[Music] hey psych2goers welcome back to our channel have you ever wondered what healthy habits you should add to your list of to-do's we all should give enough time and attention to our mental health and what better way than to adopt some new healthy habits along the way if you keep it a habit sooner or later it can feel like a part of you so the healthier the better here are eight healthy habits to improve your mental well-being number one adopting an upright posture it's time to stretch out those muscles and stand like you mean it
according to a study in the journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry upright posture can have a positive effect and reduce fatigue the preliminary study's conclusions suggested that adopting an upright posture may increase positive effect reduce fatigue and decrease self-focus in people with mild to moderate depression are you hunched over your phone right now computer how's that posture looking number two practice positive thinking research continues to show that your thoughts about yourself strongly affect how you feel the best way to change any negative feelings you may have is to counteract them with a positive one
according to psychologist patricia hartneck when we perceive ourself and our life negatively we can end up viewing experiences in a way that confirms that notion instead practice using words that promote feelings of self-worth and personal power so instead of saying i was horrible at my math test use positive words and self-compassion like i'll study harder next time and then i'll do better on the next test number three take a walk in nature my favorite ah nature is there anything quite like the green grass between your toes the blue skies above your head the warm sun
burning your nose forgot the sunscreen a simple walk in nature can have the ability to boost your mental well-being according to research published in the journal of positive psychology a 2019 study from canadian researchers found that merely five minutes of contact with the natural world improves mood human health self-esteem and general emotional well-being according to the research study results indicated that brief nature contact reliably improves both hedonic and self-transcendent emotions time for a nice walk in the park with your dog of course don't forget to bring the sunscreen this time number four hug someone sometimes
we just need a hug maybe that's what your parents once told you and sometimes they're right according to findings from a 2011 study conducted by ucla oxytocin's receptor gene is linked to self-esteem and optimism oxytocin is often known as a cuddle hormone so i'm sure you can guess what releases oxytocin hugging along with kissing snuggling and physical touches hugging is a great way to release that hormone and perhaps increase your self-esteem and optimism in the process according to the study life scientists identified for the first time a particular gene's linked to optimism self-esteem and mastery
the belief that one has control over one's own life three critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression sounds like a good hug is sure to give a boost to your mental well-being number five spend time with your furry friend got no one to hug how about your dog don't have a furry friend now might be a good time to get one need to be convinced a 2019 research study examined the effects and cortisol levels of college students who spent 10 minutes with animal visitation programs the student stress hormone cortisol decreased with just
10 minutes of petting cats and dogs the research article notes a 10 minute college-based avp providing hands-on petting of cats and dogs provides momentary stress relief so when you go on that walk in nature make sure to bring your furry friend with you number six exercise exercise is not only important for our physical health but our mental well-being as well regular exercise releases endorphins which make us happy naturally according to an article from myoclinic exercise can release feel-good endorphins natural cannabis-like brain chemicals endogenous cannabinoids and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of
well-being that dog walk in nature really will pay off number seven get enough sleep you may have heard adults need a good eight hours of sleep each night well you definitely heard right we need a good night's rest to recharge with enough energy for the next day not getting your eight hours of sleep every day has been shown to negatively affect your mental health what makes things worse is 60 to 90 percent of patients with depression also have insomnia according to the sleep health foundation so people whose emotional well-being may already be suffering are possibly
causing further health problems by not being able to get their full rest not only do you get grumpy and groggy from not getting enough sleep but it's not the best for your emotional well-being in the long run and number eight keep a gratitude journal expressing gratitude can work wonders for our mental well-being gratitude has been linked to increased happiness mental health and improved well-being according to psychologist patricia hardneck hardneck notes that the best researched method to increase feelings of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal or write a daily gratitude list which means every morning
before that walk write down something you're thankful for no matter how grand or simple and at the end of the day you know when you go to bed early for those full eight hours write down a few more things you appreciate before you hit the sheets hopefully with your snuggly pet by your side so will you practice some of these habits which one will you try out first let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed this video don't forget to click the like button and share it with a friend subscribe to psyc2go and
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