Mind

Self-care is anything you do good to yourself. It is being kind to yourself. It is considering yourself as an active agent in managing your health. It is integrating self-compassion into your life in a way that helps to prevent even the possibility of burnout. 

“Self-care is anything that you do for yourself that feels nourishing,” says Marni Amsellem, a licensed psychologist.

Self-care is just looking after yourself. You can avoid fatigue and illness. The benefits of self-care are endless.

Here are a few excellent benefits of self-care that you shouldn’t ignore. 

1. Connection with self

Taking time out helps you to develop a healthy relationship with yourself. You may be devoted to other people in your life, but you are the important person in your life. Enjoy self-reflection by evaluating yourself and let the problems work themselves out in the back of your mind. 

2. Increases positivity in life – 

When you practice self-care, it produces a positive feeling and boosts confidence. The list of self-care activities that you create will make you feel good. You will be optimistic and always be in an environment with positive vibes.

3.Improves productivity –

Self-care is nothing but taking some time out for yourself. Practicing that every day makes you feel refreshed and energized. Thus you will have more energy to do other important stuff in your life. 

4. Helps to fight fatigue and illness –  

Not caring for yourself might be disastrous. Neglecting self-care can lead to stress and disease. You might not be able to take care of and support your loved ones if you are unwell. This is where self-care practices are a must.

5. Reduces stress –

Taking a break from a busy schedule can help you to escape a stressful reality. A mental and emotional vacation can trigger relaxation and reduce stress. 

6. More connected to the world –

If you perform self-care activities, you will likely have higher engagement levels. You will be happy and feel more connected to the world around you. The relaxation will make you more aware of what is going on around you.

7. Boosts your immune system –

The rest and restore mode gives your body to decompress and re-energize. A good routine can help you cope with a hectic lifestyle. This provides the body the opportunity to build its defense against cold bugs. Self-care practices can help to decrease the number of sick days. 

8. Self-awareness –

You will be aware of your mindset by practicing self-care. The more you understand yourself, you will be more compassionate towards yourself. Self-talk can take the form of self-care in itself. You need to view yourself as a part of the collective human experience rather than in isolation. 

Are you wondering how to start with self-care? Read our latest blog post on Steps for self-care routine.

In conclusion, make self-care your top priority. You can make the rest of the to-do list later. Committing to self-care can improve your overall well-being. Only ‘YOU’ can take care of yourself. Know the benefits of self-care and offer yourself self-care every day, throughout your day. 

Download the Joyscore app to get more updates on self-care, well-being, and happiness. 

Mental fitness is as necessary as physical fitness. You should not neglect mental health. Including mental exercises in your daily routine can help you reap the benefits of a sharper and healthier mind. 

Mental fitness is defined as a state of well-being and having a positive sense of how we feel, think, and act. 

What are the benefits of being mentally fit?

• Strengthens neural pathways
• Feel energized and healthier
• Helps you to cope with stress
• Improves memory
• Boosts your mood
• Helps you sleep better

Here are few ways to strengthen your mental fitness.

1. Be positive –

Positive affirmations increase mental proficiency. Positive thinking strengthens neural pathways. It improves your self-confidence, well-being, and satisfaction to a higher level. 

2. Challenge your mind with games –

Games are an excellent way to tease and challenge your brain. They increase your brain’s speed and memory. They rely on logic, skills, math,s and more. They are also fun. Playing Sudoku, puzzles, board games, crosswords, and electronic games will boost your brain’s performance. 

3. Try something different – 

Engaging your brain in new and exciting ways can increase brain fitness. For example, try out fresh foods, travel to new places, or work and try new ways to accomplish tasks. Doing new things in new ways produces new brain cells. It also helps to retain brain cells and connections. As a result, it can help your brain stay healthy.

4. Meditate –

Meditation helps you to shift mental habits that cause trouble. It allows you to focus and tune out distractions. It trains your mind to concentrate. It calms your mind and helps to solve the problems in a relaxed way. 

5. Have a routine –

Your brain is good at making connections. It benefits your mental health while introducing new practices. You have to make a connection between existing habits with the new ones. For example, if you want to exercise daily, you need to form a bond with an existing habit. 

6. Read more –

Make reading an essential habit. Do not read books from familiar reading topics. Instead, pick random books of different authors. You can train your brain to imagine and understand different periods, cultures, and people. You can even share these exciting stories with others. This will solidify memories and interpret events.

7. Learn something new –

Give your brain something to think about by learning a  new skill. Learning improves multiple areas of the brain. As a result, you will learn new movements and associate things differently. For example, you can learn to paint or to cook or anything that gives your brain busy. 

8. Relax, rest and sleep –

Adequate rest increases your focus, creativity, and energy. The time you spend asleep is precious. Your brain has the opportunity to repair and recover while you sleep. It provides time to recharge.

Train your brain to work better and faster. Make brain workouts a part of your routine. Every time you do something new or different, it strengthens your neural pathways. It also helps you to be resilient to stress.  Regular mental exercise can improve your overall well-being. Download the Joyscore App to explore more about mental fitness.

Negativity is a part of life. You may experience negative thoughts at one of life or another. It is fine to have them, but if you feed them. They can harm you. They can turn into problems like anxiety and depression. People often ask how to detox your mind from negativity. Well, the answer is simple. Try different approaches to get rid of negative thoughts. Something will help you to clear your mindset. 

