Working Towards a Healthy Body and Mind
There are many different ways to fight your fears and stress. Some are not so healthy and I would recommend avoiding: over-drinking, over-eating and over-sleeping. They can often give some relief in the short-term, but lead to bad habits or unhealthy lifestyles in the long-term. When fighting a battle as difficult as overcoming fears or stress, it is important to take care of yourself and keep your mind and body in tip-top shape. From here on, I’ll share some strategies I have found to make me feel good in both mind and body.
Proper sleep is crucial to a healthy mind.
The first, and one I have already discussed in my blogs, is writing. Writing is an excellent way to get thoughts off your chest. I find clarity through doing this, as it lets me take a step back from my problems and view them from a different perspective.
Good sleep is paramount to a healthy mind. I speak from experience on this one. I have had a spotty history with sleep, many times crossing over into full insomniac territory, functioning only on caffeine and obligations. After particularly long periods without sleep, I found myself far less in control of my thoughts. I noticed that paranoia would spiral out of control, I was often too tired to look at things rationally and see problems for what they were. Recently, I have gotten into a much better sleeping schedule. While it has not made me into some sort of fearless hero, I find I am a lot calmer and more rational regarding things that bother me, and am able to think through situations more clearly.
It is important to set time aside for yourself free from work and obligations. Whether you like watching television, playing video games or an instrument, exercising, or whatever, it is important to do these things. Taking time for yourself is not a privilege, but a necessity for a healthy mind and lifestyle. I understand it can be a difficult task in itself to leave your worries at the door and just relax, but focusing on building this ability helped me create time when my mind could be at peace.
If you have any strategies that you have found useful, please share them with me!
Photo Credit: Sean Ratke
Matthew Miller
Matthew Miller is a 22-year-old aspiring writer from Ottawa, Ontario. He enjoys entertaining stories, good music, immersive fantasy, and one thing that brings them all together: video games. His dream is to become a novelist while enjoying life to the fullest.