It's a mood: How to support your mental health every day, naturally.

August 02, 2022 4 min read

When you hear the term ‘mental health’, what do you think of? Does it conjure stereotypical thoughts and images, like doctors and medications, psychologists and psychiatrists, and very unwell, often depressed, people?

In truth,mental health covers a broad spectrum of thoughts and feelings, encompassing all colours of the rainbow. We can talk about good mental health, mental ill-health, and illness across a wide and non-linear spectrum.

What matters most, whether your mental health is where you want it to be or not, issupport.

The way someone maintains a healthy state of mind can look different from person to person.While some might involve therapists or medication, others might opt for natural remedies and nature therapy. Often, people adopt a combination of various supports that changes over time.

Among the variety and choices, however, there is one important notion that applies across the board:prevention over cure.

In other words? Working on maintaining a healthy mind and bodyevery day is much easier - and more impactful - than waiting until a crisis to seek support.

Easier said than done, we know!That’s why we’ve shared some of our favourite and simple tips below, from our resident Naturopath Georgia Prisco and other reputable Australian resources, to incorporate natural mental health support into daily life. Some of them you’ll know and might even use already, but we can’t underplay the importance of doing somethingeveryday!Importantly, this informationapplies whether or not you consider yourself to have good mental wellbeing, or are managing ill-health or illness.

Withalmost one in two Australians experiencing a mental illness at some point in life, there’s never been a more important time to make this topic one of your highest priorities!

Things you can do to support your mental health daily

Move

Hands-down one of the best ways to lift your mood is tomove! Backed bya mountain of evidence, exercise (and even just spendingtime in a green outdoor space - our favourite) releases feel-good hormones, helps manage pain and mood, andimproves wellbeing across the board. Some is better than none, while finding something that works for you and your body is crucial to forming a long-term habit.

Eat

We’ve all heard the words ‘you are what you eat’, but we’d alter this slightly -you are what you eatoften. Makes more sense, right? As you may have guessed,a healthy, fibre-rich wholefood diet (organic where possible) is important for great health, physically and mentally. There’s no shame in eating the occasional take away, processed or sugary foods (and for some, healthy foods are harder to access), but consuming these kinds of foods on a frequent basis can have a significant negative impact on how we feel. Likewise, eating healthy fresh food more regularly can have positive effects on our mood!

Drink

Alcohol and caffeine are well known to impact our mood and canexacerbate feelings of anxiety and depression. Our favourite replacement will come as no surprise - tea! With so many delicious loose leaf blends, including plenty of caffeine-free options and ones suited to hot or iced tea,our organic tea range blended on the Surf Coast is an excellent place to start.

Connect

Humans are social creatures. When we ignore this, often when life gets busy, we can become a little isolated.Regular social connections - from a quiet cuppa with a close friend to a weekend festival -are actually crucial to feeling good. These might not be daily and how they look will vary from person to person, so find what fills your (tea)cup the most and plan to do that regularly.

Sleep

Most of us know just how terrible we can feel after a bad night - or multiple nights - sleep (hey new parents!). Research shows that getting at least eight hours per nightregularlyhelps us wake each day with a great foundation to spring from.Read more about getting a good night’s sleep here.

Mindfulness

You’ve probably heard this one a hundred times before, but for good reason!Ample research supports the idea that spending time focusing on the present moment - be it in meditation, a few minutes of quiet, or something else - leads to improved mental wellbeing. It can be difficult to practice in this fast-paced world, so you might like to try a guided practice to get started, such as theHeadspace App. Not your thing?Next time you’remaking a cuppa, slow it right down and notice each moment. A delicious daily ritual we adore.

Boundaries

Hear us out on this one -learning to say ‘no’ is a game changer. Many people struggle with this and it often comes at the cost of our energy and wellbeing. It takes time and practice, but listening to your body before making decisions can behugefor your health long-term. We can also set boundaries with ourselves. Learn to speak kindly to yourself. Hear your thoughts about yourself, especially on tougher days - would you say those things to a loved one or a friend? If not, can you reframe them?

The support we receive for our wellbeing from ourselves and others plays a critical role in every aspect of life. Whether we choose to exercise, slow down, go out for dinner, or say no more often, there’s always something we can employ each day to promote better mental health, on the good days and bad.

We hope you find time today to do something that supports you.

Health note: This information is not intended as personal health advice or treatment. We always recommend speaking with your qualified health professional for a personalised approach. If you or someone you know are in need of urgent support, please callLifeline on 13 11 14.

Winter is well and truly here! How is your tea cupboard looking? Needing a top up? We’re currently loving Dalai Calma, our ultimate botanical relaxation blend for stress relief, quiet moments or bedtime.Shop it here.

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