social media connections can alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression while boosting self-worth, comfort, and confidence.

Conversely, lacking these connections can lead to severe emotional and mental health issues like increased anxiety and depression, to name only two. And while social media platforms promise to deliver these connections, they cannot replicate human-to-human real-time interactions.

The tactile experience of in-person collaborations causes the release of hormones that increase happiness, reduce stress, and help you feel healthier and more positive. Excessive social media use can bring on anxiety and depression while delivering feelings of loneliness and isolation, potentially exacerbating existing mental health issues.

The Downside

Among its most insidious faults, comparing one’s life to the exciting social media postings of others is a significant source of anxiety, depression, and envy. Pictures of exotic vacations, expensive toys, stunning physiques, and other enticing messages can trigger a negative emotional response.

Along with these unhealthy comparisons, cyberbullying and self-absorption lurk everywhere. Your impulse control is under constant assault from incessant notifications and the Fear of Missing out (FO MO).

Sleep

Research shows that social media users go to bed later, sleep worse and get less sleep, especially nighttime users. Screen time at night can stimulate your brain at a time when you want to relax and fall asleep.

Lack of sleep can pose serious health risks and inhibits our ability to function well in our daily lives. It is a problem you should take seriously.

Be Aware

It’s critical that each of us understand the potential pitfalls of these and make conscious decisions about our usage of these platforms. Otherwise, we risk this technology taking over our lives and steering us away from the people and things that are truly important.

Many individuals escape to social media as their “security blanket” to avoid anxious or awkward feelings, loneliness, or uncomfortable situations. We see it every day – people are seemingly obsessed with their devices and unable to communicate in real time.

If this sounds like you, perhaps it’s time to reevaluate how you spend your time.

What Are the Pluses?

It isn’t all bad; a lot of good things are available on these platforms.

Special interests abound on social media. You can find a support group for virtually any health condition, pets of all types, hobbies, professions, service groups, you name it, and you will find it somewhere online.

Almost anything you can do in the real world and many things you cannot are there to discover.

And perhaps most important is the connection social media can provide for families and friends to stay in touch across the miles. You can share pictures of grandchildren, vacations, gatherings, significant lifetime achievements, and everything that makes life available instantly, no matter where you are.

Final Thoughts

Social media platforms aim to keep you engaged for as long as possible and employ technologies that seem to foster a form of addiction. Many become obsessive users and find it virtually impossible to break their compulsive behavior.

So, what can you do to break your existing habit or avoid falling into the social media trap?

It all comes down to how you use and interact with these platforms.

What priority do they play in your life?

Like anything, social media can be a blessing or a curse.
It all depends on you and your choices.

 

Check out more of our blogs here.

 

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divorce stress

Effective ways to cope with divorce stress
  • January 30, 2023
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Effective ways to cope with divorce stress

Ending a marriage is one of the most stressful and emotionally draining situations of adult life. Not to mention the impact of divorce on children. Although there is not much you can do to eliminate divorce stress and pain, your hope for moving on is the gift of self-management because life goes on at the end of it all. 

It is essential to properly deal with the negative emotions that arise from divorce to enable you to move on and maintain optimal mental health. This way, you can avoid transferring your emotional baggage to your new relationships or wreaking your self-confidence and esteem going forward. Therefore this article will explore the most effective strategies for coping with divorce stress. Now let’s get started!

Make your mental, emotional and physical health your top priority 

Falling into substance abuse and other habits to elicit temporary relief from divorce stress looks like the best thing to do. However, it really isn’t. The reason is that it puts you on a downward spiral. Also, you never truly move on from there. If you have children, you should prioritize their health, too, from a holistic viewpoint. 

You should prioritize your mental, emotional and physical health because they are all you’ve got when your partner leaves. They make up all of YOU! Besides, sound health will see you through at the end of the day—during the long lonely nights or dull days. 

You need to be at your best to withstand the pain associated with divorce stress to enable you emerge stronger. You can achieve this by eating healthy, staying physically fit and getting plenty of rest. All these will help you build a stronger, healthier mind and body to see you through the pain you are experiencing. 

