Throughout the month of May, we’re sharing mental health resources and tips. This week, we’re spotlighting mindfulness—a tool that can help us cope with and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being intentionally aware of what’s happening within and around us. It’s paying attention to our thoughts, feelings, bodies, and surroundings. When we practice mindfulness, we have an opportunity to accept the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that we experience without attaching labels — like “good,” “bad,” “right,” or “wrong” — to them.

What are the benefits?

Mindfulness can improve our mental health. When we are anchored to the present moment, we tend to spend less time worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. Studies show that regularly practicing mindfulness can reduce stress, increase our ability to focus, make us more resilient, increase happiness and joy, and help us cultivate self-compassion and compassion towards others.

How can I practice mindfulness?

Mindfulness can be practiced anytime, anywhere, and while doing anything. If you’re interested in trying mindfulness, check out these common exercises:

• Mindful Breathing: This exercise gives us a chance to focus on the breath and the sensations that accompany breathing.
  
• Mindful Walking: Like to walk outside? This exercise invites us to be immersed in the present moment while walking.
  
• Body Scan: This exercise draws attention to different areas of our bodies.
  
• Mindful Eating: We tend to multitask while eating and eat quickly. Mindful eating can help us savor our food.

References

“Less Stress, More Happiness: How Mindfulness Can Combat Stress.” Healthy E-Living Blog, 12 Apr. 2021, www.chestercountyhospital.org/news/health-eliving-blog/2021/april/how-mindfulness-can-combat-stress.

“Mindfulness Defined.” Greater Good Magazine, The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition.

Throughout the month of May, we’re sharing mental health resources and tips. This week, we’re spotlighting strategies for coping with the Sunday scaries.

With the weekend approaching, many of us are ready to relax and set aside work until Monday. But, when Sunday rolls around, many people experience apprehension that comes from anticipating a new work week. You may know this feeling as the Sunday scaries.

According to research, the Sunday scaries typically creep in around 3:58 PM on Sunday and last throughout the evening. Fortunately, there are strategies to make the transition from the weekend to work a little easier. Check out these three tips:

• Make a To-Do List for Monday — If you can’t stop thinking about what you need to accomplish at work, you can try to create space to relax by writing down work priorities for Monday.
  
• Stick to a Sunday Evening Routine — Our minds find comfort in consistency. Consider adhering to an evening routine that’s filled with easy and enjoyable activities.
  
• Make Monday Special — Having something to look forward to can help ease anxiety. On Mondays, consider treating yourself to something special.

References

Good, Candace. “How to Beat the Sunday Scaries.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, LLC, 23 Sept. 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/own-your-present/202109/how-beat-the-sunday-scaries.

“What Are the ‘Sunday Scaries’?” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 8 Dec. 2021, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sunday-scaries/.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and at L&P, we support causes that strengthen the fabric of our communities. We recently made a contribution to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) to help raise awareness about the stigmas surrounding mental illness and offer resources to those who suffer, sometimes silently, with these disorders. The ADAA’s mission is to prevent, treat, and cure anxiety disorders and depression through educational, evidence-based resources, professional practices, and scientific research.

To learn more about the ADAA and explore its resources, visit adaa.org. Also, check out its free upcoming webinars:

After Birth – Navigating the Stress and Anxiety of Pregnancy and Postpartum: May 24, 2023

Helping Your Child Cope with Back-to-School Anxiety: August 17, 2023

Throughout the month of May, we’re sharing mental health resources and tips. This week, we’re spotlighting strategies for reducing stigma—negative attitudes or beliefs about people with mental health issues.

Even though everyone has mental health and help with mental wellness is for everyone, many people don’t discuss mental health or seek help due to the fear of being judged or labeled. Together, we can help reduce stigma by:

• Listening to and learning from others about mental health issues.
• Starting a dialogue about mental health by sharing personal experiences and facts.
• Using people-first language to emphasize that a person is not a disorder. Instead of using a mental health disorder as an adjective (e.g., “She is OCD”), try, “She has obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
• Talking about mental health treatment like we would any other type of health care treatment.
• Showing compassion to people who are struggling with mental health issues, including ourselves.

References

Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness. (n.d.). Psychiatry.org. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination.

Throughout the month of May, we’re sharing resources and tips for Mental Health Awareness Month. This week, we’re spotlighting mental health check-in tips.

We know it’s important to ask others how’re they’re doing, but we often forget to check in with ourselves or we wait until a major life event to assess how we’re doing. It’s important to routinely reflect on our mental wellbeing so we can address any issues, feel our best, and be better equipped to help others.

Ready to check in? Here are five tips to keep in mind:

1. Schedule time to reflect. Scheduling some personal time can help minimize distractions and create space for us to be fully present with ourselves.
   
2. Assess physical health. Physical health and mental health are interconnected, so ensuring that we’re eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting quality sleep can promote good mental health.
   
3. Notice feelings and behaviors. Changes in mood or behavior that last two weeks or longer could indicate a mental health issue. If you want help deciding whether or not you should speak to a health care professional about your mental health, check out the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) one-page guide: My Mental Health: Do I Need Help? For information on starting a conversation with a health care professional, take a look at the NIMH’s Tips for Talking with a Health Care Provider About Your Mental Health.
   
4. Know your support system. Whether it’s a single person or multiple people, knowing who we can count on when we need support can make reaching out for help a little easier.
   
5. Ensure there’s a source of joy. Doing something that makes us happy, whether that’s a hobby, watching a favorite show, spending time with friends and family, or just relaxing, can help maintain good mental health or improve it.

References

Dastagir, Alia E. “Am I OK? How to Do a Mental Health Check.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC, 2 May 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2021/01/15/mental-health-check-what-ask-and-how-know-if-you-need-help/4134270001/.

“How to Check In On Your Mental Health: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Day.” Health e-Living Blog, Chester County Hospital, 3 May 2021, https://www.chestercountyhospital.org/news/health-eliving-blog/2021/may/how-to-check-in-on-your-mental-health.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to start a conversation and raise awareness about mental health issues.

Like physical health, everyone has mental health, which is an overall state of emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. The quality of our mental health can change over time due to life experiences.

Even though we tend to value health and talk about it openly, mental health is often excluded from the conversation due to negative attitudes or beliefs about people with mental health issues. At any given time, many of us are struggling with a mental health issue like a mental illness, which is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. According to the World Health Organization, approximately one billion people are living with a mental illness—that’s 1 in every 8 people.

By talking about mental health, we can help create a culture where people feel comfortable with sharing their stories, finding support, and helping others. Throughout the month of May, we’ll share some resources and tips for talking about and improving mental health.

References

Barnes, Carlin, and Marketa Wills. “The Importance of Mental Health Awareness Month.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, LLC, 14 May 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-illness-in-america/202105/the-importance-mental-health-awareness-month.

How to Improve Mental Health. (n.d.). MedlinePlus. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/howtoimprovementalhealth.html.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Mental Illness.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 13 Dec. 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968.

“Nearly One Billion People Have a Mental Disorder: WHO.” UN News, United Nations, 17 June 2022, https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/06/1120682.