The 4 Pillars of Mental Wellbeing
Suzie Grazier 
4 simple things to incorporate into every day life to support mental wellbeing
With ever growing levels of mental health problems facing our children and young people it is becoming harder than ever to access the support they need.
Prevention and early support is a drum that I will never stop banging because you cannot place a value on providing simple tools from the earliest opportunity. These easy to implement strategies, when used consistently can make a real difference and allow young people to thrive.
There are 4 basic principles to good mental health. I'm pretty sure that it will come as no surprise that sleep, diet and exercise make it to the top of the list!
- SLEEP
There is a huge amount of evidence that tells us poor sleep can lead to significant mental health problems. But, getting the right amount of good quality sleep can be a real challenge for many young people.
Poor sleep interrupts the production of neurotransmitters in the brain and can increase the production of cortisol, the stress hormone.
Therefore, getting a good sleep should keep this in check and contributes to both physical and emotional wellbeing.
If your child struggles to sleep here are a few tips to improve sleep hygiene:
- encourage them to stick to a regular routine of bedtime and getting up
- avoid screens in the hour before bed
- get enough natural light throughout the day to encourage the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep cycle
- avoid daytime naps
- create a comfortable, inviting sleep environment
- GOOD NUTRITION
The usefulness of eating a good, healthy and balanced diet cannot be underestimated. Everything you eat and drink can have an effect on your body. It can impact on how well you sleep and it influences the way your brain works.
In particular, reducing the amount of refined sugar and processed food, as well as drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, can have beneficial outcomes on wellbeing.
Feeding our bodies with the right balance of nutrients can help with focus, motivation and energy levels which allows us to face the challenges of each day.
- ACTIVITY
People who are physically active tend to feel better and function better. I'm not talking about spending hours in the gym, benefits can come from even a moderate level of activity. Getting outside for regular walks is enough to improve wellbeing.
There is a massive body of research that shows the link between regular activity and good mental health. Exercise promotes the production of endorphins in the brain which act as a natural anti-depressant.
- PURPOSE
Having a fulfilled, purposeful life keeps us happy and motivated. This can take many forms and will look different for each of us.
But, spending time doing things we enjoy, connecting with other people and having a sense of achievement are all key themes of a purposeful life.
Finding things to do that promote the production of dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin all leave us with a feel good factor and help to keep depression and anxiety away.
Living a balanced life with good sleep, good nutrition, regular physical activity and meaningful activities is something we can all control and achieve. By getting these simple 4 pillars right we can be more emotionally resilient and improve our mental wellbeing.
Categories: : psychological wellbeing