05/03/2023
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental well-being. We invite you to join us in promoting this important cause. Since 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the United States during the month of May. It was started by the Mental Health America (MHA) Organization for the purpose of raising awareness and educating the public about mental illnesses, the realities of living with these conditions, and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. Additionally, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses and create an open dialogue to allow people to seek out any help they may need.
As humans, our overall health is significantly affected by our natural and built environment: where we are born, live, learn, work, play, and congregate all influence our health. While we often think of these environmental factors (sometimes called the “social determinants of health,” or the “vital conditions for well-being”) as relating largely to our physical health, it’s important to consider the effect of our environment on our mental health and well-being as well. This opens the door to consider education, economic stability, social connections, neighborhood, community infrastructure, and access to care. What we know for sure is that there are many factors that contribute to mental well-being, and we all benefit from stable environments, strong communities, and ready access to needed services. This year MHA invites you to Look Around, Look Within as we consider every part of our environment and its effect on our mental health and well-being.
During this month each week will have a focus on a particular aspect of our environment that may affect our mental health. This week begins with A Healthy Home Environment.
A few ways to make sure your Home Environment is optimized to improve your mental health are:
✅ Practice Tidiness – Make sure your home is clean and organized. It does not have to be spotless but being mindful of where you are putting items during the day and getting rid of unneeded belongings can free a ton of space in your home and your mind.
✅ Make your Bedroom Sleep-friendly – Poor sleep is known to sometimes trigger or worsen mental health challenges. Keeping your room cool and dark with as little excessive noise as possible will set you up for more successful sleep habits.
✅ Create Comfort – Personalize your bedroom or living area with photos, posters or other objects that create joy or peace within you. There’s no one-size-fits-all home environment so don’t be afraid to experiment with different layout and furniture configurations to find out what works for you!
✅ Check Air Quality – Good air quality can increase oxygen levels in your brain, boosting your mood and focus. During this springtime weather open a window or two to allow fresh air in or use an air purifier in your home.
✅ Breathing exercises can improve attention and levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) Breathe in your nose for 5 seconds and out your mouth for 5 seconds. Repeat as necessary
✅ Set Yourself Up for Success – Remove barriers to healthy habits like putting fresh fruit or your chore schedule out where you can see it every day.
✅ Prepare ahead of time by putting clothes out for tomorrow the night before and packing your lunch the night before work.
