How to understand that everything is okay with you? There are a lot of talks these days about being in touch with yourself. But what does it mean? Read below about the red flags of mental health, and a self-care checklist that actually works for you.
What is the quality of your sleep?
Often what we perceive as depression turns out to be simply chronic sleep deficit. Our concentration decreases, irritability increases, and inappropriate emotional reactions appear. Our bad mood grows, and the world around us is filled with dark colors. We involuntarily “thicken the clouds” and catastrophize what is happening to us: it seems to us that everything is much worse than it really is.
Sleep deficit leads to changes in hormonal levels and active production of cortisol, and further to a state of chronic stress. It is believed that 7-9 hours of sleep is the optimal time for a full recovery of the body. But it is important to take into account individual characteristics and pay attention to your own well-being – it happens that someone needs more or less sleep. If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot fall asleep at night, Hometown Hero Delta-8 gummies will help you reduce anxiety and relax.
Do you eat a lot of sugar and little healthy food?
Our brain weighs about 1,400 g, which is only about 2% of the total body mass. At the same time, our brain requires the greatest amount of energy and oxygen for full functioning. The adult brain consumes about 20% of the oxygen entering the body and about 20-30% of the energy. We get energy from food. Insufficient, irregular, and unbalanced nutrition can lead to physiological deficits that are reflected in our psyche.
The main source of energy for the brain is glucose. The brain has a very high metabolic rate, using ~ 5.6 mg of glucose per 100g of brain tissue per minute. Our brain prefers to get carbohydrates from whole foods, rather than from simple sugars. The cognitive function of the brain deteriorates if the level of glucose in the body falls. At the same time, glucose from simple sugars has the opposite effect. Therefore, glucose from whole dietary carbohydrates is essential in the diet, but an excess of simple carbohydrates is harmful.
Do you drink enough water?
Water helps brain cells communicate with each other, removes toxins and waste products that disrupt brain function, and delivers nutrients to the organ. These processes stop working effectively if the liquid level drops. The brain of dehydrated adults shows signs of increased neuronal activation when performing cognitively engaging tasks, indicating that it is working harder than usual. When dehydrated, we make decisions more slowly and perform worse on cognitive tasks. Numerous studies have shown moderate levels of dehydration to significant deterioration in mood, including decreases in self-reported happiness and increases in depression and anxiety. That is why it is important to drink enough water.