Increasing your awareness and being self-nurturing 

A practical method to gain control of your holistic health when dealing with divorce stress is by paying attention to your emotional needs and nurturing yourself emotionally and physically. Paying attention to your emotional needs means cultivating a heightened awareness of your emotions. The reason is that divorce stress can leave you feeling vulnerable and weak. As a result, you need more emotional awareness to figure out what you need in real-time. 

You could find and join a support group, visit a therapist or engage in mindful activities like journaling to help you process the many feelings flooding your mind per time—the general idea is to practice more self-care.

Show yourself a great deal of kindness to overcome divorce stress

The concept of self-responsibility that comes with our modern age can increase your tendency to beat yourself up in stressful situations like a divorce. This is where self-kindness comes in handy as research reveals that people with self-compassion handle divorce challenges better leading up to months after separation. You should not see your ending marriage as a representation of your failure. 

The truth is—there is no standard way to feel when dealing with a divorce. Yes, there will be tears and lots of them, but while you allow yourself to feel these intense emotions, your focus should be on healing. Your feelings are valid, no matter how they present themselves. 

Final Thought 

Truth be told, divorce stress is expected when a marriage ends abruptly. However, what counts is how you handle it and your ability to convert the stress into your leverage for stronger, healthier well-being because you are stronger than you know. Hopefully, the tips in this piece point you in the right direction for taking charge of your life and moving on after a divorce. 

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Resisting Client

The Resisting Client, What To Do
  • December 30, 2022
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The Resisting Client, what to do

Some clients tend to be hostile toward forensic psychology sessions, which prevents the attainment of a treatment’s objective. Meanwhile, labeling clients “resistant” may result in non-compliance and non-willingness to continue with treatment. So, therapists must use their therapeutic skills and background to identify clients exhibiting resistance correctly. The last thing you will want a therapist is to derail your patient’s progress, especially due to a misdiagnosis.

Tried and tested ways of helping resisting clients

Client resistance is not a new phenomenon in psychology. Fortunately, there are several proven ways of helping resistant clients, and below are the top four.

Explore and use things they find motivating

Pain, pleasure, or a mix of the two; are the three main things that motivate human behavior. Sometimes, the benefits associated with or attached to achieving a desired goal encourage individuals to act. Similarly, avoiding negative consequences will push people to act. Therefore, therapists should also explore whether a negative change in the status quo can push people to act in a desired way.

Psychoeducation

It will help if therapists use psychoeducation to teach their clients the benefits of improved motivation, enhanced self-esteem, and regular therapy sessions. Clients can return to their everyday work and life routines with the help of psychoeducation. Moreover, psychoeducation sessions allow clients to recover from PTSD, anxiety, depression, and more.

Some clients might exhibit signs of resistance after the onset of the psychology sessions. Therapists should take a non-judgmental approach towards these clients, even if they don’t complete assigned follow-up activities. During this stage, the therapist should focus on building rapport with the client using techniques like reflection, unconditional positive communication, and empathy.

Acknowledge their client’s perspective

Yes, some clients could be more talkative. Nevertheless, for the ones that are, it will be best to acknowledge their perspective—even if it doesn’t resonate with you. Understanding and recognizing how your clients see things, their response to what they see, and understanding that they are entitled to a different perception will help you help them, especially clients dealing with negative emotions. So, avoid wondering why your client is “mad as hell” for being in your presence.

Talk about the resistance, but don’t fight it

Fighting a resisting client is one guaranteed way of staying within the issue. Therefore, do your best to discuss the resistance without ever fighting it.

Come see what Dr. Deloney at Gayle Forensic Psychology is all about here. 

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high functioning depression

How to Deal With High-Functioning Depression
  • November 20, 2022
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How to Deal With High-Functioning Depression

Depression is a severe mental disorder that affects millions of Americans every year. It often manifests as a distorted sense of reality and is worsened by certain health disorders and substances. One in five adults will experience a mental illness of some kind, with high-functioning depression prevalent among students and adults alike.

High-functioning depression is different than other forms of depression in that it has a higher threshold for triggering thoughts and feelings associated with the disorder. It is also often under-recognized or misdiagnosed, like bipolar disorder or another psychological disorder. This is partial because high-functioning depression can often mimic the symptoms of a different type of mental illness.

