How I Maintain My Mental Health

Happy May friends! It’s FINALLY starting to feel like spring in Seattle and this month is especially important because it’s mental health month. This topic is significant because statistically 1 in 5 people will suffer from mental illness in their lifetime, so I think we should be talking about it more.

I’m not shy talking about my personal mental health struggles… I’ve shared my personal experience with an eating disorder and postpartum anxiety. I have lost friends and have had strained relationships in my life due to mental illness and I think a lot of people can relate to that fact; yet, for some reason there seems to still be a stigma related to mental health and illness. More recently, there does seems to be a shift and people seem to be more open to talking about it and finding solutions to our current mental health crisis. Don’t worry I won’t get all political here 😉

Recently, I’ve noticed an increase in my anxiety and some depression. I really do think the blues have to do with the Seattle grey…I’m a CA girl and don’t think I will ever fully adjust to these long and dark winter months. I know for sure my anxiety is 95% correlated to Quinn (her mood, sleep, and other big transitions). Anyways, I took immediate action and made an appointment with my doctor. I saw her today, and it felt great to discuss where things are at, feel validated, and develop a game plan for how get me feeling more grounded.

I’m not intimidated by this topic because I have extensive experience in treating mental health disorders as I worked for almost 5 years in a psychiatric inpatient hospital setting and primarily worked with adolescents suffering from acute eating disorders. I’ve been a dietitian for almost 10 years and the majority of my work has been in the mental and behavioral health field.

There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about mental health. You still have “mental health” even if you don’t have a “mental illness”, so we should all be utilizing strategies to improve and maintain our own mental health. For everyone that will look different, but for me here is what I do.

Self care plays a significant role in how I keep my mental health in shape. Here is a list of things I do on a regular basis to help me feel my best.

• Nutrition: I know this is an obvious for me, but it’s the #1 way I take care of myself. If my nutrition game is off (and trust me I’m not perfect) I feel it! Proper hydration also falls into this category…getting in 60-100 oz water a day is my goal and I feel it when I don’t hit this mark. Lastly my supplements… I take vitamin D, omega 3, vitamin C, magnesium, and probiotics daily.
• Exercise: OK actually this might be my fave form of self care because the energy and endorphin rush I get from exercise is like no other. I aim for vigorous exercise 3-5 days a week and lower impact exercise like yoga and walking other days.
• Read: I’m making a huge effort to be off my phone at night and reading before bed. I even initiated a book club with some girlfriends to motivate myself to read more because I really do think it helps me relax before bed instead of scrolling Instagram 😉
• Get my nails done: Maybe this one sounds silly to some, but it’s something that brings me joy lol! My husband probably wishes painting my own nails brought me joy, but drinking my Starbucks, listening to a podcast, and getting a gel mani and pedi makes me pretty darn happy.
• Facials/skin care: This is a newer interest of mine over the past few years, but the older I get the more I realize how much having clear skin impacts my mood and energy. If I feel confident about my skin it shows and I enjoy putting time and effort into my skin care routine. It’s actually a relaxing way to start and end my day.
• CALM tea: I can’t say enough about how important magnesium is to help with relaxation and stress management (along with many other functions). I drink this almost every night before bed.
• Bath + Essential Oils: If it’s been a day there is nothing I enjoy more after putting Quinn to bed then lighting some candles and taking a bath with calming essential oils. I will also listen to a book on tape during this time or music.
• Maintain friendships: Call, text, send letters/gifts, girls trips, etc. I have some amazing friends in my life and I feel so lucky to have those close friendships. Like any relationship, friendships take work and effort and my friends mean a lot to me, so I make a point to always be in touch…even if just a text. “In order to have good friends you need to be a good friend”. This is a quote I stumbled upon in high school and it has always stayed with me.

Here are a list of things that I know help me and need to do more often:

• Meditate: I love the Headspace app and was in a good routine of using it before bed. It’s definitely helped me relax before bed (when my anxiety is the worst) so I need to get back on that one!
• Therapy: No shame in my therapy game 😉 I’ve been many times throughout my life and think it’s great! I am committed to finding someone I connect with in Seattle.
• Decrease caffeine: This was even hard for me to write! I’ve been getting into a bad cycle of poor sleep (Thanks Quinn!)… then drinking way too much coffee the next day…feeling anxious… even more anxious at night and then trouble sleeping….repeat. My goal is to have one cup of coffee in the AM then switch to decaf or tea after. Wish me luck!

What ways do you maintain your mental health?

xx,
Alix