Resources for improving mental health are abundant. From in-person therapy sessions to calming apps on your phone, there is no shortage of mental health tools, many of which are free. Mental health is more than just a buzzword, though. It is about the functionality of the brain and everything that impacts it. Many factors influence your mental health, such as genetics, family history, and life experiences. 

Although you may not have full control over the hand you’re dealt, you can influence many other aspects of your mental health. Your ability to improve your mental health can help you maintain a more even-keeled mental state. 

Why Is Mental Health So Important?

Whether it’s the way you handle stress, relate to others, or make choices, your mental health influences a lot. Caring for your mental health can help:

• Clarify your thinking
• Reduce anxiety
• Improve your mood
• Enhance self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth
• Deepen relationships

By nurturing your mental health, you can also help manage mental health conditions that are worsened by anxiety and stress. This nourishment also helps you perceive the world through a clearer lens and helps you handle things that life throws at you. Continue reading to learn about daily habits that can boost your mental health. 

Reduce Social Media Engagement

When you constantly consume information about other people’s lives, you compare your own experience to theirs, whether you know it or not. This can promote feelings of low self-worth and self-esteem, both of which fuel depression and anxiety. To spend less time on social media, try to keep your phone in a drawer or outside your bedroom while you’re in bed. Turn off social media notifications, so you are not prompted to check it every time you get a “bing.”

Move Your Body On Your Own Terms

There is no denying that regular exercise benefits mental health and brain function. Scientific studies have proven that exercise can elevate mood, relieve stress, and help manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. Not everybody exercises or moves their body in the same way, though. That’s why you have to move on your own terms, be it in a Zumba or Pilates class, boxing boot camp, walk around the neighborhood, or gardening in the backyard. There are many fun physical activities that you can do outside the gym. Take stretch breaks every hour during work or go on a family hike! You do not need a vigorous workout in the gym to support mental health. 

Get Restful Sleep

Sleep is the body’s natural way of rejuvenating itself. In fact, sleep is a nonnegotiable element of physical and mental health. According to an American Psychological Association (APA) report from 2023, sleep deprivation makes people more anxious and less happy. Sleep is vital, but the quality matters even more. Disrupted sleep can worsen mental health symptoms. To ensure that you get quality sleep, start with these habits:

• Make your bedroom quiet, clutter-free, and relaxing
• Try to keep the temperature in your bedroom between 60ºF and 65ºF
• Avoid caffeinated beverages after 3 p.m.
• Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day

Know When To Take It Easy

It’s very possible that on a difficult day, you may not have the energy to do anything. That can make you feel even worse about yourself, but sometimes you have to allow yourself a day to take it easy. Turn to compassion and find accessible strategies, for example: 

• Engage in breath work, even if only for a few minutes
• Take a bath or long shower
• Give yourself permission to rest
• Avoid snacking on processed foods, such as chips, cookies, and candy

Spend Time In The Sun

Not only is the sun a great source of vitamin D, but studies show that spending time in the sun can improve attitude and mood. You do not have to spend your entire day in the sun, so don’t worry about frying like an egg. Experts suggest five minutes of uninterrupted blue skies per day to benefit the mind and heart. You do not just have to stand in the sun; rather, you can take a short walk, exercise outside, eat lunch at a park, open a window near your desk, or take a phone call outside. 

Savor Nutrient-Dense Foods

There are certain foods that detract from mental health, but there are also foods that support it. Dietitians encourage people to focus on foods that contain mood-boosting nutrients, some of which are: 

• Whole grains
• Beans
• Bananas
• Berries
• Omega-3s

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can also help you avoid dehydration, which actually denies your brain and body the nutrients necessary for optimal function. Alcohol, caffeine, refined carbs, and added sugars can actually worsen anxiety, so limit your consumption of those foods. 

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You have probably come across a recipe (or 10) that you absolutely love, but you are missing one or two ingredients. Maybe the recipe has a less-than-optimal ingredient, so you go on the hunt for a healthier substitute. Typically, that unhealthy ingredient is vegetable oil, but most people don’t know that that is even unhealthy. 

Why is it that so many people consider vegetable oil a healthy ingredient? Well, many people see words like “cholesterol-free” or “heart healthy” on the label. Unfortunately, vegetable oil tends to be highly processed and lacking in nutrients. On the other side of the coin, it is highly versatile, which is why you see it as an ingredient in salad dressings, baked goods, or general cooking recipes. 

Unlike actual vegetables, vegetable oils are not nutrient-dense whole foods. Canola, corn, soy, sunflower, and safflower oils are highly inflammatory because they are rich in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6s are not as chemically stable as other fats and they break down easily when exposed to light, heat, or oxygen. By the time these vegetable oils make it to your kitchen, the omega-6s have already been oxidized, and oxidized fats contribute to inflammation in the body. 

