What Is A Mental Health Retreat?

A mental health retreat typically uses complementary and alternative therapies within a holistic residential setting. The principal purpose is to improve a person’s well-being through the stay. “Wellness retreats” and “wellness tourism” are basically the same thing with just a different name to call it.

The concept of it is so diverse that it can be for any amount of time in any way that allows you to focus on your well-being. A quick retreat in the city might be an evening at a spa that allows deep rest through a hot tub or massage. A more extensive retreat might be for a few days or more at a remote location in nature where they offer extensive programs that help enhance the wellness experience.

Besides, getting away for a while is proven to relieve stress in itself.

How Effective Is a Mental Health Retreat?

A study in 2017 looked at participants who went on a one-week retreat to measure the effectiveness of a retreat. The retreat included aromatherapy, health measures, mental health-related questionnaires, and various tests to measure a person’s well-being.

Results showed significant improvement in a person’s wellbeing after a one-week retreat and the positive effects sustained for 6 weeks. As for physical benefits, it reduced weight, abdominal circumference, improved blood pressure, and sleep quality. There were significantly improved results in the depression anxiety stress scale and mood state tests as well.

This means that a mental health retreat can refresh a person enough to get them through for a while after they return.

3 Elements to Enhance A Mental Health Retreat

Here are 3 elements to look out for when you consider planning for a mental health retreat. If it’s difficult to afford (time and money-wise) a full getaway right now, you can still incorporate these elements in your life in small ways to mimic a mini-retreat within your everyday life.

Connect With Nature

Nature heals, soothes, and restores our wellbeing. Being in nature or just even viewing an image of nature reduces anger, fear, and stress while increasing pleasant feelings.

Just a 40-minute walk in the forest improves mood and feelings of health and robustness. Exposure to nature contributes to better physical wellbeing, boosts immune function, improves creativity, reduces blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and production of stress hormones. 

Pick a mental health retreat that allows you to indulge in nature or go for a short walk in nature. Go barefoot and feel the ground or dip your feet in the ocean. Even if it’s for a short period, simple direct engagements with nature can help recharge your mind and body.

Greening your office space can also help make you feel relaxed. Perhaps you can create a little mental health retreat in the corner of your room with plants for a relaxing effect.

A Healthy Diet

Our health is affected by what we eat. It’s not only physical, it can affect us mentally too. Science suggests that a plant-based diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and healthy proteins lowers the risk of weight gain and chronic disease. 

There are retreat programs that provide healthy meals that help with dietary choices and eating habits. Eating healthy meals for a certain duration will give us a push in a healthier direction.

If a mental health retreat is difficult, you can go on a healthy diet for a few days to self-activate a reset.

You can find more on how healthy diets affects our wellbeing in our past blog post.

Hydrotherapy – Soak Yourself in Water

Did you know that soaking in water is beneficial for your health and wellbeing? Using water as therapeutic treatment is called hydrotherapy, water therapy, aquatic therapy, pool therapy, or balneotherapy.

According to scientific evidence, hydrotherapy improves immunity, management of pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, asthma, anorectal disorders, mood, fatigue, anxiety, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperthermia, labor, etc.

The different effects on various systems of the body depend on the temperature of water and water quality.

Find a spa nearby for a mental health retreat experience or simply fill up your tub at home. If you like nature, perhaps an environment where you can swim in the ocean or lake would be nice. Hot-spring water can enhance health benefits with its mineral components in the water.

A Mental Health Retreat for a Relaxing Time-Off

Stress can build up no matter what kind of environment we’re in. It’s important to notice the signs and take time off when you feel strained. Sometimes a little getaway through a retreat is all we need to come back more energized. Plan ahead and make sure to schedule time off for your mental health!

