Throughout life, it is important to look after your mental health. Stress and anxiety can have serious effects on your overall health, including increasing your risk of heart conditions. An effective method of supporting your mental health is to try mindfulness activities.
The purpose of mindfulness is to focus on the present moment, forgetting about things you can’t control. Rather than worrying about things that have happened or might happen, you pay attention to how you are feeling right now.
Mindfulness isn’t necessarily easy. It takes practice for you to properly see the benefits. Here are six mindfulness activities that can support your mental health.
Mindful Gardening
Many of us enjoy spending time in the garden and keeping our plants healthy. It gets us out into the fresh air and is the ideal way to reconnect with nature. Furthermore, it benefits your body, keeping you active. But you can also use gardening as a form of mindfulness.
Focus on the sensations of gardening. Feel the soil under your fingertips and familiarise yourself with its qualities. Listen to the sounds around you and see if you can hear any wildlife. Pay attention to the weather and how it feels on your skin.
By focusing on these sensations, you can take your mind off other worries, giving you time to destress.
Colouring
This is perhaps one of the most popular mindfulness activities you can try. It’s also very simple. All you need is a colouring book and some pencils or pens. Many shops even stock colouring books specifically for adults.
Focus on the process of colouring, letting your instincts determine which colours you use. Feel the movement of your pen or pencil on the page. Concentrate on staying inside the lines. This will help to keep your mind off the things that are worrying you.
Remember, your colouring doesn’t need to be perfect. Instead, it’s all about the process of being creative. Pay attention to how you’re colouring and what colours you’re using, and you may better understand your own mental state.
Breathing Exercises
Mindfulness doesn’t have to involve an activity. Instead, it may be a matter of sitting down for a few minutes and quieting your mind. Whilst often associated with meditation, you do not need to sit cross-legged for this mindfulness exercise.
Instead, you simply sit somewhere that is comfortable for you and focus on your breathing. Push aside all thoughts and instead think about the breaths you are taking in and how they make you feel.
It’s okay if your mind wanders. When it does, bring it back to your breathing. You can also think about the other sensations that accompany your breathing, such as the expansion of your chest or how you feel whilst sitting.
Gratitude List
Many of us end up struggling with our mental health because it feels like the negatives in the world start to weigh down on us. When this happens, it can help to shift your focus to the positive things in your life. This is where a gratitude list can help.
As the name suggests, this is a list of things you are grateful for. By spending time every day to focus on these, you can take your mind off your worries and boost your mood. You should also try to add to your list every day to help support your wellbeing.
You may be surprised how much good there is in your life, even if it’s something as simple as a healthy, tasty meal.
Eat Mindfully
Even eating can be included in our list of mindfulness activities. Sometimes, it’s too easy to see eating as a pure necessity. You may even rush a meal so you can return to something that is stressing you out. However, a meal can be an opportunity to quieten your mind.
Mindful eating involves focusing on the flavours of your food, but it also extends to the cooking process. Spend time familiarising yourself with the textures of what you are preparing, listen to the sizzling of the pan, and breathe in the aromas.
Music
It’s not unusual for us to listen to music whilst doing something else. However, taking the time to focus entirely on the music is a great way to engage in mindfulness. Instead of worrying about the tasks you need to be doing, listen to the music and see how it makes you feel.
As you listen, see if you can pick up on sounds you may not have noticed before. Does the music make you want to dance? To sing? To cry?
Paying closer attention to the type of music you like to listen to can provide you with additional insight into your own thoughts and feelings.
Be Kind to Yourself
It’s easy to expect too much from yourself, even in later life. It’s important to be forgiving and to know your limits. Moreover, it’s also important to recognise that no one is perfect, and we all have flaws. These mindfulness activities can help you to better understand yourself and improve your mental health.
For further information about getting started with mindfulness, you can visit Mindful.
Take Care of Yourself
Mindfulness activities are one way to improve your wellbeing at home. Another way to look after yourself is to purchase a personal alarm. With a personal alarm, you can benefit from additional reassurance at home, safe in the knowledge that help can be arranged at the press of a button.
We provide personal alarms for people who are vulnerable at home or who just want extra peace of mind. Our alarms are especially useful for people who may be at increased risk of falls at home. When you press the button on your alarm pendant or base unit, it sends an alert to our Response Team, who will then contact nominated family, friends, or neighbours to attend your property and provide aid. If medical attention is required, our team will also alert the emergency services.
To find out more about the LifeConnect24 personal alarm service, read our guide. To order your personal alarm today, get in touch with our friendly team on 0800 030 8999.
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