NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

It’s resolution season, and I’ve got one for you: Make a goal to improve your mental health this year.

I talk about it ways to do that in this blog often. Here’s a recap of some changes you can make:

• Exercise more (maybe try rock climbing?)
• Cut out sugar
• Eat more vegetables
• Make a habit of mindfulness meditation
• Form better sleep habits
• Get outside more
• Focus on building friendships

I want to note that probably the most common resolution is to lose weight or become more fit. Some of the mental health resolutions above overlap with those health-based goals.

I think it’s important to approach these goals with the attitude of becoming more physically and mentally healthy rather than focusing on looking better. Placing too much value on how you look is not good for mental health. Choose an activity-based goal, rather than having a pounds-based goal. It’s the behaviors that make the biggest difference!

The Washington Post published a fantastic article on New Years Day in 2018 about the science behind keeping your resolutions. Tips include to start out strong, aim high but allow some room for error, and link a new habit to an old one. Read up and good luck!

Author

Satu H. Woodland, PMHCNS-BC, APRN Satu Woodland is owner and clinician of Hope Mental Health, an integrative mental health practice located at Bown Crossing in Boise, Idaho. She sees children, adolescents, and adults.  Ms. Woodland with her background in nursing, prefers a holistic and integrative approach to mental health care that addresses the mind and body together. While Ms. Woodland provides medication management services in all her patients, she believes in long-lasting solutions that include a number of psychotherapies, namely cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure and response prevention therapy, attention to lifestyle, evidenced based alternative psychiatric care and spirituality. If you’d like to gain control over your mental health issues, call Hope Mental Health at 208-918-0958, or use the online scheduling tool to set up an initial consultation.