How Can Rest and Relaxation Support Mental Health?

Our mood can be affected by our levels of stress.

Symptoms such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, insomnia, brain fog, IBS and frequent infections are all indicators that stress might be affecting your health. Similarly lack of sleep can be detrimental to mental health and vice versa.

Rest and relaxation are therefore vitally important for mood stability, although many of us fail to recognise or prioritise restoration.

The third step in my Mood Boosting Method is Restore. This is all about supporting mental health with rest and relaxation. Here are my top tips for restoration:

The re:Nutrition Mood Boosting Method Step 3: Restore

1.Identify & Manage Stress

Our modern Western lifestyle is filled with stressors. Some are obvious like psychological-emotional stress e.g. a stressful job or home life, grief or feelings of overwhelm. Stressors that we have all dealt with at some time in our life.

Other are less obvious for example:

• information overload

• poor nutritional status,

• excess stimulant use (caffeine, alcohol, sugar, refined/processed foods and nicotine)

I could go on. What is important is that you recognise your stressors and take steps to manage stress through….

2. Relaxation

Do you make conscious time to relax? (Hint I don’t mean flaking out in front of Netflix…although obviously there is a time and a place for this too).

We are so luckily to live in a time where we have access to so many resources to help us to relax. Some of my favourite relaxation tools are:

• Yoga - practicing yoga can help increase levels of the calming neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) helping us to relax and switch off from negative thoughts and emotions.

• Breathwork - mindful practices such as deep breathing, journaling and gratitude have been shown to lower stress levels and can create a positive mindset. I recently undertook a breathwork course with Kirsty Constance Coach and was both fascinated and amazed to learn how our breath can be used to channel energy in the morning, find calm and balance during the day and even prepare us for sleep.

• Meditation – shown to reduce stress and improve mental health. Meditation does take time to perfect and I am the first to admit the I have struggled to master the art. My tip is to start short (1-2 minutes only), practice practice practice (your brain is a muscle- you wouldn’t attempt a marathon on the first run) and notice how good you feel afterwards.

• Herbal teas can help us to relax.

  • A recent study in the journal Nutrients found that l-theanine, a unqique amino acid found in Green tea, was able to alleviate stress related symptoms of depression and anxiety.

  • Chamomile is consumed throughout the world for its calming properties. In clinical trials, chamomile was able to reduce anxiety, improve overall wellbeing and improve sleep quality.

• Taking a nice bath is not only a nice way to relax, it also signals to your brain that it is time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Using Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) may offer additional mood boosting benefits: Magnesium plays a vital role in brain function and mood and low levels are associated with an increased risk of depression.

Which leads me nicely onto my next step….

3. Sleep

Practicing sleep hygiene can help you prepare for a good night’s sleep and support positive mental health. Winding down can help signal to your brain that it is time for bed. Reading a book and taking a bath can help. This time of day can be a good time to reflect on what you have achieved.

Conversely using media devices such as mobile phones and iPads in bed can negatively impact sleep. A small study found that refraining from mobile phone use 30 minutes before bedtime improved mood as well as sleep duration, quality and working memory.

You should also avoid the notorious sleep disrupter – alcohol.

Alcohol is often used as a way to unwind after a stressful day and many of us consume more than we intended in an attempt to beat the blues. However, binge drinking is associated with increased incidence of depression and anxiety. Alcohol also disrupts sleeps quality which is a risk factor for mood disorders.

For optimal sleep conditions, the Institute for Functional Medicine suggest that you should keep your bedroom clean, cool and dark. You should also ensure your pillow and mattress are comfortable and that the room is quiet.

If you are still hungry before bed, hummus and oatcakes make a great evening snack. Chickpeas are sometimes called “nature’s Prozac”. They contain the essential amino-acid tryptophan which is the precursor for the sleep hormone melatonin. The carbohydrates in the oatcakes help with tryptophan absorption ensuring it can reach the brain more easily.

4. Self-Care

Finally – self-care. This really brings it all together.

Self-care is all about establishing boundaries, creating a work-life balance and ensuring you prioritise time for yourself.

Remember being busy is not a badge of honour, particularly when it comes to your health. It is ok to take time for yourself and to schedule in guilt-free “me-time”.

Resources

As always, I am here to help. If you fancy a chat about how you are feeling and how I can help, book in for a free discovery call with me here.

Or for more lifestyle tips on how to improve your mood naturally, you can download my free eGuide here.

Finally I have written about the role of Stress and Mental Health in a blog last year. Check this out for more information.