Tag: mental health

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Adulting Mental Health Parenting

4 of the Best Confidence Hacks For New Moms

Confidence Hacks For New Moms

Throughout your life, you’ll encounter various situations that will cause your confidence to take a hit. As we get older, our confidence can be impacted by professional and academic success. Furthermore, while welcoming a baby into the world is joyful, this could also harm your confidence. Your confidence decrease is due to the simple fact that babies bring a lot of change. Your body will look (and feel) different, your emotions will fluctuate, and you’ll find yourself questioning every decision you make for your baby. As a result, it’s hardly surprising that many moms report a distinct drop in their confidence once their baby arrives. These confidence hacks for new moms will help you overcome those feelings.

Confidence Hacks For New Moms
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Confidence Hacks For New Moms

Attend all health appointments.

Health, happiness, and confidence are often much more intertwined than you may think. While you may focus on taking your babies to all of their postnatal appointments, it’s also essential that you keep your health in check. Keeping your health in check includes making the most of dental services and dental appointments that you may have put off during your pregnancy. 

Embrace your mom-bod. 

As mentioned previously, your body will go through many changes during pregnancy, including weight gain. While this is perfectly natural, it’s also understandable that your relationship with your body and confidence will change slightly during this time too. To feel confident once more, you must learn to love yourself and your reflection. Remember, your worth isn’t defined by the figure on the scales. Whenever you find yourself thinking negatively about your body- commend yourself on your strength and the fact that you brought life into the world. 

Develop a healthy routine.

Unhealthy habits are easy to slip into – whether you grab the takeout menu instead of cooking fresh meals or watch your favorite Netflix show instead of exercising. However, unhealthy habits can also hurt your confidence because they stop you from taking proper care of yourself. As a result, you should develop a healthy routine if you are looking to feel more confident. You can start by following a healthy diet and participating in mom and baby workouts.  

Know that it’s okay to ask for help.

One of the biggest mistakes that new parents make is believing that they have to do everything alone. However, this is not the case. It’s okay to ask for parenting help when you need it. Raising children means that you’ll deal with surprise after surprise – many of which aren’t in the pregnancy books you read. The people around you can provide you with the insight you need to thrive as a new mom. Plus, voicing your concerns to others will also help you settle your anxieties, letting you know that you are doing your best. 

Confidence Hacks For New Moms

Having a baby can interfere with your confidence levels, but these tips can help. Do you have any other confidence hacks for new moms? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Health Healthy Living Mental Health

4 of the Best Tips To Protect And Improve Your Mental Health

Most of us know that eating well and moving more can benefit our bodies, but you should know that you can also take steps to protect and improve your mental health. It’s not always possible to prevent psychological illnesses, but it’s beneficial to reduce risks. These simple tips can help you nourish your mental well-being. 

Protect And Improve Your Mental Health
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How to Protect And Improve Your Mental Health

Identify Triggers

Conditions and issues that affect our mental health are common. Many of us are prone to bouts of stress and anxiety, and 1 in 5 US adults are diagnosed with a mental health disorder in any given year. Try to identify triggers, which make you feel stressed, anxious, or low, and avoid them where possible. Perhaps checking your phone and reading work emails prevents you from sleeping, or scrolling through social media makes you feel anxious or worthless. 

Cut out actions, repeated behaviors, and activities that have a negative impact and try to be proactive by finding solutions. Speak to your boss about your workload if you feel like you’ve got too much on your plate. Or, set detox periods when you don’t use your phone. Simple strategies can have a dramatic impact on your well-being. 

Be Honest About How You Feel

Many people brush symptoms of mental health disorders under the rug, and we try to deny that anything is wrong. It is natural to experience emotions, reactions, and responses to different situations and scenarios. But, you must distinguish between a bad day or a bout of anxiety caused by a test or an interview and a prolonged period of feeling helpless, on edge, nervous, worried, or low.

If your symptoms have gotten worse, you’ve experienced long periods of feeling anxious or depressed, or you’re struggling to feel calm or switch off, be honest about how you feel and accept that you might need help. Most of us wouldn’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with a doctor for back pain, headaches, or a broken leg, but we’re reluctant to talk about mental health. Reaching out can make a hugely positive difference. There is help and support available.