It is essential for people suffering from this to take steps to combat it. Here we will discuss the signs and symptoms of high-functioning depression and how to deal with it.

Signs and Symptoms of High-Functioning Depression

One of the most common signs of this type of mental illness is a general sense of emptiness. This can be described as an overall lack of motivation or emotion regarding people or events. People who suffer from high-functioning depression also usually report feelings of anxiety, low self-esteem, and hopelessness. While they may not display significant changes in their living habits, their emotional well-being and overall personality will be negatively affected. However, people suffering from it often have difficulty differentiating between real and fantasy.

Second, many people with this depression are said to have a lowered threshold for experiencing symptoms of depression. They may feel perfectly fine at the outset and then suddenly “crash” into a depressive state. Other symptoms of this disease include isolation from friends and family, loss of interest in hobbies or pastimes, and even subtle changes in their diet and sleep patterns.

These signs and symptoms result from a complex mixture of biological and environmental factors. A biological component is present in people with a genetic predisposition to depression, while the environment triggers symptoms. This is also why some people with high-functioning depression can endure periods without experiencing severe symptoms.

Tips to Help Deal With This diagnosis

Healthy behaviors are essential in coping with this diagnsis. Experts recommend that you physically exercise, sleep as much as possible, maintain a regular diet and lifestyle, and engage in social activities. Taking stock of what helps you to stay positive can help you to feel better emotionally. However, not all treatments or therapies will work for everyone suffering from high-functioning depression.

Find a Reputable Psychologist in Virginia

If you suffer from depression, you will probably be concerned about finding a psychologist to treat you. Most people do not change their doctors because they fear being treated poorly or biased reports or recommendations. Find a high-performing and skilled psychiatrist and talk to them about your concerns.

Call to Action

Your health is of utmost importance, and you should always strive to maintain your mental health. If you suffer from high-functioning depression, do not hesitate to seek help. Remember that not all treatments and therapies will work for everyone. If you have trouble finding a reputable psychologist in Virginia, check out highly rated psychologists.

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Work Life Balance

How To Improve Your Work-Life Balance
  • June 30, 2022
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It can be challenging to effectively manage professional and personal life, which makes work-life balance an essential topic of discussion. According to several statistical reports, over 60 percent of employees in the United States have an unhealthy work-life balance. 

Also, the increase in remote work due to the covid-19 appears to increase the imbalance between work and personal life for most adults worldwide. 

So the question becomes, “how can people improve their work-life balance when they have so much in their lives?” This blog post will enlighten you on all you should know about balancing professional and personal life and why you should. 

What is work-life balance, and why is it significant?

Work-life balance refers to the state of equilibrium between professional and personal life. It is the state of balance where we reasonably meet the demands of our jobs and still enjoy some private time outside work. 

As cliche as it sounds, “too much of everything is bad”. Although most people struggle with accepting it, too much work can have some debilitating effects on our quality of life. Therefore, when work dominates all aspects of living, a healthy work-life balance becomes an effective way to deal with stress. 

Balancing professional and personal life is vital for maintaining excellent physical and emotional well-being and improving mental health. So, such balance is akin to consuming a balanced diet to maintain optimal bodily functions. 

What causes poor work-life balance?

Generally, the need to succeed professionally pushes most people into a workaholic lifestyle. However, most people with an unhealthy work-life balance are oblivious that a healthy work-life balance improves professional performance. Essentially, balancing work and personal life is critical for career success. 

Here are some of the reasons disrupting the balance between work and life for most people:

  • Additional responsibilities at work, like a promotion
  • Other domestic duties like childcare
  • Working extra hours due to financial constrains
  • Remote working.

What happens when you have a disrupted work-life balance?

A disrupted work-life balance is more physically and emotionally damaging than missing out on regular exercise. Additionally, such individuals are prone to higher stress levels and professional inadequacy due to burnout. 

Here are some negative effects on your life when there is an imbalance between professional and personal life:

  • A weak immune system due to higher levels of stress
  • Increased fatigue and exhaustion
  • Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
  • Excessive weight loss
  • High blood pressure
  • Loss of concentration
  • Decreased sex drive, etc. 

