RamCare
RamCare resources
An individual’s mental health is an important part of how their brain functions. It is very important that we keep our mental health in check and keep it in a state that is safe. There are many ways that you can keep your mental health in a good state such as quiet time to yourself. Things to do during quiet time that can improve your mental heals are colouring Mandalas, writing in a journal, practicing deep breathing or self compassion exercises, learning progressive muscle relaxation, listening to music and more.
Mandalas
Mandalas
Mandalas are patterns that you can colour in using markers, coloured pencils, or crayons. They are basically a more complex colouring book for adults and teenagers. By colouring in these patterns you are able to relax more, feel less stress, reduces anxiety, helps creativity, and boosts your self confidence. mandalas work by activating different parts of your two cerebral hemispheres, and incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills It involves our logic, creativity and our motor skills to colour in the patterns. The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity to the amygdala, which makes us feel less stressed and in better mood all together. mandalas have recently become very popular however, psychiatrists have been prescribing colouring patterns much like the modern Mandalas for over 100 years, which is proof that they work to increase a person's mental health. Along with helping boost your mental health they also help with focusing, meditation, self confidence, and social ability. Doctors recommend using mandala with “chill” or relaxing music to get the full experience, so when you are alone in class if you would like to get the full experience you can use your quiet time to listen to music that relaxes you and coloring mandalas and use your creativity. If you set aside time every week to do this, as a result you will be a much happier, and creative person with an increase in your mental health. The pictures to the right are an example of what a blank and coloured in madela look like.
Deep Breathing
Exercises
Sama Vritti or “Equal Breathing”
How to: Inhale for a count of four seconds, then exhale for a count of four seconds. Do your breathing through your nose.
Next steps: Once more advanced try to count six to eight seconds for every breath.
Affects: Helps calm the nervous system, it increases focus, and can reduce stress.
Abdominal Breathing Technique
How to: Put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath through the nose. Make sure the hand on the belly get enough air to create a stretch in the lungs.
Next Steps: Your goal should be to get 6 to 10 deep slow breaths per minute. Try and do this 10 minutes each day.
Affects: This will help heart rate and blood pressure. This breathing exercise will help before an exam ar whenever you're stressed.
Kapalabhati or "Skull Shining Breath"
How to: This one begins with a long, slow inhale, followed by a quick, powerful exhale generated from the lower belly.
Next Steps: Once you are more comfortable with the contraction, the next step is to up the pace to one inhale-exhale (all through the nose) every one to two seconds, for a total of 10 breaths.
Why It Works
Inhale:
When you inhale through your nostrils or mouth your heart rate speeds up,it also increases blood flow through your arteries and then into the lungs where your blood can be oxygenated.
Exhale:
As you exhale your cells use the oxygen to burn sugars, fats, and proteins for energy. Your heart rate slows down, this causing your blood pressure to decrease. Then the C02 exhaled through your nostrils. Ahhhh relaxed. This makes your body feel relaxed and in comfort.
For a more scientific understanding on this visit the following website:
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/yoga-101/science-breathing/
Journaling
Journaling is another great way to improve your mental health. There are three different types of journaling that have been shown to be beneficial to your mental health.The three types of journaling are gratitude, venting, and daily update. Each of these types of journaling is different but all of them can help you in different ways.
Graditude Journaling
In gratitude journaling you clarify your thoughts and feelings and say what you're thankful for and why you’re thankful for it. This can make you feel grateful and happy about what you have and how good your life is. Seeing everything that you have and all the opportunities given to you in life can boost your mood and even motivate you to help others that aren’t as fortunate as you in life.
Vent Journaling
Venting is another type of journaling that can be very beneficial when you are angry with someone or about something that has recently happened to you. You can write a letter to someone or write a list expressing all you anger and why you are angry. It is important that if you write a letter you do not send it. Keeping it private will allow you to truly express how you feel and can help you calm down. After you have written the letter or list you will be able to understand why you are angry and can solve the problem more efficiently and peacefully.
Daily Update
When writing a daily update journal you write as much as you can about what happened to you that was good each day. It can be something that made you smile, or laugh, or feel good as long as it is something positive. Not only will this make you feel great as you are writing it, whenever you feel sad or down about yourself you can look back and read about what made you happy and how you can get that feeling again. This will help you appreciate the little things and help you realize how many simple things can boost your overall mood.
Meditation
Mindful breathing can be difficult to maintain. Meditation can be an effective strategy to centre yourself and gain control over your thoughts. Use the links provided to learn about the many positive health impacts of meditation as well as try meditation yourself.
Music
Music has as huge impact on us and our society. Music is very unique to each and everyone of us. Music inspires us, motivates us, energizes us, give us hope, fate, power, and can impact our life and the decisions we make. Music can make us happy, sad, energetic, and most importantly music can calm us down and just think about the now. Not the past not the future but let’s us just think about the now and what’s happening right now. The “now” it the only thing we can control in our lifetime, we can't control the past cause it's already happened and we can't control the future because it's unexpected.
Calming music: Relaxes our minds and can relieve stress.
Blues: It can help if you’re feeling a little nervous or anxious. The rhythm of this music can decrease your heart rate down and calm you down.
Rock & Punk: This can boost your mood levels. Rock and punk music can give you adrenaline and a energy boost.
Reggae: This type of music can “organically” chill you out. Reggae is based on the rhythm of the healthy human heart at rest.
Mainstream: Mainstream pop/rock music is useful for your workout, or want a relaxing beat while driving. The steady tempo keeps your heart rate normal and breathing consistent.
Dance: This type of music makes us feel good and gives us high energy.
Rap & Hip Hop: Rap is unique because it affects everyone in different ways. Rap can calm you down, pump you up, or just chill to the vibe.
Country: This type of music can be very depressing at times, but many artists make country music up beat and feel good type of music, so just find the right song.