Its Mens Health Week, and I want to talk about giving yourself a Mind MOT. We check in with our motors, but do we check in with our own mind enough? Think about it, if you fail to maintain your motor, chances are it’ll eventually break down. Same goes for your mind.
With greater awareness of mens health, in particular mens mental health, thankfully, more of us are now TALKING about anxiety, depression and other things that affect our headspace. But with the world the way that it is these days, it can be easy to not keep on top of things. SO, as you sit there reading this (thanks for being here by the way), let’s do an on the spot MIND MOT.
Are you sleeping enough? Let’s talk about sleep.
Good sleep is essential for a healthy mind space. So, if you are feeling stressed, anxious, worried or depressed, take a moment to think about your sleep levels. Are you sleeping enough,, and is the quality of your sleep good enough? Take one hour before bed to disconnect from the world around you, and that includes social media. Be sure that your sleeping space has no electronics in it, and check the quality and comfort of your pillow and mattress. You’d be surprised how many people talk about not sleeping well because of their pillow, or mattress, and fail to replace them. You might also want to declutter – keep your sleeping area like a minimalist zen pod
When sleep is out of whack, it can start to affect your moods on a daily basis and then lead to long term mental health issues.
Are you managing your stress levels?
Stress is a normal and natural part of life, but sometimes it can consume us and almost take us hostage. it’s important to check in with your stress levels, ideally on a daily basis. Introduce some regular breathing exercises, make time each day to ground yourself – find some grass, take your shoes off, and stand on it. This grounds the body and reduces stress levels. If you can identify WHAT is stressing you, you can take action towards dealing with it.
Are You Masking What’s Going On In Your Headspace?
Sometimes, we just know that we are letting things get on top of us, but we dread the thought of what people would think of us, We worry that people will judge us, and think that we are failing. But talking to people, friends, family, or someone impartial can help to keep things balanced in our headspace. It can feel uncomfortable to be vulnerable, and take time to check in with ourselves and our mates., and see how we are coping or feeling but if more of us start to do it, then more of us will become comfortable with it.
Step back and ask yourself, ARE YOU MASKING WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR HEADSPACE?
Are you saying ‘yeah things are GREAT’ when a mate asks you how life is, how you are doing, feeling, when. the reality is that actually, you are stressed, anxious, struggling on the inside? Think about taking that mask off, and opening up about your feelings. Yes. yes I did just say that.
Checking in with your mental health and doing a Mind MOT or Mental Health MOT regularly, perhaps even daily or weekly is the best way to keep a check on things, and if things don’t feel so great for you, then take control and make a choice to address things.
As always I am here to talk to, so book a free consultation call with me if you have a fear, phobia or anxiety that is affecting you.
You can book your free call here.
I hope this post has inspired you, share it with someone who you think might need to hear some of this. Until the next time, have a great day
Christopher Paul Jones
Harley Street Therapist.