Here is how you know that you could be dealing with a whack work-life balance:

  • Chronic work obsession and working overtime
  • Chronic backache and body pains
  • Irritability and social anxiety in extreme conditions
  • Dysfunctional relationships
  • Disorganized personal and professional space

Benefits of an improved work-life balance

Here are a few benefits you enjoy when you begin to balance work and personal life:

  • Increased productivity at work
  • Increased concentration and mindfulness
  • Better physical, emotional and mental wellness
  • Higher self-esteem and motivation
  • Lower stress levels
  • Higher energy 

What are some effective wayds to improve your work-life balance?

Balancing professional and personal life has no ultimate formula as everyone and every work is unique. However, a little attention to detail, creativity, and commitment to striking this balance will do the magic. Additionally, you might require some introspection to enable you critically examine your situation and discover what works better for you. 

Here is a list of methods you can employ to restore the balance between professional and personal life:

  • Master the art of saying “no” without being rude.
  • Reduce perfectionism
  • Utilize your lunch break at work
  • Create adequate time for exercise and leisure
  • Spend time with family and loved ones
  • Ask your boss for some flexibility with your work schedule
  • Embrace remote working with caution.

Final Thoughts

Balancing professional and personal life is no easy feat, especially when so much is happening. However, it is best not to stress over it. Instead, you should take baby steps to restore the balance you desire. If you find it difficult to establish this balance, you can contact us for a session to balance things out.

 

 

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postpartum depression

Three tips for coping with postpartum depression
  • May 31, 2022
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Having a child is a great privilege, but childbirth’s enormous responsibility can sometimes trigger postpartum depression in new mothers. Statistically,  about one in seven women experience baby blues yearly. Also, from a scientific standpoint, there is no specific cause for postpartum depression. 

However, there is a valuable strategy for treating women with the disorder. So in this blog post, we will go over several methods to help you cope with postpartum depression. Let’s get started!

What is postpartum depression?

Essentially, postpartum depression is a psychological disorder affecting women after childbirth. It is characterized by severe mood swings and unhappiness with the new state of motherhood, where the mother experiences difficulty bonding with her baby. Depressed new mothers may experience a strong urge to kill their babies and require critical psychological and medical attention in extreme cases. 

Fortunately, the psychological disorder is treatable. One of the first steps is caring for your psychological wellness during pregnancy to forestal postpartum depression. Most people refer to postpartum depression as baby blues. While both terms loosely mean the unhappiness and mood swings new mothers experience after childbirth, there is a slight difference. 

Baby blues are easily treatable and do not last long, while postpartum depression requires compulsory treatment and attention. However, several women do not report their episodes of unhappiness after childbirth and remain untreated.

Three Tips for managing postpartum depression

Postnatal depression does not make you a bad parent and does not require you to struggle in secret with it. Here are effective strategies to help you cope with the disorder.

Endeavor to establish a strong bond with your baby

Establishing a secure bond with your baby is vital for preventing postpartum depression. Some mothers immediately form this bond with their babies, while others require some time to build the bond slowly. 

Sometimes, it can take several weeks to even months to make a significant attachment to your baby. A secure mother-baby bond is beneficial for both mother and child. You can stimulate this bonding by cuddling, kissing, and responding to your baby’s emotional cues. This way, you reassure yourself of your child’s dependability while reassuring your child of your undeniable love and attention.

Take the time to care for yourself.

Taking care of yourself does more for your mental well-being than you realize. Essentially, most negative emotional responses after childbirth stem from the pressure new mothers feel about having to sacrifice everything continuously. As a result, the new mother subconsciously feels cheated or at a disadvantage, thus triggering a negative emotional response towards her baby. 

Taking a nap while your baby is asleep is one way to begin. Also, you can steal a few hours of sleep to compensate for the lack of sleep every time your baby demands your attention.

Additionally, you should nourish your body with high-quality foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Alternatively, you can engage in light exercise, pamper yourself, go for a makeover, dress shopping, etc. The idea is to give yourself enough attention to avoid feeling drained emotionally, mentally, physically, and otherwise.

Get professional help

Postpartum depression is not a disorder to manage alone and in isolation. You can get professional help by signing up for psychotherapy and counseling sessions. Also, your therapist might add some prescription antidepressants to your sessions to help ease your stress.