The Best Substitutes For Vegetable Oil For Salad Dressings

Make your salad dressings taste better and skip the extra additives and fillers when you replace vegetable oils with healthier options. You need a quality oil to pair with an acidic component, such as vinegar or lemon juice, for a great salad dressing. The following oils not only add better flavor to your dressings, but they also offer more health benefits. 

Pumpkin Seed Oil

Pumpkin seed oil exhibits a slightly nutty flavor profile, which is reminiscent of walnut or hazelnut oils. That makes it an excellent choice for salads, but you can also incorporate it into dessert recipes. Pumpkin seed oil also supports cardiovascular function. 

Flaxseed Oil

Need a boost of omega-3 fatty acids? Make flaxseed oil your next oil choice when making a salad dressing. Omega-3s have been linked to better brain and heart function! You can also use flaxseed oil as a topping for pasta dishes, but don’t incorporate it into the cooking process or it may impart an unpleasant flavor. 

The Best Substitutes For Vegetable Oil In Baked Goods

Need a healthier substitute for vegetable oil in your baking recipes? You don’t even have to use other oils! For example, you can use the following:

Applesauce

Applesauce is the way to go if you want to infuse your baked goods with more fiber and phytonutrients. This is a simple enough swap that works in everything from muffins to pancakes and beyond. Make sure to do your research about the ratio for how much applesauce to use when you sub it for vegetable oil. 

Mashed Bananas

Mashed bananas are not only great for banana bread, although they do make that bread 100% delicious. Bananas work as a vegetable substitute in almost any baked good and may help you reduce the sugar content in the recipe as well, due to their natural sweetness. Mashed bananas will add moisture to baked goods without vegetable oil, and the added fats may replace the need for excess sugar. 

The Best Substitutes For Vegetable Oil When Cooking

Vegetable oil is a neutral oil, meaning it doesn’t impart its flavor into whatever you are cooking. Other healthier oils, such as olive and avocado oils, may have stronger flavors that enhance what you’re cooking. 

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

One of the most popular swaps for vegetable oil is extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). Cold-pressed EVOO is the optimal choice and has powerful heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory effects. There is some debate about cooking with olive oil at high temperatures, so stick with low or medium temps for cold-pressed EVOO. 

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is a great oil to cook with because it has a high smoke point. For this reason, you can use it with all sorts of dishes and preparations. Avocado oil also has high levels of lutein and oleic acid, both of which benefit heart and eye function. 

Sesame Oil

Typically used as a flavoring oil, sesame oil offers a unique nuttiness. In the right recipe, sesame oil can be a great replacement for vegetable oil. Just be mindful of the strong flavor. It can be a great oil to use on broccoli or green beans in the air fryer. Plus, it is naturally rich in an assortment of antioxidants.

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A lot of people, especially overweight people, turn to diet soda to reduce their caloric intake. The appeal is that it is a sugar-free, carb-free, fat-free, zero-calorie beverage. It does, however, contain aspartame, which is about 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. So why is it that a calorie-free drink makes you hungrier?

Let’s remove diet soda from the equation for just a moment. It stands to reason that if you are hungry, you eat something and the hunger goes away. Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. You have more than likely eaten meals that fill you up more than others, even if you’ve eaten the same amount of food. For example, you go back for chow mein when you’ve already had a full serving. 

Sometimes, it’s not the nutrient density (or lack of nutrients) of the meal that gets in the way of satiating you. It can often be the beverage you drink alongside your meal. A new study found that non-caloric sweeteners that are typically found in diet sodas interfere with the brain’s hunger responses. Basically, these sweeteners make it more difficult for the brain to discern if you are actually full or not. They may even make you feel hungrier. 

How Do Non-Caloric Sweeteners Mess With Hunger Cues?

Aspartame, sucralose, stevia, and erythritol are the most popular sugar substitutes used in diet sodas and some low-calorie processed foods. Unlike regular sugar, these substitutes do not add additional calories. The problem is that consuming these types of sweeteners confuses the brain. In an ideal situation, the brain perceives calories coming in when you consume a food or beverage. That isn’t the case with diet soda, so the brain increases appetite in order to obtain other calories. 

To put it in simpler terms, non-caloric sweeteners confuse the brain. The body is programmed to expect some calories when it consumes something sweet. Zero-calorie sweeteners do not fulfill that expectation, so that mismatch stimulates the brain’s hunger cues and you end up eating more than you normally would as a result. 

Although artificial sweeteners can confuse hunger cues for every person, some people don’t experience as severe an effect as others. During the study, researchers noted that men and women with obesity had a heightened response to non-caloric sweeteners. The difference in reactions between people with obesity and people without obesity was quite evident. People with obesity had a very strong response in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates hunger. If people with obesity drink diet soda, they are more likely to overeat than people without obesity who drink diet soda. 

