Favorite Tips & Tricks for Managing Mental Health

Managing mental health struggles such as depression, anxiety, and managing emotions is a continuous journey whether you are implementing allopathic protocols and medications or have decided to take the more natural and holistic approach.

No matter which path that you choose, there are many things that you can start to use right away and start to work into your daily routines that may benefit your mental health. Here are some of my favorite ones that I implement myself:

1. Insight Timer
   The Insight Timer app (available on iOS and Android) has been a total game-changer in the realm of my mental health. Insight Timer claims to be the most used meditation app based on the time users spend on it. The app is free to use with access to 30,000 meditations and has 10.5 million meditators world-wide. In addition, they offer music tracks such as soundscapes and a variety of instrumentals to listen to and also an easy to use meditation timer with bells and chimes that you can customize. I came across this app while taking a social media break and found it to be an incredibly supportive and inspiring community of people all working towards bettering themselves and putting out good intentions into the universe. For a paid subscription you can also have access to varying length courses that address a multitude of subjects ranging from bettering relationships, controlling impulsive behaviors, working through grief, and even developing morning rituals to jumpstart a mindful day at work. You can also download for offline listening, use the night-mode feature, and take advantage of the high-quality audio and audio playback features.
2. Meditopia
   The Meditopia app is another one that I found that is available on iOS and Android devices. It is similar to Insight Timer and offers a large (paid) library of meditations, music, and programs to choose from that range from subjects such as sleep, reducing stress, motivation, compassion, gratitude, and reducing anxiety. For free, users can access the 15 meditations in the “First Steps” and “Foundations” series. A Premium Paid Membership allows you access to over 150+ meditations that you can download for offline use as well as meditations based on the various themes.
3. Apple Watch Series 5
   I had always wanted a smartwatch so I could step away from my phone more often, but I found it hard because I was always worried about missing phone calls or texts from family members that would be legitimate emergencies. Carrying my phone on me 24/7 led to me aimlessly scrolling the feeds of Facebook and Instagram and spending countless hours on something that was not serving me in a positive way at all. I am on the Sprint Network and they recently had a promotion going for the new Apple Watch Series 5 so I took advantage of this since one of the features is that you can still accept calls and respond to texts. I could even leave my phone at home and not worry about missed emergency calls. One of my favorite things is that I CANNOT download social media apps to it other than Facebook Messenger. So I can still stay connected to my friends and family on Facebook, but without the mindless scrolling. In addition, there are so many apps available for it that are specifically for your health. The Insight Timer and Meditopia apps actually sync with the watch! I am also a fan of the Breathe app which you can set short timers for and watch the mandala change on the screen, going smaller to bigger, and while following along to the vibration feedbacks for your breathing practice. The series 5 also has the addition of an ECG app as well as a sound app that checks the decibel levels of noise around you so you can keep your ears healthy too! This little watch has given me such a sense of freedom from my attachment to my phone and it was definitely worth the investment.
4. Apple AirPods Pro
   These little things recently came out and are AMAZING! I recently lost my wired Apple earbuds and needed to replace them, but, I was also needing a set of Bluetooth earbuds to replace my Bluetooth headphones which do not fit in the required size purses and bags that you are allowed to bring into events such as concerts. Suffering from anxiety and panic attacks, I need a way to drown out the surrounding noises so I can use music or meditations to focus on my breathing and get back to a sense of calmness. The new Apple AirPod Pro has some nifty features which are great for this! The active noise canceling feature is great for getting rid of the noises around you so that you can focus or listen to some music and calm down. It actually adjusts at 200 times per second! The transparency mode is also super awesome, especially if you are a parent, and need to take a few moments of quiet to yourself, but, also keep an ear and eye on your little ones. With the new fitting, they now stay in your ears pretty well so I think these would also be good while chasing around kiddos or using while out jogging or running. They also come with 3 silicone tips so you can choose which size works best for you. The included wireless charging case provides you with more than 24 hours of listening time (4.5 hours on one full earbud charge) at 1 hour of listening time on only 5 minutes of charging.