References:

Association of Nature and Forest. (n.d.). Forest Bathing is an Evidence-based wellness practice. Https://Www.Natureandforesttherapy.Org/about/Science. Retrieved July 26, 2021, from https://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/about/science


Cohen, M. M., Elliott, F., Oates, L., Schembri, A., & Mantri, N. (2017). Do Wellness Tourists Get Well? An Observational Study of Multiple Dimensions of Health and Well-Being After a Week-Long Retreat. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 23(2), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2016.0268


Harvard Health. (2017, June 5). Harvard researchers continue to support their healthy eating plate. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/harvard-researchers-launch-healthy-eating-plate


Mooventhan, A., & Nivethitha, L. (2014). Scientific evidence-based effects of hydrotherapy on various systems of the body. North American Journal of Medical Sciences, 6(5), 199. https://doi.org/10.4103/1947-2714.132935



University of Minnesota. (n.d.). How Does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing? Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. Retrieved July 26, 2021, from https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing

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How to Use an Intervention Bracelet

The “intervention bracelet” method was devised at the University of Texas. According to their research, students with high tendencies of anxiety found this method to reduce stress and improve self-esteem.

The intervention bracelet method is extremely easy in practice.

1. Prepare a bracelet that’s easy to put on and remove. (Rings, wristwatches or elastic bands are also acceptable)
   
2. Go about your day as usual with the bracelet on one of your wrists.
   
3. Whenever you feel any negative emotions arise, remove the bracelet, and put it on the opposite hand.

Repeat step #3 every time you feel any kind of stress. The importance is in the predetermined action we take whenever negative emotions arise. This helps us acknowledge our stress in a rational manner. According to the study, subjects who practiced this method for three weeks developed awareness towards stress, and also successfully reduced their chronic discomfort.

The Importance of Noticing Stress

Whether it’s going on vacation, enjoying hobbies, or exercise, different people have different ways of getting rid of their stress. Of course, we should be practicing self-care methods suitable to our needs, but in order for that to work, we need to first ‘notice’ when we feel stress. When stress impacts, it’s only natural to get caught in the emotional reaction of irritation or exhaustion. Moreso than our reaction, we need to acknowledge and focus on the fact that we’re feeling ‘stress’.

Noticing stress is a crucial step in treating it. Of course, you could deal with the vague feelings of stress by, let’s say, dancing it out. But the later you precisely acknowledge your stress, the harder it becomes to accurately determine the level and cause. At this point, it would be difficult to feel completely refreshed no matter what we do, and unexplained stress will continue to accumulate.

In order to efficiently and appropriately relieve stress, we need to notice it the moment it happens. This process helps us figure the intensity and causes of our stress. The intervention bracelet is a technique that creates an opportunity for us to recognize this stress moment.

Throw Away the Negative, Turn to the Positive

The intervention bracelet effectively increases our awareness of stress. It’s also a great stress relief practice in itself. It’s recommended for people who feel unexplained, vague sources of stress.

Having a coping mechanism on hand, such as the intervention bracelet method, keeps our mental health in check. This is just one of the many easy stress-care techniques you can try. Figure out what works for you and get into the habit of practicing. One of the keys to living a healthy and happy life is to properly cope with stress.

Image：Unsplash
Reference：
Elke Smeets, Kristin Neff, Hugo Alberts, and Madelon Peters
MeetingSuffering WithKindness: Effectsofa BriefSelf-Compassion Intervention for FemaleCollegeStudents（JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Vol. xx(x), 1–15 , 2014)

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“You must learn to heed your senses. Humans use but a tiny percentage of theirs. They barely look, they rarely listen, they never smell, and they think that they can only experience feelings through their skin. But they talk, oh, do they talk.”

Michael Scott (Irish writer)

That’s right. Our minds never stop chattering, but we can disengage from the chatter by heeding to our senses. It is also an effective technique to reduce stress and anxiety instantly. If you ever feel the need to break from the thoughts that run through your mind, give this exercise a try!

The 5 Senses Countdown

– Pause for a moment.

Find yourself a calm comfortable space to fully participate with your 5 senses.

1. The SIGHT Phase – 5 Senses Countdown

In the first of the 5 senses, we are going to utilize our sight.
First, take a deep breath.

