World Mental Health Day 2023: Experts share daily habits to practice for better well-being

Wellness notesSophia Peermohideen clinical psychologist psychotherapist and director of Mind Wellness Center WadalaThere are four main hormones that can be helpful in managing our feelings of wellbeing and alleviating our stress levels and there are many ways to increase the levels of these hormones in the brain You can incorporate the following into your daily life1 Endorphins Producing endorphins will prompt a positive feeling Endorphins also interact with pain receptors in the brain reducing your perception of pain It can be acquired with exercises that increase the heart rate listening to music watching a comedy show and laughter therapy2 Serotonin This hormone is responsible for wellbeing and happiness and is known as the mood stabiliser Acquire it with solar exposure mindfulness or being with nature3 Dopamine It drives the brainrsquos reward chemical and motivates you to do more For instance setting small goals and achieving them taking up new hobbies and selfcare activities increase happy hormone levels and give you a feeling of wellbeing4 Oxytocin It is called the lsquolove hormonersquo and is released by giving and receiving love in all its forms Taking care of yourself having a meaningful conversation with family or friends cooking for your loved ones playing with your pet or doing volunteer work will give you a sense of connection and raises satisfaction levelsHappy kidsNazema M Sagi clinical psychologist consulting at SRCC Centre for Child Development MahalakshmiDaily playtime should be a part of childrenrsquos holistic developmentGrowing children require sufficient energy to follow their curiousity and to aid their physical and cognitive development Often insufficient sleep poor diet and limited or no time allotted to playing can make them irritable and lower their energy levelsIt is important to include playtime of one to two hours daily as part of their holistic development Spending long hours in study wonrsquot help their concentration or pique their curiosity Similarly children should get enough sleep and a balanced diet to tackle the day to their best capabilityManaging work stressNamrata Jain counselling psychologist and founder OutAloud Wellness KharWork stress challenges that people face in their professions vary across age groups and profiles However one habit to practise in your daily life is to cultivate a positive mindset that can benefit your wellbeingPractise grounding techniques when faced with stress at workCultivating a positive mindset is about looking for a ray of brightness even when one is surrounded by darkness When faced with challenges there is a tendency to focus on the problem Instead help yourself overcome a challenge by turning it into an opportunity for growth and learning To do this practise selfawareness selfcompassion gratitude and mindfulness and uphold positive affirmationsWhen you find yourself outside your window of tolerance a goto action can be a grounding technique that enables you to activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System PNS When the PNS is engaged it reduces the release of stress hormones such as cortisol which will lower your anxiety levels One grounding action is the 54321 technique where you name five things you can see four things you can touch or feel three sounds you hear two things you can smell and one taste to focus your mind onA happy later lifeSurabhi Dand pranic healer counselling psychotherapist mindfulness coach and coauthorSenior citizens have to deal with changes and struggles that come with old age Taking care of their mental wellbeing can help them overcome these challenges and live a fulfilled lifeSenior citizens can spend 10 minutes in the sun for sufficient levels of vitamin DVitamin D is not just related to onersquos calcium level bone health and body pain it is also a fatsoluble vitamin that is related to your mood and functions as a mood elevator Soaking in the sun before 10 am for 10 to 15 minutes a day can boost serotonin levels and improve cognitive health Avoid harsh sunlight from 12 noon to 4 pm If facing time constraints opt for a 10minute sunbath once or twice a weekAnother primary tool is breathwork Correct breathing techniques can combat the oxidative stress in the body When we are stressed angry or anxious our breathing is affected and the metabolic rate of breathing is disturbed creating cellular damage to the body This aggravates health issues Opt for techniques like deep breathing or pranayamas dailyRight to a healthy mindThe theme for this yearrsquos World Mental Health Day as observed by the World Health Organisation WHO is lsquoMental health is a universal human rightrsquo It aims to facilitate knowledge awareness and actions to promote mental health as a universal human right and recognises that everyone has a right to the highest standard of mental health The WHO states that good mental health is vital to our overall health and wellbeing