5. The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Coping Technique for Anxiety
   This exercise is one that is commonly taught in therapy to help cope with anxiety attacks and focus on your breathing while thinking of other things. It uses the base of the five senses:
   - Acknowledge 5 things that you SEE around you.
   - Acknowledge 4 things that you can TOUCH around you.
   - Acknowledge 3 things that you can HEAR around you, whether internal or external sounds.
   - Acknowledge 2 things that you can SMELL right this moment.
   - Acknowledge 1 thing that you can currently TASTE.
6. Lavender Essential Oil
   Utilizing essential oils over the years has always had some type of positive benefit to my holistic toolbox of goodies to use for various health ailments. Lavender essential oil is popular to use to help us relax and wind down whether for emotional health or our physical health. Wise Woman Herbals is one of my top favorite brands for essential oils and other herbal products that you can purchase online. You can use it in home diffusers, diffuser jewelry, as well as in bath and body products when it is diluted and formulated safely.
7. Buddha Teas — Calm Buddha Blend
   I love these teas so much that I have a wall of their cute tea boxes on my kitchen counter under my herb cabinets. The Calm Buddha Blend consists of Kava Kava Root, Organic Chamomile Flower, Organic Passion Flower, Organic Skullcap, Organic St. John’s Wort, Organic Spearmint, Organic Lavender, and Organic Cinnamon. I don’t find the taste overpowering or strong, it is light and comforting with hints of floral and spice. I rather enjoy it.
8. The Positive Journal: 5 Minutes a Day Towards a Happier Life
   I had never heard of this cute little journal until one of the faculty members of my school (American College of Healthcare Sciences) recommended it. I really enjoy spending a few moments each day to read the daily snippet and reflect on it before filling in the journal entry space for that day. The book is 365 entries so it will last a year when used daily.
9. Turn OFF the Television and Put On a Sleeping Mask!
   One of the best things that I have found to help increase my REM sleep (which a lack of can be common with anxiety) is to shut off the television at night instead of laying in bed and falling asleep watching it while it is set to an auto-timer. In replacement of the television usage, I put on sleep music playlists from Spotify, or the sleep music tracks from the Insight Timer and Meditopia apps I mentioned above. In addition, I have started to wear a sleeping mask over my eyes at night time which has helped to shut out any lights from the hallway when my kids get up in the night to go to the bathroom. It also helps during storms to block out the flashes of lightning that may find their way through the blinds or curtains of your windows.
10. STOP the Infinite Scrolling!
    Constantly checking my social media throughout the day was a big contributor to my mental health teetering on a downward spiral. Those little red circles and numbers indicating my unread notifications each time I logged on throughout the day kept feeding my sense of urgency to always get the number down and to respond to people as soon as I could as if I was trying to conversate with them in person. Pretty unrealistic and stressful, am I right? Yup. In addition to that stress, I found myself using social media as a way to escape my struggles I was facing, instead of facing them head-on and spending time learning the tools and skills to help me manage them. Facebook was becoming the thing that determined my mood for the day. I could see an aggressive news article, or people just being ugly to each other in comment threads and I was letting it get under my skin and it would trigger my anxiety and I would get angry about it. And I did not want to be an angry person. I started to notice that I was spending more time mindlessly scrolling Facebook than I thought so I removed the app from my phone. Whenever I found myself wanting to aimlessly scroll something, I turned to my meditation apps (above) and would work on a course or a meditation, or listen to a speaker talk about something such as mindfulness and gratitude. I started finding myself more present with my family and loved ones, more involved in in-depth conversations, thinking more about my business and career goals, and putting more energy into the things that mattered most to me. I don’t think we are meant to keep up with such complex and large pieces of information constantly around the clock without spending time for ourselves throughout the day and slowing down. The modern world is so fast and complex and it is easy to get caught up in it.