August Health Tip: Take Care of Your Mental Health!
Take extra care of your mental health and get enough sleep!
Many older adults have been through life changes and health issues that require adaptation and have great resilience and wisdom. These traits will help them get through another difficult time. Psychiatrist, geriatrician, and UCSF professor Andreea Seritan, MD, provides several tips to create a healthy day. We continue tips included by Dr. Seritan for our August health tip.
https://psychiatry.ucsf.edu/copingresources/olderadults
For those with a history of anxiety and/or depression, if you feel the familiar symptoms coming back, first call your doctor and ask for advice. Many doctors’ offices may offer video visits at this time. Another way to try to prevent the return of anxiety or depression is to do one of two things (or both) every day:
Choose an activity that is pleasurable: Call a friend or family member, go out into the backyard, listen to the birds, take photos of a wonderful sunset.
Choose an activity that involves mastery: Learn a new skill (such as doing video conferences, finishing a crossword puzzle, or learning 10 new words in a foreign language) and take a moment to celebrate the accomplishment. Remind yourself that you are learning new things and this keeps your brain healthy.
Last but not least, sleep hygiene - setting and maintaining good sleep habits - is very important.
Better sleep habits can help you get a good night's sleep. Habits that can improve your sleep include:
Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.
Keeping your bedroom quiet, relaxing, and at a cool temperature.
Turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime.
Avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet.
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html