012 | 6 Mental Health & Awareness in Digital World
Mental health is a critical aspect of our overall well-being that is often neglected. While we focus on physical wellness, it's essential to remember that mental health plays an equally significant role in shaping our lives.
With the increasing use of electronic devices and work-related stress, maintaining good mental health has become all the more challenging.
In this Minimalist Case blog post today, we'll discuss how using electronic devices can affect your mental health and ways to stay mentally healthy while working with computers. So let's dive right in!
Computer or desk work may not be an active job, but it can surely affect the body as well as your mental health. When you sit at a desk for hours on end, it is more likely to experience physical and mental stress.
Sitting all day can also increase the risk for chronic health issues like type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and so on. But don't worry.
Here are some useful tips for better health.
Physical health leads to your mental health. You don’t want to visit your therapist when things are worst. Simply raising your awareness to improve your overall health with our simple 4 ways.
What Mental Health Is?
Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It plays a crucial role in determining how we feel, think, and act in our daily lives. A healthy mind helps us cope with stressors while maintaining positive relationships with ourselves and others.
Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness but also includes the ability to handle challenges and adapt to changes effectively. Mental health issues can range from mild anxiety or depression to severe disorders like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
The signs of poor mental health or mental health stress include mood swings, lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness; fatigue; insomnia; excessive worrying or fear; suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
These symptoms should not be ignored as they could lead to more severe problems if left untreated.
It's important to always prioritize your mental well-being by seeking professional help when needed and practicing self-care techniques like mindfulness meditation, exercise, and adequate sleep hygiene regularly.
01 - Take a break after 15-20 minute
One of the many problems of staring at a phone or laptop screen all day is that your eyes tend to blink less, which is the reason for eye dryness. Besides, staring at a screen all day causes eyes to strain, which can lead to headaches, shoulder pain, blurry vision, neck pain etc.
To avoid that, for each 15-220 minutes spent staring at a screen, you must look at an object at least 20 ft away for a few seconds while blinking frequently. Don’t worry about being disturbed by an alarm clock, try to divide your tasks to a smaller one and get done during the time period.
Use this mobile phone stand near you. Set your alarm clock rings every 15 or 20 minutes, and keep the phone notification off to avoid social media notifications to disturb your mental health during stay focused on the work.
You also need to take a 15 minute break after each 2 hours of screen time and use water when your eyes are dry. You can keep eye drops on the desk for such reasons.
02 - Improve Right Posture
Maintaining good posture is more than just a physical health benefit. It can also greatly improve your mental health. When we slouch or hunch over, it can create tension in our bodies which leads to stress and anxiety.
Your sitting posture takes a long time, and can put pressure on the muscles and joints, which causes balance issues, fatigue, and back and neck pain. It can also make movements like walking or exercising or other kinds of daily activities uncomfortable.
Try to maintain your body and spine in a neutral position. Keep your head, neck, and torso upright. Place your feet flat on the ground to support your legs. If your feet do not reach the floor, use a footrest.
Additionally, poor posture can lead to physical discomfort such as headaches and neck pain which can further exacerbate mental stress. By correcting your posture, you may experience relief from these symptoms leading to a decrease in stress levels.
03 - Grab a Healthy Snack
Snacking can keep you satiated between meals. It also stabilizes blood sugar, gives enough strength to conquer the day. But not that junk food or packs of chips.
Have your mental health stay alive with snacks with protein, high-quality fat. This will supply long-lasting energy, supporting your focus during the whole day. You can have yogurt with berries and honey or pear slices and peanut butter. Prepare them in your spare time and bring some for the work.
04 - Drink a Lots of Water
Even when you're sitting all day, staying hydrated is crucial. Throughout the day, we continuously lose water by sweating and other normal bodily functions. Staying hydrated will help to balance for the whole day.
Not only water, but also the other kinds of healthy drinks like coconut water or a smoothie made with hydrating fruits and veggies, or cucumber and carrots can more or less work the same.
05 - When Should I Visit a Mental Health Therapist?
Knowing when to seek help from a mental health therapist can be difficult, but it is important to prioritize your mental well-being by applying our 4 simple ways above.
One of the signs that you may need professional help is if you are experiencing prolonged periods of sadness or hopelessness. If your daily life has become affected by anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues and it feels like you cannot cope on your own anymore, reaching out to a therapist can be helpful.
You should also consider seeking therapy if you have experienced trauma or significant life changes that have impacted your emotional stability.
It's worth noting that there doesn't always have to be something "wrong" for someone to see a therapist - talking through thoughts and feelings with an unbiased professional can simply provide clarity and perspective.
Mental Health Awareness while Working with Computers
As technology continues to advance, more and more people rely on electronic devices for work. While these devices offer countless benefits, they can also take a toll on our mental health. Spending long hours in front of a computer screen can lead to mental exhaustion, eye strain, headaches, and even depression.
To maintain good mental health while working with computers, it's important to take breaks frequently throughout the day. This not only gives your mind a chance to rest but also helps prevent physical ailments associated with prolonged sitting.
It's also important to pay attention to your posture while working at a computer. Slouching or hunching over the keyboard can lead to neck pain and back problems that may contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety.
By following these tips for maintaining good mental health when using electronic devices for work or leisure activities like gaming or browsing social media sites, we can ensure that we stay happy and healthy both physically as well as mentally!
Conclusion
Mental health is a crucial aspect of our overall well-being. It affects how we think, feel and behave in our daily lives. Therefore, it's important to take care of our mental health as much as physical health.
One way to maintain good mental health while using electronic devices is by being mindful of your posture. Maintaining proper posture can help reduce stress on the body and improve blood flow to the brain. Additionally, taking breaks frequently when working on a computer or mobile device can significantly reduce eye strain and headaches.
If you're experiencing any signs of mental stress or illness, such as feeling overwhelmed or anxious regularly or having trouble sleeping, it might be time to seek professional help from a therapist.
Remember that mental health awareness should be an ongoing process for everyone regardless of age or gender. By taking small steps every day like practicing mindfulness exercises and seeking therapy if necessary, we can ensure that we are giving ourselves the best chance at living healthy and fulfilling lives both online and offline.