Bottom Line

Postnatal depression is normal and doesn’t require much worry. Taking care of your mental health before and during pregnancy will put you ahead of the situation. Furthermore, you get to condition your mind before your baby comes to help you bond better.  

 

    

 

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Wellness

Top Four Effects of Exercise on Psychological Wellness
  • April 30, 2022
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Believe it or not, exercise is as beneficial for your physical body as it is for maintaining psychological wellness. Several people are familiar with the physical benefits of exercise like weight loss, and increased flexibility/range of motion, including therapy for many illnesses. 

However, recent studies reveal that exercise is vital for psychological wellness and overall mental health. Whether you are a fan of aerobics, weight training, or mind-body exercises like pilates and yoga, this blog post will enlighten you on the mental health benefits of exercise. Now, let’s get started! 

Exercise reduces your anxiety and stress levels

Regular exercise offers one of the most effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety by putting you in high spirits. It creates an emotional buffering system that decreases your response to physical and emotional stressors. The elevated heart rate, sweating, and fast breathing associated with exercise mirror your natural stress response. The difference is in the dominant hormones and neurochemicals. 

While stress and anxiety-inducing situations cause the release of epinephrine, exercise stimulates the release of norepinephrine. In other words, exercise adds to your psychological wellness by counteracting stress agents biochemically.  

It helps psychological wellness by improving your sleep and energy levels

Better sleep is the end product of the stress-reducing effect of exercise. Regular night sleep is highly recommended for proper cognitive skills. Hence the relationship between exercise and better quality of sleep. Also, people who are unable to get some shuteye are prone to several cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure. 

Exercise raises the body temperature to stimulate a resultant cooldown relaxing effect. However, you should beware of exercising close to your bedtime as it can have the opposite effect and keep you awake for much longer. 

Exercise contributes to your psychological wellness by building a sharper memory

The brain is one organ that runs on increased oxygen supplies. When you engage in exercise, your heart pumps more blood, thus enriching your brain’s supply of nutrients and dissolved solute materials. 

Also, the increased blood supply invariably means increased oxygen supply. The reason is that the red blood cells are the oxygen-carrying component of the blood. The mental health benefits of exercise include but are not limited to improved memory, concentration, creativity, and relaxation. 

It balances your mood and boosts your self-esteem Wellness

If you’ve been having mood swings, exercise can be an excellent mood stabilizer the reason is that the brain produces a feel-good hormone called endorphins after exercise. Endorphins also trigger the release of oxytocin and together create the uplifting mood you feel after exercise. 

It is also the reason behind the runner’s high or yogi’s calm you feel after each practice, leading to psychological wellness. 

Studies show that people who engage in regular exercise are less likely to exhibit aggressive and passive-aggressive responses. 

Additionally, exercise bolsters your self-confidence levels. Essentially, you feel good about your creative abilities to move your body at will and perform incredible actions. Since exercise helps with weight loss and management, you are less likely to worry about your body image because of exercise— Talk about psychological wellness!

Bottom Line

There is no overstating the relevance of exercise. Hopefully, this blog post succeeds in exposing you to the benefits of exercise for maintaining psychological wellness besides its physical benefit. 

 

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mind

Top Three Strategies for keeping your mind young and sharp
  • March 31, 2022
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Even though your brain changes with time, especially as you get older, you can certainly keep your mind young and sharp. Essentially, your brain is not limited in function and ability as it can adapt and evolve—that’s why we have neuroplasticity. 

Since good health is not exclusive to maintaining physical vitality, keeping your mind young and sharp is a significant milestone for maintaining overall health.

So whether you want to live forever young or want to improve your mental health on a general level, this blog post has you covered. 

Eat healthy to keep your mind young and sharp.

We will never be able to overemphasize the relevance of good food for a healthy and functional mind. Essentially, your brain derives all its energy from one food nutrient—glucose. The glucose needed for your brain to function comes from your digestible food. As a result, when the brain is short of glucose, your body breaks down your glucose reserves through a metabolic pathway called gluconeogenesis to supply glucose for your brain to carry on. Therefore, you should ideally eat what the earth naturally provides for you and avoid most processed foods. The reason is that processed foods contain trans fats, sodium, sugar, and empty calories. In contrast, natural organic foods are nutrient-dense and supply the essential vitamins, minerals, macros, and micros that your brain needs to stay young and sharp.