Next, look around and notice FIVE things that you can see.

The floor, table, curtains, trees, animals, anything you see is okay.

You can say them out loud or silently in your head. With each of the five sights, pause to take them in completely. 

2. The TOUCH Phase – 5 Senses Countdown

Take another deep breath.
Next in the 5 senses countdown, we will be using touch.

Notice FOUR things that you can feel in contact with your body.

For example; your watch against your wrist, your trousers against your legs, your feet on the ground, or your back against the chair.

Note them out loud or in your head, and rest your attention with each sensation for a few deep breaths.

3. The HEARING Phase – 5 Senses Countdown

The next step in the five senes countdown utilizes our hearing.
First, breathe deeply as you bring attention to your ears.

Then, listen carefully and notice THREE things that you can hear.

For instance: the sound of the wind, birds chirping outside, the hum of appliances, cars running, etc.

Listen and notice things in the background that you normally wouldn’t pay any attention to. As you listen to each sound, note the unique characteristics of the different tones and patterns.

4. The SMELL Phase – 5 Senses Countdown

As you take another deep breath, concentrate on the air going through your nostrils.
The next phase in the 5 senses countdown focuses on smell.

Notice TWO things you can smell.

Bring attention to scents that you usually filter out, either pleasant or unpleasant. Catch a whiff of the pine trees outside, food cooking in the kitchen, or the smell of your clothes. Note the different characteristics of these scents.

5. The TASTE Phase – 5 Senses Countdown

Take a final deep breath and bring your attention to the tongue.
The last step in the 5 senses countdown will focus on taste.

Notice ONE thing you can taste.

Take a sip of a drink, chew gum, or nibble on a piece of chocolate. If you don’t have anything in hand, notice the current taste in your mouth or taste the air against your tongue.

Concentrate and savor that one flavor.

Reduce Stress in a Way that Works for You

The goal is to use our 5 senses to focus on the present environment instead of our thoughts. Consequently, this activity helps to ground us and relieve anxiety. By the time most people reach the ‘taste phase’, their overwhelming emotions will fade away. This doesn’t mean the negative feelings are gone, but we do get a break from it taking over our minds. It’s human nature to worry and feel anxiety about the past and future. Therefore, bringing our attention to the present can relieve us from these thoughts and help reduce anxiety. Appreciating the ‘now’ and ‘present’ is a great way to enjoy life. Even more, what better way to celebrate our current existence than with our 5 senses!

However, there are still many different ways to instantly relieve stress. Perhaps you are looking for a more long-term solution in stress management, rather than an instant stress reliever. In that case, check out how you can better learn to control your emotions through “emotional differentiation“.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing?

Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Reference:

Harris, R. (2013). Getting Unstuck in ACT: A Clinician’s Guide to Overcoming Common Obstacles in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (1st ed.). New Harbinger Publications.

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4 Reasons to Try Social Media Detox

Better Sleep

Do you struggle to get resful sleep? If so, a social media detox may be essential to fixing your unhealthy sleep patters. Smartphones, computers, TVs, and most other digital devices screens emit a light called ‘blue light’. Furthermore, the sun emits the most blue light. This can be helpful during the daytime as it assists cognitive function, alertness, and adjustments to our sleep-wake cycles. However, continually exposing your eyes to blue light after dark is not recommended. For instance, it can cause symptoms of digital eye strains, mess with our sleeping cycles, and lead to a lack of sleep. Harvard researchers found that blue light suppresses melatonin (hormones that regulate sleep) twice as much as other lights do. Another study found decreased levels in melatonin, while wakefulness arose when people used their devices for just 30 minutes before bed.

Sleep and rest are essential for good health. Moreover, social media detox is essential for healthy sleep. A study from 2019 points out the positive potential of better mental health when shutting off devices and getting better sleep. As easy as it is to check social media in bed before falling asleep, it is best to keep devices away to induce deep sleep and better sleep cycles.

