How to Maintain Mental Well-Being?

Heard of quaint and secluded villages in the Himalayas where even basic healthcare is missing, and people live into their 100s without any diseases? Wonder why that happens? Because they have a common urban ailment missing in their lives – Stress. Stress is the root cause of so many disorders that scientists have even related it with cancer. 

How can we ensure day-to-day well being? Some handy pointers… 

• Sleep as much as your body demands. I have heard people sleeping by the clock, which is ok because we all have a bus to catch in the morning. However, sleeping optimally is most critical to your well-being. A yawny, drowsy day doesn’t help anyone. 
• Drink enough water. A common advise these days, it is important to keep yourself hydrated. 
• Breathe deep and slow. Whenever you find a few seconds (or minutes), breathe slow and deep, giving attention to your breath. This can happen at workplace and you do not need any equipment for this. It is a wonderful relaxant. 
• Manage your energy. Your energy is your currency. If we are aware of where we are spending our energy we can manage it better. Burning too much cortisol while worrying and feeling anxious, we are bound to feel tired and exhausted. While being aware of our emotional state can make us manage our emotional state better. If something stressful happens, you can choose to be positive, be forgiving, understanding and calm. 
• Move around. Even if you are not physically active in terms of going to gym (like meJ) you can ensure that you move around a bit. Go and fill up your water bottle, choose stairs over lift, go over to the colleague’s desk, walk around while on phone. 
• Destress. We all have passion for something that might destress us. Take a dancing class, play tennis, sing, etc. 
• Meditate. I can’t stress enough on how important meditating is. If you are a beginner, start with guided meditation. Download apps such as Calm and Headspace to begin with.