Doctor Venkat Bhat
While a new year can be a great time to welcome new beginnings and refreshed resolutions, it’s also a difficult time for many people.
The winter months are famous for bringing feelings of isolation, loneliness, and seasonal depression. So we sat down with Dr. Venkat Bhat, a psychiatrist at St. Michael’s Hospital and clinician-scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, to find out the five best ways to strengthen your mental health — not only this month, but all year round.
Here’s what Dr. Bhat recommends:
1. Get active
When you’re feeling down, exercise may be the last thing on your mind. But even just a few minutes of moderate exercise — like walking, riding a bike, cycling or swimming — can make a huge difference for your mental health.
Research shows that just 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week helps regulate sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mood and overall well-being.
WHY IT WORKS: Physical activity improves mood, reduces stress and anxiety, and regulates sleep. It also releases endorphins, which play an important role in helping us feel good.
TIP: Look for activities you enjoy, like a daily walk, to make regular exercise a sustainable part of your regular routine.
2. Connect with others
Years of research show that social connections are critical to our mental health and well-being. Whether you’re a social butterfly or enjoy spending time alone, finding opportunities to connect with others in the ways that work best for you is vital to reducing stress and finding a sense of belonging and purpose.
And being social doesn’t just have to mean going out to dinner with friends. It can mean visiting family, joining a community group, volunteering or setting up a regular coffee date with a loved one.
WHY IT WORKS: Fostering social connections can reduce feelings of loneliness, stress, and depression while increasing our sense of happiness and belonging.
TIP: If you struggle to find time to meet up with friends and family, try scheduling meetups or social events in your calendar so you can plan ahead.
3. Prioritize sleep
A growing body of research shows that a good night’s sleep has vast benefits, from emotional regulation to improved cognitive functioning to building our resilience to stress.
If you’re struggling to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, take a look at your routine. Try setting a consistent bedtime and reduce your exposure to screens before bed, which can greatly disrupt your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. With these small changes, you’ll notice a big difference in your day-to-day well-being!
WHY IT WORKS: Quality sleep is critical to cognitive functioning, mood regulation, and even prevention against chronic diseases.
TIP: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, practice a calming bedtime routine like reading or meditating, and create an ideal sleep environment by keeping your room cool, dark, quiet, and free from screens.
4. Incorporate mindfulness exercises
Evidence shows that mindfulness exercises like meditation and deep breathing can improve focus and mood while reducing stress and anxiety. They can also help you stay in the moment and have better control over your thoughts and emotions.
Incorporating these exercises can be as easy as downloading a mindfulness app and taking a few minutes every day to follow guided activities. Why not get started right now?
WHY IT WORKS: Mindfulness exercises — even just a few minutes a day — have been proven to help improve our well-being while reducing stress.
TIP: There are many free apps available that can help you incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine.
5. Don’t be afraid to seek professional help
If you find yourself struggling to manage your mental health, don’t be afraid to try out different forms of therapy to find one that works for you.
A professional therapist or counsellor can help you identify effective coping strategies while lending a listening ear, and evidence-based treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are highly effective in managing anxiety and depression.
WHY IT WORKS: Therapy, counselling, and evidence-based treatments like CBT have been proven to support mental wellness and resilience in both the short and long term. TIP: Not sure where to start? Check out the Ontario’s government’s website on mental health resources. It includes information about different types of therapy (both in-person and virtual), a free CBT program, and more.
We’re in this together!
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious, especially with so much happening in the world. But just know you’re not alone. And help is available!
Find the approach that works best for you when it comes to managing your mental health, whether that means finding more time to socialize with friends, getting a better night’s sleep, or connecting with a therapist.
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