Less Stress and Better Mental Health

Smartphones keep us company everywhere, making it hard to detach from groups we are involved in. For example, there’s school, work, extracurricular activities, and other social obligations. When stressful environments leak into our private time, it makes feel like we need to tend to the needs of others around the clock. As a result, we may end up feeling stressful for much of the day. Therefore it is important to know how to turn away from nonessential needs that are irrelevant to the present moment. This can help decrease stress significantly.

Social Media Detox Experiments

In 2010, twelve universities world-wide participated in a universal experiment called Unplugged where they asked students to go unplugged for just 24 hours. Many turned unsuccessful with withdrawal-like symptoms when detaching from their phones. On the other hand, those who succeeded all reported the amazing benefits they experienced. For example, relaxation, peace of mind, and enhanced enjoyment from being present in the moment. Therefore, we can conclude that successful social media detox can have amazing mental benefits.

In 2015, another team of researchers in Denmark gathered more than 1000 participants to do a one week Facebook Experiment. In this study, the researchers looked at the impact of Facebook on our well-being. They found that quitting Facebook for just one week had significant positive effects. Overall, the participants’ life satisfaction increased, and emotions became more positive. A UK study in 2018 looked at over 10,000 teens and also found that longer use of social media correlated with body weight dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, and low self-esteem. Therefore, even a short social media detox can create the mental breathing space that we deserve.

Quality Use of Time

A social media detox may be needed now more than ever. Our portable devices are so convenient and entertaining that it’s easy to get sucked into their luring appeal. With social media designed to be addictive, its ability to keep us engaged also keeps us from our will and possibilities to make better use of our time. More than half of the world population uses social media now, and some of us are so attached to the point that focusing on other activities becomes difficult. Furthermore, some may even go through withdrawal-like symptoms in extreme cases.

According to Global WebIndex’s 2020 research, “Social media users are now spending an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes per day multi networking across an average of 8 social networks and messaging apps”. Additionally, our time spent on social media keeps increasing every year. In effect, the WHO estimates that our total use in social media would sum up to 6 years 8 months within our global lifespan of 72 years. This is more than double compared to 1 hour and 2 minutes per day; the average time Americans spend eating and drinking in a day.

If you’re struggling to find the time to start a new habit, project, or commitment, you may want to look into where you’ve been investing your time. Above all, our attention time is a quality resource. So, limiting social media use and practicing the occational social media detox will open up more possibilities for activities that matter.

More Meaningful Interactions

A social media detox could also be beneficial for your personal relationships with others. Interactions we experience through social media has a different kind of nature from real-life in-person interactions. Social media can distort our sense of reality because many of us post highly curated and edited versions of our experiences. Meeting people in-person, spending time together, and understanding both the realistic highs and lows helps maintain a healthier perspective and relationship in general. Moreover, there are many socially nuanced cues we use in-person that never make it through social media. Psychologists mention this in their journal article too:

“Overreliance on technology has led to an impoverishment of social skills, leaving individuals unable to engage in meaningful conversations because such skills are being sacrificed for constant connection, resulting in short-term attention and a decreased ability to retain information. Individuals have come to be described as “alone together”: always connected via technology, but in fact isolated.”

– Daria J. Kuss & Mark D. Griffiths

The Unplugged experiment participants who attempted a social media detox for 24 hours also voiced that they experienced more meaningful social interactions. Harvard research suggests meaningful relationships correlate with longevity and better emotional, mental, and physical health. So, if you tend to reach out to people on social media, opt-in for a phone call or a face-to-face meet up to catch up next time.

How to Social Media Detox

Maybe you understand the benefits of a social media detox, but just don’t know where to start. Here are a few suggestions on how you can try:

1. Reduce Social Media Time with Apps

A social media detox could be a challenge, especially if it’s ingrained in your daily habit of checking things online. Fortunately, there are plenty of apps developed to help you through this process. For example, you could install an app controls the daily time you spend on social media sites. A social media detox doesn’t mean you have to go cold turkey. Just set a time limit to your usage to assure you aren’t spending excessive hours. An experimental study shows that just a 10-minute usage decrease per platform can be effective, so don’t be afraid to start small!