How To Better Understand Hunger Cues

Why do people with obesity experience a greater impact? Researchers don’t exactly know at the moment, but they suspect it to be a consequence of obesity. Being overweight is just the tip of the iceberg regarding obesity. Many bodily functions and processes influence how a person responds to food. The only thing you can do to fight back is to better understand the body’s hunger cues. 

All dietitians and researchers recommend avoiding diet sodas and other non-caloric sweeteners whenever possible. Ideally, avoid sugar as well, but it can be difficult to do that. Sugar consumption is linked to weight gain, but so is non-caloric sweetener consumption. Hunger and thirst are also easily confused. The body sometimes sends the same signals for hunger and thirst, due to overlapping mechanisms. This can result in unnecessary snacking, so with that in mind, make sure you maintain proper hydration levels.

If you feel hungry all the time, you most likely are not consuming satiating nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Focusing on foods that contain these nutrients, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, can help you get more of those nutrients. Practice mindful eating, chewing each bite slowly to savor the flavors. Additionally, try to have a dedicated space for eating and don’t sit on the couch, for example, as that can cause mindless eating, so you’ll consume more than you need to without realizing it.

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Please allow us to introduce you to your new favorite snack: chai-spiced energy bites. These little flavorful bites are perfect to enjoy before a workout or between lunch and dinner to help you power through the afternoon slump. They are like a warm hug for your soul in snack form. The warming flavor of cinnamon, zesty ginger, and hint of cardamom come together to create a snack reminiscent of a chai tea latte. Made with crunchy cashews, Medjool dates, and a little bit of optional ground flaxseed, these energy bites are not only delicious, but also incredibly healthy for you.

Why are they known as energy bites? Do they take the place of energy drinks or caffeinated beverages? No, but they do provide a slow release of energy thanks to natural sugars, fiber, and healthy fats. After you enjoy one or two of them, you will remain full without experiencing a crash. Plus, the fiber from dates and flaxseed keeps your digestive system functioning optimally, while the omega-3s in flaxseed support brain and heart health. Let’s not forget about the spices, either. Cinnamon and ginger exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which help you fight off those pesky colds and keep your immune system in check. Please indulge in these little powerhouse snacks because they are every bit as sassy as they are tasty.

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Previously, various studies have indicated that resistance training and intense aerobic workouts can benefit brain health, among other things. Findings from a new study, however, reveal that regular exercise, even at low-intensity, can help older adults delay cognitive decline. This research promises big news for people at risk for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. 

Light exercise includes stretching, balance, training, Tai Chi, aqua aerobics, or yoga. Earlier research suggests that intense physical activity could help prevent cognitive decline and dementia. This newer study focused on older adults already suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI). That is the stage between normal cognitive skills and dementia. People with MCI can experience mild memory loss and language issues, but it does not compromise day-to-day living. It is part of the EXERT study (Exercise in Adults With Mild Memory Problems), the largest rigorous trial of exercise ever conducted for adults with MCI.

Low-Intensity Activity Prevented Brain Shrinkage

• This study included about 300 older adults with MCI. These adults did not exercise regular and were divided into one of two groups:
• Moderate-high intensity: This group performed moderate-high intensity aerobic training, primarily by walking on a treadmill.
• Low-intensity: This group engaged in balance skill, light resistance training using resistance bands, and stretching. 

During the study, every participant exercised three to four times per week for one year. All of the training was completed under the supervision of a YMCA trainer. The study also included regular cognitive function assessments. The researchers compared this with an existing dataset of comparable people, who received usual care, including health checkups and medication management. All of that was through their medical provider.

Researchers expected to see a cognitive decline in the low-intensity exercise group compared to the moderate-high intensity exercise group. As it turns out, that was not the case. The key findings are as follows:

• Cognitive function was stable over the 12-month period in both exercise groups. 
• Both exercise groups displayed less loss of brain volume, including in the prefrontal cortex, over the course of the study. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making, executive function, and personality.
• Cognitive decline was significantly less for both groups during the study than for individuals outside the study. 
• Another interesting observation that researchers noted was that, in addition to slowing cognitive decline, exercise appeared to slow underlying brain changes typically associated with Alzheimer’s risk. 

No Sweating Required To Boost Brain Health

Researchers are hopeful because even lower intensity exercise can benefit brain health. Previous studies have made it clear that moderate- to high-intensity exercise is the minimum amount of exercise effort required to support memory and cognitive abilities. Unfortunately, that level of intensity is not feasible for every person, especially if they are older and not as mobile. If done correctly and regularly, any exercise can have cognitive benefits. 

If you have the ability to ramp up the intensity, you may experience benefits that extend beyond those that relate to the brain. The general recommendation is to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. Any kind of movement, however, will offer some protection to the brain, improve mood, and help mental health. 

