Finding the balance of physical and mental health
When it comes to health and taking care of yourself, a holistic approach is always best. Health is a balance of physical and mental health, meaning neither should be neglected. Exercise provides a mood boost, thanks to the release of endorphins, which can give someone a more energised outlook on life and improve their mental health. If you’re not quite up to exercising, there are ways you can improve your health, your mental health. These apps can help you manage your mental health, as they focus on mindfulness and relieving stress.
Disclaimer: these apps may be used with or without support from a registered health practitioner, but you may wish to consult with your local health or wellbeing practitioner if you are uncertain about using them.
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Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind is a non-for-profit web and app-based meditation program developed by psychologists and educators to help bring mindfulness into your life.
Mindfulness is a tool that can help you to:
- Reduce worries, anxiety and distress
- Enjoy more energy
- Create a sense of calm
- Learn how to relax and regulate emotions
- Enhance awareness and creativity
- Improve concentration and increase productivity
- Develop a sense of empathy and connectedness
- Enjoy better health and sleep
Available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to smilingmind.com.au.
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Headspace
Guided meditations and breathing exercises with themed sessions from stress and sleep to focus and anxiety. The app has a gentle “get some headspace” reminder to encourage you to keep using the app and to keep practising mindfulness.
Available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to headspace.com.
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#selfcare
An app that lets you stay in bed all day. Well, not physically, but the app allows for relaxation and mindfulness, slowly guiding you around the room completing tasks like lighting a candle, or checking tarot cards. Simple yet effective.
Available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to truluv.ai/selfcare.
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Pacifica
Daily tools for stress, anxiety, and depression alongside a supportive community. Based on cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness meditation.
The app allows you to set daily goals to reach long-term goals and helps you to question negative thoughts and change your pattern of thinking.
Available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to thinkpacifica.com.
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Calm
The app is designed to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and help you to feel happier.
Calm focuses on the four key areas of meditation, breathing, sleep, and relaxation, with the aim of bringing joy, clarity, and peace to your daily life.
The app delivers meditations that can help you to de-stress, as well as breathing programs, music, and sounds from nature to relax your mind and body and promote better sleep. Whether you’re trying meditation for the first time or consider yourself a pro when it comes to being in the moment, there are options to suit everyone, regardless of how busy you are!
Available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to calm.com.
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Snapshot
Black Dog Institute’s Snapshot is an app that allows you to measure and monitor mental health and lifestyle factors that influence wellbeing. Based on your responses, it also provides general advice on how to improve your health and wellbeing and offers recommendations for where you could seek help and support. It is completely confidential and secure. The app is for Australian adults 18 years and over.
Available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to blackdoginstitute.org.au.
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ReachOut WorryTime
Everyone has negative thoughts pop into their mind from time to time. It’s when these thoughts don’t go away that it becomes an issue of repetitive negative thinking. If your thoughts are impacting your everyday life, it’s time to get help. ReachOut WorryTime interrupts this repetitive thinking by setting aside your worries until later, so you don’t get caught up in them and can get on with your day. This means you can deal with worries once a day, rather than carrying them around with you 24/7. You set a time to review these worries and ditch the ones that no longer matter to you. This can be a helpful tool as when you’re reviewing these worries at a later time altogether, you can start to see patterns of negative thinking and see how that can be impairing your daily life.
Available for free on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to au.reachout.com.
As you’re probably aware, a good night’s sleep helps foster both mental and emotional resilience. Chronic sleep disruptions set the stage for negative thinking, depression, anxiety and emotional vulnerability. Physical exertion through the day can make it easier to have a restful sleep, however, if you’re still having trouble, try one of the apps mentioned to relax your mind.
Another crucial element is staying hydrated! Sounds simple, I know. But when you’re not exercising, it can be easy to forget to stay hydrated because you don’t necessarily feel thirsty. Despite this, keep up your fluids, all day, every day! Your body will thank you.
No-one is expecting you to go from spending the day in bed, to running a marathon. Exercise can be achievable in small chunks. Set yourself a goal, even if it’s a 10-minute walk. Then, try to increase this each time you go, in no time you’ll be walking for 30-60 minutes and will have an exercise routine! The release of endorphins will boost your mood, while the physical exertion will make it easier for you to get a better night’s sleep.
Know that there is support available to help you.
Reach your goals with Transcend Health
At Transcend Health, we are about inspiring and helping you to move your body, and experience life unrestrained by pain, injury, disease and illness. That includes mental illness. We want to help you achieve your exercise goals, however big or small. If you’re wanting to chat to an exercise physiologist, join a group class, yoga, or physiotherapy, contact us and we can help you to move beyond mediocrity.