Tag: selfcare

Music and Human Connection

Photo Courtesy: Dan Gold

Ever wondered why we keep listening to a song over and over or hum a particular tone on and on for days without getting bored? Or Why do we enjoy when someone in the park or street is playing a musical instrument?

Music is one of the most profound and greatest expression of thought and creativity. Whether it is folk, classical, metal or jazz and more, music is different, unique and beautiful in each of it’s forms.

A survey on music and brain health found interesting findings about the impact of music on well-being. It showed that people who listen to music have a higher score on mental well-being. People who were exposed to music during childhood have an excellent ability to learn new things. Furthermore, it suggested that individuals who engage in music associate with high scores on happiness and cognitive functioning.

Although there are researches in this area, cognitive neuroscience have allowed a space to theorize the possibility of the mechanisms behind it.

Music has shown activation in the entire brain. It does not only limits to the auditory cortex but parts of the brain involving emotions, memory and motor system.

While music activates the entire brain, it strengthens brain pathways and networks, including those relating to well-being, learning, happiness and cognitive functioning to name a few.

You can combine music with other activities, such as dancing or while working out. Some yoga or zumba classes have an important music component. In places like restaurants, malls you must have heard peaceful instrumental music playing in the backgrounds or live music.

Music not only makes the place pleasant but instantly uplift mood and energy.

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Eating Disorders: more than just-food

Photo courtesy : Annie Spratt

It is sad when people with eating disorders are said – “It’s food, just get over it!” Without even knowing its implications which are not just limited to food.

February, 21-27 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week in the United States to educate and spread awareness about it.

What are eating disorders?

According to DSM-5 eating disorders are characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating or eating-related behavior that results in altered consumption or absorption of food. It significantly impairs physical health as well as psychosocial functioning.

Eating disorders are serious and sometimes fatal. Eating disorders effect all kinds of people. People with eating disorders may appear healthy even when they are very ill. They sometimes get fixated or obsessed with body weight or shape, weight loss, and become controlling of their food intake.

The most common types of eating disorders are – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

People with anorexia nervosa condition see themselves as overweight. They avoid food, severely restrict eating, or eat in extremely less quantities of only certain foods even when they are dangerously underweight. It leads to numerous dangerous health consequenses, such as – thinning of bones, low blood pressure and brain damage.

People with bulimia nervosa have recurrent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food. They often feel like they cannot stop eating or control what or how much they are eating. This is often followed by recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to prevent weight gain, such as – self induced vomiting, fasting or excessive exercising. In some cases they suffer from ulcers, pancreatitis or esophageal inflammation.

People with binge eating disorders have a lack of control over eating large amounts of food. They tend to eat more rapidly than normal. They don’t tend to purge, fast or over exercise as a result they tend to gain weight or are obese.

There are heath professionals working in the area of eating disorders who can help in adopting healthy attitudes and behaviors about body weight and shape.

There are available helplines which can support and provide resources.

Eating disorders can be prevented by identifying the early signs, encouraging a balanced diet and support instead of judging.

and lastly, encourage self esteem.

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Overcoming Winter Blues

Most of are most likely to visit our doctors during winters for anything such as regular check-ups for ourselves and our family members to see if we are actually winter ready.

But how many of us really go for a mental health check-up to keep our ourselves from the mental health struggles?

According to National Institute of Mental Health, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)  type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year.

In most cases, seasonal affective disorder symptoms appear during late fall or early winter and go away during the sunnier days of spring and summer. Less commonly, people with the opposite pattern have symptoms that begin in spring or summer.

It is suggestible to visit your doctor and speak about this than of suffering in silence. Your doctor will be helping you to make a plan about what are the things you need to get in place.

For some people Vitamin D supplements may also be suggested to help you balance your mood, based on your blood test.

Some physicians may also suggest you to take Light Therapy that is a use of bright light which mimics as light from the sun. You would require to follow certain instructions, based on your needs for specific time intervals.

Increasing activity level so that you are moving around in general. Exercising into your regimen will help you to boost your hormones and improve your mood naturally. Additionally, improves blood flow. Strive for ten minute walk, jumping, stretching or integrating all of these.