2. Try A Scheduled Fast

There are experiments that claim a social media detox of just 24 hours is effective. A one-week off Facebook experiment also showed significant results. Therefore, if you haven’t tried yet, going off social media for a set time period may lead to pleasantly surprising results. Give yourself a set duration to cut off from social media. A thoughtful reflection afterward can help you see how social media influences your day to day life.

If you are experienced in social media detox practices and want more of a challenge, I recommend a regularly scheduled fast. For example, setting just a day weekly as “Media-Free Day” or a monthly “No Social Media Week” can create healthy breaks from social media. Daily “Media-Free Hours” can also be just as helpful.

3. No Devices in the Bedroom

If your number one concern is quality sleep, prohibiting devices from your bedroom can be effective. It’s easy to get into the never-ending loop of browsing when we’re in bed, and the blue light emitting from your phone won’t help either. For instance, move your charging station to a location outside your bedroom and use an alarm clock to wake up. This will help you fall asleep better, and provide a more peaceful bed-time/morning hours. Therefore, if you’re struggling to get healthy sleep, a nighttime social media detox may be the place to start.

4. Try with a Buddy

Who says a social media detox can’t be a social activity? When trying something new, an accountability partner can make a huge difference. You’d be more motivated to keep up with goals while also having someone to discuss the challenges. Find someone who’s interested in trying with you. This shared experience can deepen your friendship while you’re at it.

While social media has brought our worlds closer than ever, the constant flow of information has diverted our quality of attention scattered. Moreover, as our digital capabilities grow exponentially towards efficiency, it becomes harder to keep up with the side effects it has on our day-to-day. For this reason, a social media detox may be the perfect way to get a much-needed break to find the peace and happiness we need.

Looking to improve your mental health?

Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image: Unsplash
Reference:

Average Time Spent Daily on Social Media (Latest 2020 Data). (2020). BroadbandSearch. https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/average-daily-time-on-social-media#post-navigation-1


Chaffey, D. (2020, August 3). Global social media research summary July 2020. Smart Insights. https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/



Harvard Health Publishing. (2017, June). Can relationships boost longevity and well-being? Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/can-relationships-boost-longevity-and-well-being


Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, July 7). Blue light has a dark side. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side


How a Media Fast can Benefit your Health | Paleo Leap. (2015, September 11). Paleo Leap. https://paleoleap.com/media-fast/


Hunt, M. G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(10), 751–768. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2018.37.10.751


Kelly, Y., Zilanawala, A., Booker, C., & Sacker, A. (2018). Social Media Use and Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From the UK Millennium Cohort Study. EClinicalMedicine, 6, 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.12.005


Kuss, D., & Griffiths, M. (2017). Social Networking Sites and Addiction: Ten Lessons Learned. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3), 311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030311


McCarthy, N. (2020, July 31). Where People Spend The Most Time Eating & Drinking. Statista Infographics. https://www.statista.com/chart/13226/where-people-spend-the-most-time-eating-drinking/


Moeller, S. D. (2010). the world UNPLUGGED. The World UNPLUGGED. https://theworldunplugged.wordpress.com/


Pantic, I. (2014). Online Social Networking and Mental Health. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17(10), 652–657. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2014.0070


Sangerma, E. (2020, May 6). How to Do a Social Media Detox (and Why You Should Right Away). Medium. https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-do-a-social-media-detox-and-why-you-should-right-away-91fca8841aee


Tromholt, M. (2016). The Facebook Experiment: Quitting Facebook Leads to Higher Levels of Well-Being. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(11), 661–666. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0259


Viner, R. M., Gireesh, A., Stiglic, N., Hudson, L. D., Goddings, A.-L., Ward, J. L., & Nicholls, D. E. (2019). Roles of cyberbullying, sleep, and physical activity in mediating the effects of social media use on mental health and wellbeing among young people in England: a secondary analysis of longitudinal data. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 3(10), 685–696. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2352-4642(19)30186-5