Seek advice

If you struggle with your mental health, it is beneficial to see your doctor or visit a therapist or counselor. There are treatments and self-help techniques that could help alleviate or control symptoms. Reach out if your symptoms get worse or you find it tough to cope in the aftermath of trauma or difficult life events. Treatment options like rapid resolution therapy are designed to help those dealing with the effects of traumatic events. 

It’s also advisable to understand and recognize the benefits of talking, even if you don’t have a mental health disorder. Everyone can benefit from speaking about how we feel and having a shoulder to cry. It also helps to have a friend or relative to offer advice or reassurance. 

Devote more time and effort to your happiness

Many people rush around, trying to balance work with looking after other people. We don’t always have time to do things or see the people that make us happy. Try to manage your schedule so that you can socialize with friends, colleagues, and family members. Plus, you should make time to indulge your hobbies and enjoy time out to relax and recharge. 

Protect And Improve Your Mental Health

These tips can help you protect and improve your mental health. Do you have any other ideas? Leave a comment and let us know. 🙂

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Healthy Living How To Life Mental Health On My Mind

5 Ways To Love Yourself And Feel Better About Who You Are

Are you unhappy with the way you look? Do you find yourself admiring your friends or celebrities and wishing you looked more like them? You are not alone. Many people are unhappy with their appearance, but you must start loving yourself. These tips can help you love yourself and feel better.

Love Yourself And Feel Better
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How to Love Yourself And Feel Better About Who You Are

Focus on Staying Healthy

Beauty starts from within, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can make you feel better about your appearance. When you feel good about yourself, you tend to feel better overall. You will have more energy and fewer mood swings from eating lots of sugar and other unhealthy foods. A healthy lifestyle will also improve your physical appearance. It will help you maintain a healthy weight, and your skin will glow.

Think Carefully Before Making any Major Decisions

Many people have plastic surgery when they are unhappy with their appearance. While there is nothing wrong with this, you need to think very carefully before doing so. Will you be happy and content once you have had the surgery? Or, will there be something else you want to change? If something goes wrong, you will need a medical malpractice attorney to help you take legal action. Whatever you choose is fine, but make sure you think it through and consider these things. 

Take a Break From the Mirror

Are you constantly looking in the mirror all of the time? If so, it is time to take a break because obsessing over your appearance won’t help. Beauty is all about how you feel inside, not about what you look like in the mirror. Have you ever met someone who thought she was ugly when you thought she was beautiful? It shows how beauty comes from within – it is more of a personality trait if you think about it. You have to feel beautiful yourself, and that feeling comes from the heart, mind, and soul, not the eyes.

Wear Comfortable Clothes

Do you try to squeeze yourself into fashionable clothes that you don’t like wearing or wear high heels even though you hate them? Or, do you plaster makeup on and wear false lashes even though they irritate your eyes? If so, time to stop! You need to wear what you feel comfortable in if you want to feel beautiful.

Smile to Love Yourself And Feel Better

Last but not least, try to smile more! It is clichéd, but people do look much, much better when they smile. It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are, what you look like, or how bad you think your smile is; you are going to look and feel much better and healthier if you appear happy.

Love Yourself And Feel Better

If you follow these steps, you should start to feel better and more confident. Many people hate their appearance, but it is often due to misbeliefs and misconceptions we have planted in our minds due to society and social media. You are you. You are unique, and that is why you are beautiful!

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Adulting Mental Health Parenting

4 Treats To Make A New Mom Feel Great

After having a baby, it’s normal for you to dedicate all of your time and energy to caring for your newborn. There’s much to get used to in those initial weeks, and you’ll be battling tiredness and finding a routine. As things start to settle, it’s ok to shift some of the focus back onto yourself. Your happiness is essential, and a treat could be just what you need to rediscover yourself and feel a little special. These four treats will make a new mom feel great and give you a little boost.

