Mental Health Awareness Spotlight

August is National Wellness Month. The focus of this month is on self-care, stress management, and creating healthy routines, all of which contribute to positive mental health.

Self-care is an essential part of well-being. On average, it takes 90 days to establish a lifestyle change. Self-care, stress management, mindfulness, self-compassion, proper nutrition, and exercise are things you could incorporate into your daily routine to create a positive lifestyle change. Self-care takes small steps:

Drink water. Drinking water is one of the most important and easiest things you can do to improve your wellness. Water increases your energy, removes toxins from your body, improves concentration, and contributes to weight loss.

Practice stretching and yoga. Daily stretching can improve your posture, reduce back pain, and give you mental and emotional peace.

Try something new. Positive change stimulates good mental health and improves your overall health.

Exercise! Start slowly, but make the time to exercise. Exercise contributes to pain management, reduced stress, improved confidence, increased strength, and more.

Pay attention to your body and mind. If you feel overwhelmed or stressed, take action – don’t ignore your intuition. Go for a walk, try a breathing technique, visit a friend, find a way to mitigate the stress, and above all, find a way to slow down.

Choose healthy foods. Your eating habits impact the way you feel. Good nutrition nourishes your body and leads to good overall health.

Dedicate yourself to focusing on personal wellness in August by creating and incorporating healthy routines into your life. Minor changes to daily or weekly habits can significantly improve your physical, emotional, and mental health.

Upcoming mental health awareness events:

American Foundation for Suicide Awareness Out of the Darkness Walks (AFSP OOTDW):