Stress levels are running high and many of us are feeling mentally overloaded. To reduce the chance that you’re going to blow up or break down, keep an eye on what you can control vs. what is completely out of your control. Below I’ve listed 4 easy ways for you to improve your mental health. Create a mental cocoon if possible to reduce the pressure on your mind and spirit.

Exercise Regularly

Put the time in on your body every day. Do some wall plank pushups, go for a walk, stretch your back or go for a swim. Think of exercise as a treat, rather than a chore. Allow your body to sink deeply into the mat, or think of each step on your walking path as a grounding.

While exercising, try to keep your mind moving forward. This is particularly important if you’re prone to anxiety. It’s really easy to let that hamster wheel of trouble spin while you’re getting in your walk, which will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. Instead, choose one challenge and create a mental spiderweb of ideas to get past it. Habitual behavior, such as walking, can really free up the creative mind and drastically improve mental health. 

Use Focus Tools

If you’re working from home or building a side hustle, use the timer on your phone to help you stay focused. Turn off the notifications and set the timer for an hour so you can dive in and really dig into whatever you’re working on. After an hour, take a break.

Pretty much anything can be a focus tool if you allow it. Timers can be found on the stove, the dryer, and the television. Allow them to determine time and place as well. If you’re cooking and the oven needs to work for an hour, spend that full hour in the kitchen. Organize and clean without worrying about anything else. It may not be fun right now, but it can make tomorrow a lot better. Improving your mental health can be a bit challenging when you’re being constantly bombarded by life’s distractions, so quality focus time is crucial.   

Relax Fully

Use the tools you prefer for relaxation. If that means tea, coffee, or a caffeinated soda, use them. If you prefer a beer, a glass of wine, or cannabis, use that. Schedule a THC flower delivery and plan to turn your brain off for a set period of time.

Relaxation can happen at any time and it doesn’t have to mean that you get altered. Remember that relaxation isn’t the same as meditation, although meditation can also be useful in improving your mental health. Skip the drive to be constantly productive and just let yourself be for a time.

Sleep Deeply

Arrange your bedroom for good quality sleep. If it’s cold where you live, make sure you have some fleece to snuggle in. If it’s warm, make sure you have cotton bedding to wick away moisture. Get good blinds to fully darken your sleeping area and plug in your phone or tablet somewhere outside your bedroom whenever possible.

Additionally, set a sleeping pattern that helps your body wind down. If you’re really struggling to sleep, a dose of sublingual CBD may help you to shut down your brain. Make sure you consider your body temperature as well as your room temperature. For those who love a hot bath to warm up before bed, try to leave an hour gap between bath and bedtime. Your core temperature needs to drop so your brain can fall into the deepest level of sleep; getting too hot right before bed can actually agitate your mind.

When you work, use a timer and work fully. Focus your whole brain on what needs to happen, then let yourself relax. When you exercise, dig into what you’re doing. When you relax, unplug and disconnect. When you sleep, do whatever it takes to get into the deepest level of sleep quickly.