Make A New Mom Feel Great

1. Get Your Hair Done

Make A New Mom Feel Great
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After your baby’s arrival, washing your hair can be low down on your list of priorities, let alone styling it! Heading to the salon for a refresh can be good for your soul, helping you feel more like yourself. 

Take a look at some low-maintenance hairstyles to help you find a style that helps you feel great without having to put in too much work.

2. Brighten Up Your Smile

Being happy with your smile is an amazing way to find more confidence. Taking good care of your teeth can also benefit your health. Brite Smiles Dentistry can help you restore confidence in your smile through teeth whitening, straightening, and other procedures to help you enjoy the perfect smile. Make sure to keep up your dental appointments after having your baby, and talk to your dentist about your baby’s first appointment too.

3. Invest in Some New Skincare

Investing in new skincare is a wonderful treat for yourself. Paying attention to your skin can leave you looking youthful and glowing, even if you don’t feel that way. Taking a little time to yourself in the morning and at night will help you give your skin the TLC it needs to stay cleansed and hydrated. 

Build your morning skincare routine with some new products to leave your skin glowing with health.

4. Catch up With Your Friends 

Spending time with your friends can be the perfect treat to help you relax and rediscover your favorite things. A weekend brunch or evening dinner allows you to catch up with friends and spend time away from home. WhatsApp and phone calls are great, but there’s nothing like a catch-up with your friends to help boost your mood.

Treats To Make A New Mom Feel Great

There’s much to adjust to as a new mom, but you must take care of yourself. From taking care of your mental health to finding a little time to yourself, it all matters. Give yourself a little treat and enjoy a well-deserved boost. 

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Adulting Health Healthy Living How To Mental Health

5 Healthy Ways to Deal with Pressure in Life

As you go through life, you’ll have to deal with pressure on multiple occasions. You might experience it over something that’s happening at work and in your career. Or, it might be a more personal issue. No matter what’s causing it, what matters most is how you deal with pressure. By finding healthy ways to deal with it, you’ll lead a happier, more joyful life.

Deal with Pressure
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How to Deal with Pressure in Life

Find Time to Yourself

Finding the time to look after yourself and to pay attention to your own needs is important too. If you don’t have time for yourself and you’re also dealing with external pressure, it can get you down. So no matter what else is going on in life, make sure you have at least a little time for yourself so that you can take it easy and do what you enjoy.

Deal With Pressure by Letting Other People Help You

You can often end up feeling more stressed out and under pressure when you’re trying to take care of everything alone. But you don’t need to be the person that does everything. There are plenty of people around you or working alongside you who should be able to help and support you. So accept that help and don’t feel as if you need to suffer alone.

Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself

Being too hard on yourself is a trap that we all fall into from time to time. But it’s essential to notice that a lot of the time, the pressure you’re going through doesn’t come from external factors so much as it comes from yourself. Don’t put even more pressure on your shoulders and make things even worse. It’s a mistake lots of people make.

Find Healthy Outlets That Work for You

Think about how you can find a release or outlet for the feelings of pressure that you’re experiencing. For some people, that means relaxing with the help of marijuana and using preroll packaging and everything else that comes with that lifestyle. For others, working out and hitting the gym hard is the perfect outlet for this kind of thing. Whatever you choose to do, consult your doctor to make sure that it’s safe for you.

Take Things Slowly and One Step at a Time

Taking things one step at a time is the perfect way to ensure the stuff that’s going on in your life doesn’t completely overwhelm and consume you. Of course, you want to get through whatever makes you feel under pressure, but going too fast can worsen the situation. It’s much better to take things slowly and move one step at a time.

Deal with Pressure

There are many things you can do to deal with the pressure that’s on your shoulders in the healthiest way possible. Be sure to make the most of the tips and ideas discussed above to ensure that this pressure doesn’t get the best of you.

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Health Healthy Living How To Life

3 Smart Tips for Having a Joyful Relationship with Food

Relationship with Food

Throughout history, food has played a significant role in life. It is a vital source of sustenance and a way to celebrate and recognize the positive moments in our lives. Plus, food can help us to deal with the stressful and upsetting parts of life, too. Since it plays such an essential role in your life, you must learn to have a joyful relationship with food.