Wahnschaffe, A., Haedel, S., Rodenbeck, A., Stoll, C., Rudolph, H., Kozakov, R., Schoepp, H., & Kunz, D. (2013). Out of the Lab and into the Bathroom: Evening Short-Term Exposure to Conventional Light Suppresses Melatonin and Increases Alertness Perception. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 14(2), 2573–2589. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms14022573

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The Many Benefits of a Virtual Pet

In recent years, many facilities offer animal therapy programs as an effective way to for patients to relax. However, they face challenges with risks such as animal allergies and pet loss. Unfortunately, allergic reactions and farewells are not easy to avoid and can be extremely painful.

With this in mind, animal robots are introduced to the market as a way to try and solve these issues. For instance, maybe you have already heard of the adorable dog robot or the fluffy seal robot. These animal robots are available at a hefty price tag. In addition, they can be a hassle if you ever need techincal maintenance.

Following this, some researchers in Japan asked the following question; can a virtual pet through smartphones and games have the same effect as real animals?

How Effective is a Virtual Pet?

A psychological research team at Kurume University measured a group of participants’ moods and emotions in advance. Then, they divided them into the following four activity groups.

• Group A：Play games that interact with a virtual pet.
• Group B：Play completely different games, such as puzzle games.
• Group C：Watch videos that show beautiful landscapes.
• Group D：Relax in a quiet room.

Afterwards, the team measured the participants’ moods and emotions again. Results indicated that virtual pet games were most effective for resolving fatigue.

‘Active Encouragement’ Helps Recover Fatigue

Researchers suggested ‘active encouragement’ as a factor to why virtual pet games were more effective on fatigue than other methods.

When you interact with a virutal pet onscreen, the pet responds with a reaction. On the other hand, watching beautiful landscapes are considered a passive activity. This is because the viewers do not actively engage with their screen.

An onscreen virtual pet responds to a player’s initiation to interact, therefore helping players to recover from fatigue.

A Virtual Pet is a Friend for Life

In the experiment mentioned above, the difference between other games and virtual pet games were the potential ‘sense of disappointment’ during their play. For example, in puzzle and action games, there would be some type of mission or goal. When players could not accomplish this, there was a negative reaction. On the other hand, players that interacted with virtual pets were content with just watching a dog walk around onscreen. This mistake-free activity made them feel less tired than other goal-driven games.

Today, there are many virtual pet games available to us. So if you only have small pockets of time available and are looking for a way to relax, an onscreen pet might be worth giving a shot.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image: Unsplash
Reference:
Sato, A., & Tsuneo, K. (2009). Healing effect of virtual pet. Kurume University psychological research (8), 39-44.

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“Not Thinking” causes Counterproductive Thoughts

For example, when people who quit smoking constantly focus on the idea, “don’t think about smoking,” their minds will actually fill with thoughts of smoking. Every visit to a corner store, they’ll be checking the cigarette shelf or unintentionally staring at others who are smoking. In another scenario, when someone asks us to keep a secret, we end up thinking about it all day and night, racked with the temptation of telling a friend. In these ways, counterproductive thoughts can be detrimental to our process of healing and self-improvement. We can fall into a self-loathing trap by thinking about the things we shouldn’t and conclude that we’re weak-willed. However, it all comes down to the mechanism of our thought processing than about will.

How to Better Deal with Counterproductive Thoughts

The more we try not to think, the more we end up thinking. We become overwhelmed by things we don’t want to think about, stressing our hearts away. What can we do to break this negative cycle? Here are a few ways to naturally avoid counterproductive thoughts.

1. Weaken the Need to Forcefully Shut Down

As mentioned, the more we force the mentality of ‘trying not to think,’ the more it lingers in our minds. We need to weaken the idea that we ‘should not think’ about something. To achieve this, we can carefully monitor our thoughts. The conscious choice of “not thinking” implies our effort to avoid a certain thought, yet as a result, ending up with more attention towards the thought. It’s time-consuming and difficult to completely cut off our counterproductive thoughts that cause stress. Try not to impose yourself with the strenuous task of “not thinking”, as this may be counterproductive. In other words, try not to stress about it too much.

