Five March Activities to Support Your Mental Health on the Suncoast this Spring

Winter months can be tough on people’s mental health as the colder weather and extended time indoors can impact our sense of well-being. This March is when the temperatures here on the Suncoast are optimally warmer than winter but not hot like summers, and additionally, a new spring brings hints of renewal in many forms. Here are a few ideas on activities that you can do to help elevate your mental health and refresh your motivation and outcome this March.

Lighten Up On Social Media

Consistently taking in videos and other social media posts about other people’s lives can cause people to compare themselves. Low self-esteem, relationship problems, or even anxiety can be exasperated by comparing yourself to others. To help in this, try the following:

• Keep your phone in a drawer or outside your bedroom while sleeping
• Make a list of alternate, more meaningful activities to replace your usual scrolling sessions
• Turn off notifications or delete social apps from your phone

Get Moving – Even When it is Tough.

Sometimes just forcing yourself to take a spin around the block, get off the couch to clean the house to take that yoga class you have procrastinated for two weeks, is a trial. Schedule time to move even when you are feeling under the weather. Forcing movement in the dark moments leads to feeling better, calming your body, and can help from sitting and going down dark rabbit trails in your mind that can cause additional mental health concerns. Making movements of walking, running, cleaning, exercise classes, and such is vital for an amazing healthy balance in our life.

Laughter Is the Best Medicine

We all know the saying about laughter being the best medicine, and this is a proven fact. Laughing reduces tension and stress and lowers anxiety and irritation, major contributing factors to the blues. Book a night at a comedy club, hang out with a friend that keeps you in stitches, or even watch a show that makes you can have amazing effects on your mental health.

Sleep, Eat, and Play

Key ingredients of good mental health include good sleep, of seven to nine hours nightly. Additionally, changing your diet to healthy, light, and good nutrient-heavy foods can bolster your feelings and hormonal balance. Finally, all work and no play is a true concern when trying got balance out your entire healthy being. Ensure you plan fun time between obligations, and stick to those times. You need downtime, and everything in moderation and balance is the key.

Book A Short Getaway

Planning a getaway, whether a day trip, a short weekend tour, or even a lengthy vacation, can amazingly affect your mood. Having something fun to plan for keeps you moving toward a goal and being upbeat as you navigate that getaway. Making new memories somewhere different can be a happiness boost with lasting effects.

As Spring roars into the Suncoast, we hope you find some amazing ways to watch after your mental and physical health. Moving out in the community and taking self-care super seriously are ways to balance your life positively. If you are healthy and happy, you will spread that to friends, those you volunteer to help, family, and even those you pass on daily.

Happy Spring Suncoast!

Photos courtesy of Deposit Photos, Unsplash, Pexels