Today, a substantial number of people have an absent-minded relationship with our food. We eat whatever is near, often processed, without truly noticing what we’re doing. What’s more, for many of us, food is a source of pain and disappointment rather than positivity, and not just because eating the wrong stuff may prompt a visit to Pony Express Dental for cavity repair.

Here are a few things you can do that might help make food a more joyful part of your life.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Relationship with Food
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Have a Joyful Relationship with Food

1. Take the Time to Actively Experience a Sense of Gratitude for Your Food

There’s a difference between sitting down to enjoy a well-prepared meal that’s taken care to make versus a processed snack. One of the ways to develop a joyful relationship with food is to express gratitude for what you’re eating.

Whether or not this means sitting down to say grace in a religious context or simply pausing for a few moments to appreciate the meal before eating it (and maybe thanking the chef), gratitude can go a long way.

2. Aim to be More Mindful and Conscious with Regards to How you Relate to Your Food

You might develop dissatisfaction and cynicism about food due to an automatic and impulsive approach to eating. Rather than falling into this situation, look for ways to be more mindful of your relationship with food. Being more mindful might involve a more change in your style of eating, wherever possible. 

Specifically, eat your meals at set times and look for ways to make the cooking process more meaningful and fulfilling for you.

3. Look at Food as a Form of Artistic and Personal Expression

Food can be a form of self-expression rather than just being fuel for your body. Treating your food as a form of personal expression and getting into “the art of cooking” can help develop a meaningful relationship with food. Plus, it can open up new avenues as a result.

Not only can you stock up on cookbooks and begin to really delve into the practice of cooking creative meals, but you can experience a lot of satisfaction as a result. You might even experience a semi-meditative effect, with the act of cooking helping you to center yourself.

Tips for Having a Joyful Relationship with Food

Developing a joyful, healthy relationship with food can change your life. You’ll be happier, healthier, and more mindful of what you put into your body.

Do you have any other tips to better your relationship with food? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Adulting Health Healthy Living How To Mental Health Parenting

3 Simple Self-Care Advice For Moms to Change Your Life

Self-Care Advice for Moms

Have you heard the phrase that you can’t pour from an empty cup? This phrase is so accurate and so essential for moms to remember. You can’t look after anyone if you’re only hanging on by a thread yourself. That is why looking after yourself and learning about self-care advice for moms is so important.

Essentially, self-care is looking after yourself, emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. When you make time for some self-care, it can give you the energy you need to recharge and do everything you need to. Self-care advice for moms means that you can relieve stress, feel more relaxed, less anxious, and generally feel better. 

Self-care should not add stress to your already busy life or feel like an obligation. Finding something that works for you is so important. Self-care isn’t about doing things that make other people happy because it should make you happy. It may feel selfish at times, especially as a busy mom when there are so many other things to consider. Self-care is something that is not selfish, though. Self-care should be something that makes you feel well-balanced and happy. But when you’re busy, how can you make time for it? Here are some things to consider.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Self-Care Advice for Moms
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Self-Care Advice for Moms

1. Give Yourself Permission

One of the things that will help you take better care of yourself is permitting yourself. Doing this helps avoid making excuses for why you can’t or shouldn’t do something. By allowing yourself to have some time alone or time to do something just for yourself, you are making yourself a priority. 

2. Find Small Ways to Help in Your Day

It can be hard to go for a massage in the middle of the day when you’ve got children or are out working. But, if you find some ways to look after yourself that you can do in your day, it can make a big difference. For example, finding ten minutes to read a book or do your nails (Color Street anyone?!) can be something quick and easy. You might find time to meditate or stretch for a little while, or you could buy CBD oil to use when you’re feeling particularly anxious and need to care for yourself better. Small things can make a big difference when it comes to self-care. 

3. Commit to a Self-Care Plan

When you’re busy and have too much to think about, you need to have a plan, which is anything that works well for you. It might be that you need to schedule in time for self-care, just as you might if you were planning a meeting at work. It might be something daily, or perhaps sticking to something weekly would fit better instead.

