By Staff Writer: Mackenzie Volker
For most, colleges can be stressful, and this makes it even more important to prioritize your mental health and incorporate selfcare into your routine. This can look different for each individual and can change over time. Having a consistent routine that you try and incorporate into your life can be a valuable practice to implement. Journaling, reading, meditating, working out in some form, etc. all possess individual benefits that could be a great addition to a morning and/or night routine. I know many individuals may not have more than 5-10 minutes to spare on some or even all days. Even this short period of time if spent dedicated to a routine can have a positive effect.
Meditating has been shown to boost focus and creativity, extend your attention span, reduce stress, and improve sleep.
When we experience mental and physical stress our bodies release a hormone called cortisol. This then leads to our bodies releasing inflammatory chemicals which are harmful to the body. Studies have been shown that over a period of time meditation can reduce these symptoms.
Working out is also shown to not only improve physical health but mental as well. When we workout, levels of positive chemicals in our brain rise such as serotonin. This helps regulate and improves your mood. People who tend to work out on a regular basis experience a heightened sense of well-being, energy throughout the day, and better sleep at night.
Journaling for your mental health continues to be scientifically studied and what they have found out from the research is how this practice can improve quality of life by reducing stress, enhancing self-awareness and emotion regulation, and lower anxiety and depression symptoms. People who journaled were shown to have lower blood pressure compared to individuals who did not.
Incorporating one or multiple of these activities in your daily routine will be sure to improve your overall well being.