AGOURA HILLS, California – January is Mental Wellness Month and a great time to focus on enhancing your mental wellbeing and resilience in preparation for the year ahead.

People have experienced unprecedented levels of stress over the past couple of years. Fueled by the pandemic, social and political upheaval, and economic uncertainty, this stress can negatively impact mental health.

Awakenings Treatment Center, a state-of-the-art mental health and addiction treatment facility in Agoura Hills, California. They remind everyone of the importance of taking care of their mental wellness.

“Setting aside time each day to nurture our mental health is an excellent way to strengthen our ability to manage life’s inevitable challenges,” said Dr. Shari Corbitt, founder of Awakenings Treatment Center. “Just as lifting weights builds physical power and resilience, focusing regularly on mental self-care builds up our mental wellness muscles.”

Self-care for mental wellness is more than bubble baths and spa days

It means purposefully engaging in practices and activities that support our physical, emotional, and mental health and offer an opportunity for stress relief. Some common self-care strategies include:

Relaxation exercises.

Deep breathing, meditation, and progressive relaxation exercises are simple ways to reduce stress that doesn’t take a lot of time. You can find suggestions and even videos of relaxation exercises online or try downloading a mediation app such as Headspace or Insight Timer.

Get active.

Physical exercise isn’t just good for your body. Studies show it’s great for mental health too and helps us deal with stress. You don’t have to force yourself to go to the gym if that’s something you don’t enjoy. Find a physical activity you can look forward to, whether that’s taking a walk in nature, roller skating with friends, or going for a bike ride. 

Practice gratitude.

Finding reasons to be grateful for what you have is shown to improve positive emotions and wellbeing. Try keeping a daily gratitude journal where you write down things, people, and experiences you are grateful for.

Eat well.

Eat a diet consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to help support both physical and mental health. A healthy diet reduces the risk of chronic disease, stabilizes energy levels and mood. Be sure to avoid processed and sugary foods, as these have the opposite effect.

Have a sleep routine.

Getting enough sleep is crucial to mental wellness. Aim for between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, and avoid blue light from computer screens and cell phones at least a half-hour before bedtime. Going to bed and getting up around the same time every day helps stabilize your body clock and makes falling and staying asleep easier.

Seek help when you need it.

Despite our best efforts to stay healthy, life can get overwhelming sometimes. Don’t be afraid to seek the support of a mental health professional if you are having trouble navigating life’s ups and downs, or if you have found yourself turning to unhealthy coping strategies such as alcohol or drugs. Remember that it’s common to experience mental health challenges. Seeking help is a sign of strength.

For further information about mental wellness support, please contact us here or call 855-717-3268. Awakenings Treatment Center is located at 28632 Roadside Drive, Suite 210, in Agoura Hills. Visit awakeningstreatment.com/admissions.