Self-Care Advice For Moms to Change Your Life

No matter what self-care looks like for you and your situation, make sure you have a plan so you can easily make it part of your everyday life. 

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Adulting Health Healthy Living How To Mental Health

Top 5 Long-term Approaches to Healthy Living

Approaches to Healthy Living

Long-term approaches to healthy living are the best way for you to maintain your health over time, and it’s not just about what you eat. You need a holistic approach to your lifestyle if you want to have success in this endeavor. That means taking care of all aspects of your life, such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and spirituality, to optimize health.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Approaches to Healthy Living
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Long-Term Approaches to Healthy Living

1. Frequent Exercise

Generally, when you exercise, your heart rate increases to provide more oxygen and glucose to the muscles. This helps them repair faster so they can perform better during exercise. It also causes an increase in serotonin levels which are responsible for mood stabilization and feelings of happiness. Exercise is a great way to feel good about yourself while tuning up your body!

2. Macrobiotic Diet

A macrobiotic diet is a lifelong, whole-foods based diet that includes mainly grains and vegetables with little beans and fruit. If you are new to this way of eating, you may want to consider SHI macrobiotics to help you stick to this diet. 

Start by reducing meat intake or eliminating it for several weeks before adding in other foods like legumes and root vegetables. The main goal of the macrobiotic diet is to eat foods in their natural state and balance yin (cooling) with yang (heating). You want more vegetables, beans, grains, and cold-pressed oils than animal products.

3. Quality Sleep

When you sleep, your body has time to repair and regenerate the cells in your organs and clean out toxins. Sleep also reduces anxiety by lowering stress hormones like cortisol.

The general recommendation is that adults between 18-64 years of age should get an average of seven hours of sleep per night, but this amount can vary depending on age.

Sleep is a crucial part of health and well-being, so make sure you get enough! If you have trouble sleeping at night, try to limit the amount of light in your bedroom using blackout curtains or an eye mask before bedtime. Also, make sure there aren’t any TVs or computers on as these can cause stress and make it more difficult to sleep.

4. Improve Your Mental Health

Mental illness can affect anyone, but it is most common in the 18-25-year-old age group. Your mental health includes your mood, energy level, and ability to function on a daily basis.

The key factors that contribute to mental health are genes and lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and sleep patterns. Stress management can also make a big difference in how well your mental health is doing.

The most important thing to remember for maintaining good mental health is that it can be easy to do! Try practicing mindfulness, reducing stress, and finding ways to have fun every day, so you feel happier with life overall.

5. Steer Clear of Tobacco

The best ways to steer clear of tobacco are avoiding secondhand smoke, stopping smoking, and staying away from anyone who smokes.

If you want help quitting, talk with your doctor about a proper plan. They may even have different options like nicotine replacement therapy or medication-assisted treatment, which work for other people.

Approaches to Healthy Living

Using these approaches to healthy living can change your life for the better. The positive changes won’t be short-term, either, as these benefits will follow you throughout your entire life.

Leave a comment and let me know if there’s anything you would add to this list!

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Adulting Health Healthy Living Life Mental Health

Are You Really Taking Care Of Your Health, Though?

You might have decided some time back that you will take better care of your health for whatever reason. This could have been for fitness goals you want to reach or because you have a medical condition to manage. There are plenty of other reasons that you could have done this, but the reason ultimately doesn’t matter. The point is, you need to know whether or not you are really taking care of your health.

Taking Care Of Your Health
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Are You Taking Care Of Your Health?

The Unexpected Areas

If you aren’t taking care of the unexpected areas of your health, then you aren’t taking care of your health as a whole. These unexpected areas will include things like your dental health, your hearing health, your mental health and so much more. If you know that you are not taking these things seriously, rethink the way you look after your health. For example, you should be seeing a dentist every six months, and if you’re not, you are risking serious issues.