One way to reduce stress and clear your mind is through meditation and mindfulness.

2. Analyze Your Thought Process in Detail

When we feel frustrated, we tend to only focus on events that left the strongest impression. In this case, this would be a frustrating incident. Try to look back on your actions before the incident. What were you doing and what was your state of mind? What triggered your frustration? Analyze your experience and sentiment from an objective point of view. What kind of action should you have taken in hindsight? This practice will help organize your thoughts and calm you down. Moreover, this type of thinking is much more helpful compared to counterproductive thoughts.

Repeating this approach helps gradual focus on the positive aspects of the matter, thus allowing our minds to accept. The process of detailed analysis may seem counterproductive, but this actually helps faster for the disperse and release of unpleasant feelings.

3. Introduce Alternative Thinking

It’s not easy to focus on many things at the same time. Instead of thinking about what you’d rather avoid, introduce an alternative thought. When negative thoughts start filling your head, shift your focus and attention to something fun and joyful. This should naturally get rid of those negative thoughts. If you can make alternative thinking a habit, you’ll gain the capabilities to subconsciously avoid focus on the matters that stress you out. As opposed to an unwanted, counterproductive thought, voluntary alternative thoughts will likely not cause you any stress.

Cast Your Mind Into Words

An effective way to practice the three steps above is to “disclose” your feelings and thoughts. Many studies show significant positive effects on mental health when experiences, feelings, and incidents are shared. “Disclosure” mentioned here doesn’t necessarily have to be towards others. Our deepest thoughts and feelings can be expressed through writing or speaking out loud alone. A diary that no one can see or self-talking at home is sufficient enough for it to be effective.

Forget That You Want to Forget

When you repeatedly remember an event you want to forget, or when your mind is full of negative thoughts, please don’t force yourself to forget. This causes counterproductive thoughts to fill your mind, and will not help you. Instead, try changing your experience into words and let them out. Facing yourself head-on may actually be the shortcut to getting rid of your negative memories.

Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References:

Kimura, H. (2003). Effects of thought suppression and effective strategies of mental control. Japanese Psychological Review, 46(4), 584–596. https://doi.org/10.24602/sjpr.46.4_584

The post It’s Counterproductive to Avoid Stressful Thoughts appeared first on SELF MIND.

We all experience anxious nights where we need to sleep, but can’t. Even when we know that looking at our phones won’t help, we find ourselves browsing through interesting topics or scrolling through social media. Some of us might be even searching the web to find solutions for the restlessness they feel on these sleepless nights. These activities, however, may actually exacerbate the insomnia symptoms you are experiencing.

Instead of mindlessly using the internet, we have 8 different suggestions for how to fall asleep on a sleepless night.

How Long Should I Wait in Bed?

No one wants to give up on sleep, only to welcome the next morning feeling restless. There can’t be enough emphasis on how important it is to maintain a regular sleep schedule every day. Keeping a habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, positively influences our sleep quality. However, it’s not always so easy to get into this habit. All it takes is a stress factor or an occasional important event that delays our bedtime to mess things up.

Sometimes, crawling into bed can help us fall asleep even if we’re feeling restless. If that doesn’t work for you, then set a time to stop trying for sleep. Sure, we can lay in bed for hours, but that may not always be the best solution. Instead, if you can’t fall asleep after, (let’s say) 30 minutes, decide on switching things up for a change!

8 Things to Try on Sleepless Nights

Take the time to prepare a dim-lit environment if you can. Make sure you’re comfortable and relaxed before you start.

