A) Sleep Hygiene
B) Social Media Usage
C) Meditation
D) Red Flags
A) Sleep Hygiene- A good night’s sleep and feeling refreshed in the morning is the hallmark of good mental health.
It involves:-
1 Going to bed at a fixed time daily
2 Set up a fixed time for waking up
3 Keep all Gadgets away at least an hour before the fixed bedtime.
4 Daytime naps if required, they should last less than 30 minutes.
5 Meals to be taken atleast 2 hours before bedtime.
6 Avoid caffeine and alcohol 6 hours before bedtime.
7 40 minutes of physical exercise daily.
B) Social Media
1 Avoid watching news in video format, on TV, youtube etc ( As it brings with it visuals, voice intonations and increases the dramatic effect)
2 Read the news ONCE A DAY to keep yourself informed
3 Do not read the news first thing in the morning or last thing before going to bed.
Make it a mid-day activity.
4 Videos, Memes and Forwards on Whatsapp groups refrain from downloading and watching
C) Meditation- 3 minute breaks throughout the day
You don’t have to sit in a particular posture or chant anything. It takes about 3-4 minutes and can be done anywhere.
1 Meditation is for everyone not just people who are stressed.
2 Children as young as 5 years of age can be taught to meditate.
3 It helps in orienting you to the present moment instead of thinking about the past or the future
4 It is ok if you get distracted, or cant stay still.
5 Don’t expect a miracle immediately after the exercise, you will gradually see the benefits
This is the simplest form. Plug in your ear phones for some guided meditation.
In Hindi
In English
D) Red Flags- If the below mentioned symptoms last over 2 weeks- please contact a professional
1 Unrefreshing sleep- Not feeling rested on getting up, rather feeling tired
2 Latency of sleep- Taking more than an hour to fall asleep.
2 Decreased focus and concentration at work or daily activities
3 Thoughts of escape, if persistent
“I wish I could run away somewhere and not have to deal with it”
“ If I die tomorrow it won’t be the worst thing.”
4 Persistent negative thoughts
“Nothing good is going to happen”
“This is how we are all going to die”
“What’s the point of anything”