Try to stay social as hibernating almost all the time will make you feel gloomy. Try to maintain healthy interaction, add it as a part of your daily routine with your friends, family, co-workers, or strangers around a common interest topic.

Eating well is another most important way to ward off the winter blues. Comfort food can help you to feel better and fill you with warmth and love. Try to make homemade comfort foods, indulge in it. Such as stews, soups. Choosing healthy foods is always a good option.

Indulging in indoor hobbies while you are at home can be a great way to begin with. Get all your books that you bought this year off your shelf and give them a read. Or watch your favourite series or play the instrument that you have put on rest for a while.

I hope this winters go well for all of you. 🙂

awareness believe believe in yourself boost capacity building conscious consistency create deal with disappointment discoverempower engage entreprenuer fitness gratitude growth mindset happiness heal health investlifestyle changes light love manifest Mental Healthmotivation new beginning positive power preventionproblemsolving psychology punctuality quotes rise save selfcareselfgrowth selflove stay strong subconscious mind trustunwind wellness work in progress

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3 ways to cope with Stress

A thing that you must be looking for each day is – How should I calm down?

Some of you would look out of the window while sipping your morning coffee, listening to your favourite song, or smoking a cigarette, depending upon your comforts.

Some of the ways could healthy such as taking a walk and others harmful, such as smoking a cigarette and I will not go on talking about them.

Here are some sources to draw from, which you may use.

  • External support, such as your social networks, friends, family, animals.
  • Psychological support, thoughts, intelligence, personality factors
  • Physiological support, such as breathing, movements, stretching.

Coping strategies makes a huge difference. People’s respond to stress in two ways, i.e. positive response and negative response. And perhaps, there is nothing better than to transform the adversity into an enjoyable challenge. For those who can, are self assured which is different from being self centred. Training yourself to become one is a great step for anyone.

Becoming aware about about the environment helps to look at new possibilities and responses.

You can either begin by either trying to remove the obstacles or by focusing on the entire situation and asking yourself the applicability of the alternatives.

Developing an autotelic self which involves, setting goals- monitoring feedback, by becoming immersed in it, paying attention to surroundings/ practising here and now, and enjoying the experiences of the moment.

 “ Today I refuse to stress myself out about things I cannot control or change.”

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Catch Up with your Emotions

Emotions are a part of your daily functioning. They are present in each and everyone. They guide and help you to make your decisions.

Just like how you respond when some- How are you feeling today? or How do you feel when so and so incidence happened?

Over the past few years, you must have observed yourself more connected with your phone and less with yourself.

Here is what you can know about emotion management. You can make use of this when you are hit by your emotions.

  • How to handle it
  • Your go-to strategy
  • Triggering thoughts followed by a criticism

There are some important points to observe when you are in overwhelming situations. As you must be aware that once you lose track of yourself, you tend feel low and worse.

Emotion management is a topic which is like – read more and apply more and more. Train yourself. Know your high points and your low points. Find what helps you and what doesn’t. Your struggles are not same as others and so is your personality, or who you are.

Pay-attention to how you talk to yourself
So what precedes your emotion, it is your cognition. Self-talk plays a key role in how you are feeling about yourself. Imagine yourself telling this to yourself- “I suck at doing work.” vs. “I am best at getting this task done.” Do you feel the difference, yes? That is what I am talking about.

Emotional vocabulary – it needs to be worked upon
It is not good to write or keep using better words which exactly resonate with us. Using good/bad is just too old. Think about how over the years you have improved your vocabulary on writing your emails or a cover letter. Improving, expanding and refining your emotion vocabulary helps you find in a great way. You can use emotion wheel available online.

Mindfulness
I keep talking about it in most of my posts. It is so important. The more you feel and observe your self, the better you will become at regulating your emotions. Begin with breathing and paying attention to yourself keeping all the other things aside when you feel overwhelmed.

“Accept who you are; and revel in it.”― Mitch Albom

awareness believe believe in yourself boost capacity building conscious consistency create deal with disappointment discoverempower engage entreprenuer fitness gratitudegrowth mindset happiness heal health investlifestyle changes light love manifest Mental Healthmotivation new beginning positive power preventionproblemsolving psychology punctuality quotes rise save selfcareselfgrowth selflove stay strong subconscious mind trustunwind wellness work in progress

Posted on by Onpathtogrowth 3