1. Create a Comfortable Sleeping Environment

Assess your sleeping environment for the quality of your sleep. First, if you’ve got a messy bed, try making the bed nicely. Next, we want to make sure our body is feeling as comfortable too. Change out the air in your room by opening windows or control the settings on your AC / heater to a comfortable temperature. If you don’t have control over the temperature in your room, try the following:

This should make you feel more comfortable and restful in your own bed. Another aspect to consider is your pillow. It may help if you try adjusting the pillow height with a towel.

2. Organize Your To-Do List

The root cause of our restlessness can be due to anxiety. A small worry from today or our worries for tomorrow may be prohibiting us from relaxing. To combat these feelings, try to visualize what it is you’re dealing with. Write out all the remaining tasks you have to do, not only for the next day but also for the near future. Make plans so that you know when to complete them. This way, you don’t need to constantly shuffle through your head about your tasks. The clarity of understanding “what has to be done by when” allows space for us to feel more relaxed.

3. Remember the Good Things in Life

It’s easy to get caught in a negative thinking pattern when we’re feeling heartbroken, down, or exhausted. Reflecting on bad days sets you on a path towards more negative thoughts. However bad your day may have been, there’s always a positive aspect you can reflect on. Cherish the small things that are often taken for granted, such as a pleasant conversation with friends, or getting through a day without any injuries. Try to overwrite your negative thoughts by thinking about happy things.

4. Have a Hot Drink

Some people dislike tea, but caffeine-free hot drinks can induce relaxation. Herbal teas are an excellent choice to accompany our bedtime. Oftentimes it doesn’t contain caffeine so you can enjoy a wide range of aromatic flavors; from those with fruity notes, soothing sensations, to slight sweetness. Most products label their products, ‘caffeine-free,’ if they are so that exploring herbal teas can be fun and easy. If you don’t have any teas, try warm water. Warm water alone can bring comfort and relaxation by heating your body up from within. If you’re too hungry for bed, try some soup. Cooking from scratch would require a lot of energy, so keeping a can of soup in your cupboard can turn handy.

5. Gentle Stretches

Light movements of the body and gentle stretches are helpful in falling asleep and feeling refreshed the next day. There are many ways to stretch, but among them, yoga is an excellent choice. The heart rate doesn’t increase rapidly with slow yoga movements, and there are fewer worries about making loud noises in the middle of the night. At first, you may need to practice while watching instructional videos, but this will strain your eyes. Ideally, we want to learn and repeat practice so we can manage without looking at anything. Practicing this daily will help prevent your insomnia symptoms in the long term, as well.

6. Listen to Calm Music & Nature Sounds

Calm lyricless songs and the sounds of nature in the background, helps us feel relaxed and focused. These days, you can stream all kinds of recorded sounds using different websites. There are sounds of waves, river streams, and forests. Even with the sound of rainfall, we can choose from dripping raindrops to modest or heavy rain with thunder. On a night that you find yourself sleepless, spend some time looking into calming sounds. Hopefully, you find relaxation within the process and alleviate your symptoms of insomnia.

7. Press Pressure Points

Acupressure is an effective form of stimulation used to help relax the muscles. It helps correct functional imbalances and restores flow in the body. A stiff body can cause insomnia symptoms. It may help your sleep to stimulate pressure points that help alleviate these disturbances. Our hands and feet are especially concentrated with important pressure points. Check out the article below to start with:

Pressure points to help you fall asleep
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327274

8. Read a Book

Whether you usually read books or not, following the text and immersing yourself in a story can help you stay away from anxiety. However, if you pick up a book that’s too difficult, you may find yourself bored before finding sleep. Start with books that you’ve read before or short stories with a familiar storyline. Reading electronic books will strain your eyes, so it’s better to avoid it if possible. Audiobooks are also great as you can rest your eyes while focusing on the story.

Gaining Good Quality Sleep

We introduced 8 things to try on a sleepless night. Some involve preparation, but many of them can be tested immediately from tonight. No need to try all of them at once. Start with something that’s within your current capability and prevent symptoms of insomnia in the long term.

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If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References:
ExploreIM　Acupressure for Beginners
Acupressure for Beginners

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