What lifestyle change improved your mental health

[Bye2024]

What changes did you make to your life to help your mental health? Last year I barely got through it. Got into a slump where I was just existing. This year I'm determined to fight this and flourish.

I walk a lot each day outside- partly as I work outside but l also enjoy it and I think it’s not just the fresh air it’s just getting your body moving. If you start with a short walk then built it up you will always feel better for it - rain or sun I always feel better when I have had a walk

Any tips on how to start ?
Whenever I have tried mindfulness / meditation my mind always wanders to negative stuff

Sorry about your breakdown
Animals are SO therapeutic - talking to thrm
/ stroking if they allow .
I miss my dog massively - he used to tilt his head in understanding

There are some very helpful tips in this thread, showing very thoughtfully, how each of us will be drawn to different methods to improve our wellness.
It's helpful to get some foundational things in place too. For me, it's important I get enough sleep / rest; and I need to eat in a way that nourishes.
For me, there's a correlation between tiredness and anxiety; or hunger and anxiety, so I need to keep my energy levels, (from food and resting,) within healthy set points.
If I leave the house for a few hours, I take a banana to make sure I'm not caught short and end up going too long without food. I also aim for 8 hours sleep.
Years ago, I was at a wellness workshop and the person delivering the course said the moment we feel anxious, to ask if we're tired or hungry. It struck a chord; and it's become very important to my mental health that I stick to this, quite simple formula of eating well and getting restorative sleep. (Caveat - my child is no longer young and I acknowledge how difficult it is to get restorative sleep with babies / toddlers.)

Sorry, I know you asked a different poster but I had the same experience with mindfulness. The whole letting my thoughts just happen and trying to dismiss them when I was at my lowest meant that the very negative harmful thoughts took over. I find it much better to meditate with sound. I use quiet background music, brown noise or soundbaths on YouTube. Sometimes videos of positive affirmations if they aren't too cheesy. I sit or lie, listen to the sound, do some breathing exercises and just let my body relax.

So many helpful suggestions here. I find when feeling overwhelmed I try to think about a complete lifestyle overhaul, or chucking lots of money at a situation in the hope to improve things.

However really small changes are probably much more worthwhile and sustainable. For me the things that really help have all been mentioned I think:

• fresh air and a walk, however short
• prioritising friendships, I have fallen out of the habit of phoning but a good catch up is so worthwhile, even if they can't be in person
• cutting back in alcohol, even a couple of glasses of wine now really impacts my mood, anxiety and ability to get on with stuff
• routine - really boring but if the house is tidy, I'm on top of washing, packed lunches, meal plans etc, everything else just flows much more easily

This year I'd like to spend more time outdoors, eat more healthily, and spend more time with friends.

Hi jenkibubble,

I can’t remember if I talked to them (horses), and I couldn’t stroke them, as they were behind double wire fencing.

I think if was their huge soft brown eyes.
like they could see inside my spirit, and I felt a surge of warmth.

Your dear dog, will have understood you.. maybe not in human vocabulary, but nonetheless, I certainly believe that some people (including you) have a strong connection with animals.

If it’s not too painful for you, would you consider homing a dog (like on The Doghouse), and that way you could do each other a huge favour.

I lost my darling dog back in ‘22… so I have some idea of your loss.

Take care…

Regular exercise, I do something daily.

As much daylight as possible.

Meditation , I like breathwork mostly focusing on a relaxing breathing technique to chilled music like handspan.

I really like the Insight Timer app which has so much free content that if you want to try meditation it really has something for everyone.

Staying off social media and doing more reading

Exercise, without a doubt. Lifting weights and yoga. I'd be back on ADs without it. And cuddling my dog.

Really enjoyed reading these. Hoping to implement them and finally get off AD's.

Same here.. love swimming

I just googled. I tend to enjoy the Buddhist ones and have done a solo retreat at a kadampa one and then with Western Chan Fellowship. Googling meditation groups and starting off slowly is the key. Also there are lots of guided mediations on line -- google yoga nidra (that is actually meditation)

Getting secure housing, getting married.

@MsGoodenough
I do all sorts of meditation now -- yoga nida, focussing on the breath, staring at a flame, using mala beads (breathe in, breathe out, go to next bead), mostly focusing on the breath, which is also the hardest in my opinion. I highly recommend Jonathan Foust (just google him)

Swimming for me, outdoor pool at the gym is heated and absolutely devine! I do that at least three times a week rain or shine and it's made a huge difference to my life.

For anyone looking for a retreat, I highly recommend this one:

www.dhanakosa.com

Walking the dogs helps massively. Also volunteering and coming on MN 😀