The link between gut health and mental health has gained awareness in recent years throughout the world of wellness, but people tend to overlook that this connection is a two-way street. Taking care of our mental health is just as important as supporting our gut health to achieve optimal health in both sectors. A supplement for bloating, a well-balanced diet, and eating fermented foods are all rituals that support your gut health, but what are those rituals that will support your mental health?
Meditation and mindfulness are powerful tools that can completely transform the way you carry yourself, your perspective on life, and in turn your overall mood on a day-to-day basis. Let’s dive into how to implement these rituals into your routine.
What is Meditation and How To Incorporate Meditation Methods Into Your Routine
Meditative practices help to calm the mind, help you get centered, and promote a state of relaxation. Meditation can be especially helpful for those who struggle to bring their body down from a state of chronic stress. When someone experiences chronic stress, their body is more likely to stay stuck in a state of fight or flight mode. This means that you are not truly resting and constantly in a state of worry.
Meditation is an example of an activity that triggers the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for your body’s ability to rest and digest food properly so it is crucial to understand how you can trigger this system in your body.
Meditation will look different for everyone. For some, the traditional form of meditation that tends to be associated with silence and stillness will be the answer to their needs. While for others, meditation may require more activity, but still have the intention behind meditation at its core.
Here are some additional forms of meditation
- coloring or painting
- yoga flow class
- dancing or singing
- immersing yourself in nature
High cortisol levels can contribute to symptoms such as bloating and inflammation. Luckily, meditation can help with high cortisol levels by bringing the body down from a state of stress. A consistent meditation schedule can keep that stress at bay and in turn reduce the chances of experiencing the adverse effects of high cortisol that even a vitamin for bloating cannot fix.
Mindfulness and Its Power To Transform They Way You Think
Mindfulness relates to the practice of focusing on the present moment without judgment or the need to try and change what is occurring. In this day in age, it can be easy to look back on the past or focus on the future that is to come rather than focusing on the present moment. Over time, this habit can lead us to lose sight of what truly matters — staying present in your daily life. You can incorporate mindfulness into just about all aspects of your life, and while it is a challenging habit to adopt, it is a life-changing skill to master.
So, how does one master making mindfulness a daily habit?
- Understand its importance - One of the first steps to adopting mindfulness into your daily life is to understand why you are doing it in the first place. Mindfulness can ease your mind from anxiety and will boost your overall wellness, but is there a specific reason that is calling out to you and your needs? Consider reflecting on your current relationship with mindfulness.
- Find ways to remind yourself - It can be easy to forget about staying mindful with the several other responsibilities we have to tackle. Try to find ways to remind yourself to stay in the moment.
- Create consistency with your mindfulness - There are certain aspects of daily life that would specifically benefit from a mindful mindset. For example, eating mindfully can be extremely helpful in avoiding constipation or heartburn. Finding specific areas such as these to prioritize mindfulness can help to keep you on track throughout the day.
- Acknowledge its effects - Mindfulness will help to heal your mind and bring a sense of peace into your day-to-day life. Be sure to take note of the way that being more mindful throughout your day changes your reactions to situations that are presented, how it impacts your relationships, and how it changes the way you view the present moment. Acknowledging the impact of mindfulness will give you a boost of motivation to continue practicing mindfulness.
Other Ways to Boost Your Mental Health to Support Your Gut Health
Meditation and mindfulness are not the only ways to support the gut-brain connection. Here are some other ways to boost your mental health and in turn boost your gut health!
- Keep your environment clean - A clean space equals a clear mind. Sometimes, the status of our personal spaces indicate how we are feeling internally. When you are struggling mentally, you might find that it is more challenging to keep your personal quarters in an organized fashion. Try to keep your environment tidy and clean to promote peacefulness.
- Spend time outside - When we are feeling down or anxious, it can be easy to curl up in bed or inside our homes. Relaxing is definitely an important part to mental recovery; however, it is possible to rely on your comforting areas to get you through the tough times to the point where it will do more harm than good. Consider spending time outdoors and allow the fresh air and nature to boost your serotonin levels.
- Focus on a good night’s sleep - Life can get busy and usually the first thing to fall to the wayside is one’s sleep routine. It is important to try and not sacrifice sleep, because it is truly what helps to rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit. As humans, we need sleep to be able to properly function and to allow the different systems in our body — including the digestive system — to do their jobs.
The beauty of the gut-brain connection is that all the rituals you incorporate will go hand in hand to creating a healthier version of yourself!