When it comes to area health areas, such as hearing health, most people don’t have regular checkups unless they already have a diagnosed issue. So, it may be tricky to figure when is the right time to book your first appointment with an audiologist. But the truth is that you should not neglect little issues that bug you. So, for example, when it comes to hearing health, you may have noticed a persistent ringing in your ears or perhaps you’ve realized that you are turning up the TV volume more than usual. These could be signs that it’s time for a first appointment. 

The Right Frame Of Mind

If you’re not in the right frame of mind right now, then you can’t take care of your health properly. People often forget that mental health is an important aspect and should be taken just as seriously.

To properly look after yourself, you must believe that you can reach your goals. You also must have a positive mental attitude in all things. While working on your body, you must continue working on your mind. 

Motivation Is Key

The last thing that we’re going to mention is your motivation. Motivation is key to any success, and if you’re not motivated, you will fall flat and your health will suffer. If you have no motivation, you can’t enhance your health, so you’ve got to find some sooner rather than later.

Taking Care Of Your Health

This helpful information will help you see whether or not you are really taking care of your health. The problem that many people have is that they think they are taking care of themselves, when in reality, they aren’t. Take a closer look to see if you really are doing what you think you are. Leave a comment and let me know what you will start doing differently in your life!

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Adulting Health Healthy Living Life Mental Health Parenting

Top 4 Mental Health Improvement Tips for New Moms

Mental Health Improvement

Research shows that about 85% of women experience mental health issues like postpartum depression, blues, and psychosis. This disturbing statistic reiterates the need for moms to prioritize their mental wellness. Besides, mental wellness helps you handle your responsibilities as a new mom effectively. If you want to work on your mental health improvement, these tips will help you get started.

Mental Health Improvement
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Tips for Mental Health Improvement

1. Join a Support Group for Moms 

The transition into motherhood can be overwhelming, making it imperative to join a support group for moms. These groups create a sense of belonging while mitigating stress, loneliness, and isolation. Groups for moms also provide the platform to openly express your feelings and enable you to cope with motherhood challenges.

You will learn helpful tips on how to navigate parenthood with ease. You may join an in-person support group, where you learn about body image, child health, coping strategies, and more. Another option is to opt for online groups if you can’t attend in-person meetings. 

2. Avoid Unhealthy Comparisons

According to Psychologist Erika Ames, women often seek affirmation from others, especially when they become mothers. However, unhealthy comparisons may set in, causing you to feel jealous or inadequate. What’s worse, it can lead to depression, loneliness, and poor well-being if it’s not immediately addressed. Fortunately, you can take steps to escape the trap of unhealthy comparisons.

For instance, you may focus on your parenting values and determine why you make certain decisions. It’s also prudent to be extra kind to yourself and appreciate your uniqueness. By all means, remind yourself daily that you are enough and watch your confidence levels improve. 

3. Practice Self-Care 

New moms are prone to caregiver burnout, which is the state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. Therefore, it’s imperative to practice self-care to avoid this condition. Besides, it helps you maintain your self-worth while reducing your mental health risks.

Go to bed early to make up for your frequent night wakes, or ask your friends or partner to watch the baby while you rest. It’s also best to eat a balanced diet, avoid junk food and stay hydrated all day. By all means, exercise regularly, and socialize with other people to improve your emotional and mental state. Furthermore, you may leverage supplements for building your mind and preventing depression and anxiety. 


Infographic Provided by Antares Health Products

4. Reduce Social Media Time 

Social media can be helpful or detrimental, depending on how it’s utilized. While it’s easier to access online support groups, it can also create an unrealistic picture of parenting. According to Senior Lecturer Joanne Mayoh, social media showcases the perfect pregnancy, causing anxiety for moms who can’t meet these standards.

What’s more, people tend to portray babies as accessories rather than children, which might not sit well for some moms. Hence, it’s advisable to reduce your social media time and stick with motherhood realities. It’s also best to stick with accounts that portray the real motherhood essence and mute the ones that cause inadequacy. 

Mental Health Improvement

Transitioning into motherhood might be overwhelming, but you can navigate through it once you know the right strategies to adopt. These mental health improvement tips can help boost your well-being as you go through this exciting transition.