Negativity detox can help you overcome depression and anxiety. It makes your life more enjoyable and satisfying.

Here are a few ways on how to detox your mind from negativity–

1. Begin your day with inspiration –

Wake up having a positive thought that ‘all is going to be well today’. As soon as you wake up, keep smiling. It strengthens your immune system and releases feel-good hormones. It drives away negative feelings. 

“Every day, think as you wake up: today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.” – Dalai Lama

2. Give your brain some space –

You may feel cluttered in your mind. Let go of that information which you may not need. Try to empty your mind for a few minutes. Also, be aware of your negative thoughts. Give yourself some time to think and deal with the anxious thoughts.

3. Go to a happy place –

You may have a physical space where you can be happy. It may be your bedroom, a bench in a park, or a yoga studio. Whenever you feel stressed with negative thoughts, go to these places which calm your mind.

4. Just write it down –

Take a piece of paper. Write down all the negative thoughts and burn them. You can also write down all the things that you are grateful for. Focus on good things that are present in your lives. List everything worthwhile that you have achieved in your life.

5. Exercise –

A bit of physical activity every day neutralizes mental chatter and boosts your overall happiness. Do walking, running, Zumba, Yoga whatever works for you. It will shift your thoughts and keep your mind busy. 

6. Meditate –

Meditate for few minutes regularly. It helps you to access peace regardless of what is happening around us. You can be in control of how you feel and connect to the peace within.

7. Change the focus of your thoughts –

You have to change the perspective of your thoughts. Change your point of view from bad to a good one. For example: Instead of thinking. “My leg hurts if I run”, you may think,” It is good for me to run to be fit”. The second sentence has a more positive approach to the action. Thus a small change in the focus can make big difference in the thinking patterns.

8. Say no to news on media –

The constant need for information from the internet is causing stress. Stay away from social media and news. 

9. Do a prayer of gratitude –

Be grateful for already what you have. Write down those. An attitude of gratitude can help you rise above negativity.

10. Rest and reset –

You have to plan for a brain dump every day. Keep aside some time to rest and reset your mind. A calm mind can be blissful which takes commitment and dedication. 

Conclusion

Everybody experiences negative thoughts at some point in their day, and sometimes, these negative thoughts can take over. There are a lot of different methods that can answer the question of how to detox your mind from negativity, but in the end, it is the “glass half full” mentality that can change your thoughts from negative to positive.

Did this post help you detox your mind? Check out the Joy Score app for more tips on positivity and happiness.

Regular Sleep is an important part of your daily life. Adequate sleep is required to maintain optimal health and well-being. Sleep is as important as regular exercise and a balanced diet. It is one of the pillars of your health. Getting regular and optimal sleep every day has its own benefits.

World Sleep Day is celebrated on March 19, 2021. The slogan for this year is ‘regular sleep, healthy future’. 

Effects of lack of sleep on your health

Sleep deprivation alters your brain activity. It affects your performance and productivity. It is one of the risk factors for obesity. It leads you to eat more. The duration of sleep has many health risk factors. There is an increased risk of heart disease and stroke if you sleep less than 7 hours per night. There is also a heightened risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. Poor quality of sleep is also linked to depression and long-term body inflammation.

Why do you require a good and regular sleep?

Here are some of the reasons why good and regular sleep is important for you:

Health benefits

Sleep has a host of health benefits. It lowers the risk of heart disease and reduces inflammation. Good sleep helps the body fight off infection. As the body heals during sleep, you can have more energy, better coordination, and better overall health.

Improves productivity

You can sharpen your brain’s ability to learn and preserve information by having a regular sleep. Sleep improves your concentration and lowers the feeling of burnout. It improves problem-solving skills and enhances memory. 

Improves immune function

Regular sleep boosts your immune system.  When you are asleep, your body takes time to rest and recover. It heals the damaged cells and helps to recover, thereby rebooting your body. 

Prevents depression

Sleeping disorders such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea cause depression. It is estimated that 90% of people with depression complain about sleep quality. Thus getting a good night’s sleep can be an important part of your plan to manage depression.

Lower weight gain

People with sleep deprivation tend to eat more, which leads to obesity. A good sleep calms down your body and helps a person to consume fewer calories.

You can be emotionally intelligent

Adequate sleep will lead to improved mood and healthier emotional well-being. It is the key to build emotional intelligence. It helps us manage our emotions, builds empathy, and sparks creativity.

Tips to have better and regular sleep

• Have a comfortable bed and cool room
• Reduce caffeine intake after 5 PM
• Take a walk after your dinner
• Avoid taking an afternoon nap if you have trouble sleeping at night.
• Finish your daily chores and dinner by 8 PM
• Avoid binge-watching TV/videos.
• Avoid fights and arguments with anyone before bedtime — makeup with them before going to sleep.

Sleep is often neglected as a part of our routine. It is an important component of your overall health and well-being. It enables the body to repair and be fit and be ready for the next day. 

Sleep regularly and have a healthy future. 

Have trouble sleeping? Try tracking your sleep with the help of the JoyScore app. The app can also help you lead a healthy and quality life. Download the app now.