Daily exercise keeps your mind young and sharp.

As much as exercising keeps your physical body young and strong, it affects your brain. When you exercise, you engage your muscles and your mind. Also, while you exercise, your heart pumps more blood around your body, flushing away neurotoxins from your brain and supplying more oxygen and nutrients. As a result, the first part of brain regeneration—neuroplasticity, occurs, leaving the second part for when you engage your mind in learning and experiencing new stuff. Ideally, the average person should be getting not less than 30 minutes of cardio every day. However, a regular daily exercise as brief as 10 minutes daily will do, provided you are consistent.

Engage your mind

If you sit quietly for a moment, you will observe that your mind keeps being busy. Some schools of thought, like the students of Zen philosophy, affirm that the mind is like a chattering monkey. It extensively proves that your mind needs engagement. Mental stimulation is a vital process for keeping your mind young and sharp. You can take or sign up for new courses, online courses, or read many books. You can also learn new skills like playing instruments, painting, knitting, dressmaking, baking, etc. There is no end to what you can learn and do to keep your mind super engaged. 

Final thoughts

Good food, exercise, and new experiences are three critical ways to keep your mind young and sharp. But, more importantly, neuroplasticity which is the formation of more neurons by your brain, takes place during learning and exposure to new experiences. 

 

 

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Two seniors on a stroll

How to maintain your mental health as a Senior
  • February 14, 2022
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Maintaining golden-age health and vitality can be pretty challenging. Even more, your mental health, especially as more and more seniors suffer from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, muscle dystrophy, etc.

Nonetheless, taking care of your mental well-being in your golden age can be fun and less burdensome if you know the right tips. This blog post will enlighten you with four essential tips for maintaining your mental health as a senior. So read on to learn more!

  • Eat more golden-age friendly foods

Good nutrition is essential for maintaining overall health, your mind inclusive. The reason is that your brain needs energy from food to function effectively. Essentially, your brain derives its primary nutrients from glucose, a metabolic byproduct of carbohydrate digestion. As a result, your diet should include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meat, and healthy fats.

Additionally, you should avoid highly processed foods and trans fats as you age. The idea is to eat more natural foods for a healthy mind while in your golden years.

  • Stay properly hydrated

Your body is made up of 75% water. Also, it would help if you had more water and fluids in your system to maintain your inner transport or circulation. When poorly hydrated, you predispose your brain to shock, leading to a coma. It helps to know that your mind is an integral part of your body. Your mind is what makes you, you. 

Suppose you find plain water unpalatable. There are other ways to spice up your drinking water so that you’re more motivated to drink more. You can add fruit slices to flavor your water. Alternatively, you can consume more tea and eat more citrus fruits. That way, you’re indirectly hydrating without dealing with the bland taste of plain water. 

  • Keep your mind engaged in your golden years.

Usually, your mind is the first recipient of the golden-age call. A big part of enjoying your golden years is when your mind remains active. As a result, you should get into the habit of learning. Read books, watch worthwhile videos, learn a skill, a game, etc. For example, if you like music, you could play an instrument. 

The more new things you know, the more neurons your brain develops through a process called neuroplasticity. This way, you keep your mind young and sharp. So join that chess club today!

Alternatively, you can engage in helpful conversations with others and maintain an active social life. What’s more? Several young people will be interested in learning from your life’s story.

  • Get adequate golden-age physical exercise.

Physical exercise is not exclusive to professional athletes and younger people who want to look sexy. Exercise is beneficial to everyone regardless of their age. As a result, getting older doesn’t stop you from getting adequate training. 

Additionally, you should engage more in golden-age exercise to ward off bone diseases, like arthritis and other golden-age-related diseases. Exercise also puts you in a great mood because it lifts your spirit. Several methods exist for seniors to get plenty of exercise like walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, dancing, etc. 

Conclusion

Getting older is both a privilege and a blessing. As a result, a sharp mind will assist you in looking back through life and passing on your wisdom and experiences to the younger generation. While there are other methods to keep your mind sharp as you age, we hope this article gives you an excellent head start.

 

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