Consistency Is The Answer

One of the key takeaways from this study is that consistency is key if you want to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. The exercise you should do is the one that you will actually do on a regular basis. Any form of movement is better than no movement at all. Make lifestyle changes that you can stick with, no matter how small they are, to get the ball rolling. Find a friend, an exercise buddy if you will, and go to fitness classes or find a fun activity to do together. You can also get a personal trainer, who will hold you accountable. Just remember to be consistent in whatever you decide to do.

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Do you regularly see the downside of everything? Are you in a constant battle with negativity? You are not alone! Many people tend to have a negative bias, which means that they feel or notice negative things more frequently and intensely than positive things. For example, a person could experience a string of positive things and focus on the one negative thing to ruin their day. 

How Do You Stop Focusing On Negative Things?

As always, don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone has the ability to think negatively at any time, but having self-compassion can help shift those negative thoughts in a more positive direction. Regulating your emotions after relishing in negativity for so long, however, can be a little difficult. It may take some time to shift your mindset into a more positive light. Over time, though, you can practice strategies and experience improvement in your mental outlook. Continue reading to learn more about them. 

Check Your Attribution Style

The world is not responsible for all of your woes, and the things you do actually matter in life. Mental health experts characterize this negative view as “external attribution.” Basically, this means that you have given up control of your own life, which will only make you feel worse in the long run. In order to get out of this mindset, think of things you do have control over. Every single person has control over some things in life, so identify what those things are for you and you may be able to get out of your own way. Not every bad thing in life is your fault, and you shouldn’t put yourself through that emotional stress!

Make Positive Concepts More Accessible 

The brain prefers to go with what is familiar, easier, and quicker because it requires less mental energy. In order to undo all the negativity that’s been intricately spun in your mind, you have to do your best to make positive concepts more familiar to the brain. One potential way to do this is to develop a positive word of the day, similar to an affirmation. You can also memorize a series of positive words every morning and ask yourself to recall them at night before bed. Although there is no research that necessarily identifies positive regions of the brain, strengthening the connections between positive concepts and your ability to generate positive thoughts and emotions can make it easier to repeat that habit. 

Generate Positivity With Your Imagination

If you struggle with negativity, you are probably an expert at imagining negative things. Forcing yourself to imagine positive things or images can change this pattern. It’s similar to the exercise of thinking of positive words, which we mentioned earlier. Give it a go and try imagining positive things, such as eating your favorite food, seeing your favorite person, or going to your favorite place. 

Practice Gratitude

There are many health benefits, both physical and mental, you reap when you practice daily gratitude. This is a practice that makes it easier to focus on the good things and accept the bad things as they are. In order to practice gratitude, try writing down things you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. These don’t have to be big or elaborate things, either. You can be grateful for having food in your fridge, a car that works without issues, or a beautiful partner in life. When you notice all of the good things you have in life, you can shift your focus away from negativity. 

Deconstruct Your Negativity

If you can deconstruct a sandwich to class it up, you can do the same with your negative thoughts. Whenever you encounter a bout of negativity, it is very easy to see the external causes of those emotions. Rarely do you recognize the internal causes, though. The fact of the matter is that your thoughts have just as much (potentially more) to do with your negativity than your situation. You create your own reality and in order to deconstruct how your thoughts fuel negativity, engage in the following self-reflections:

• Do you tend to think that everything will turn out terrible? 
• Do you devalue or ignore positive things that happen?
• Do you only notice the bad things without glancing at the good?

If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, try to shift your thoughts in ways that increase positivity. In order to do that, use the following questions to shift your focus away from the negative:

• How could the situation turn out better than expected?
• What are the positive components of this situation?
• What makes the positive things in this situation valuable?

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On average, a person spends one-third of their life sleeping, equating to an average of 26 years. What’s even more impressive is that a person spends an average seven years trying to get to sleep during their lifetime. What is so special about sleep and why is it integral to your overall health? Additionally, are there nighttime habits that negatively impact your sleep, or make it harder to fall asleep? 

Sleep impacts how well you focus during the day and can influence what you eat, how you think, and more. Trying to reduce the amount you sleep in order to get more things done in the day is ill-advised. Short sleepers (those who sleep minimal hours per night) make up about one to three percent of the population. The rest of you who want to sleep less are only putting your health in jeopardy. 

There are many things you can do at night for better sleep, but what about the things you shouldn’t do? If your sleep is suffering, one of the following habits could be to blame. Sleep experts want you to avoid these common habits that interfere with your sleep. 

Drinking Alcohol

It’s true that a glass of wine or cocktail before bed can help you doze off faster. Nervous system specialists agree that alcohol can negatively affect overall sleep quality. Alcohol can make you feel like you are getting deeper sleep, but it causes problems with sleep architecture. Sleep experts explain that alcohol primarily affects the second half of sleep, so you spend less time in REM sleep. Alcohol also has diuretic properties, so it can cause you to wake up and use the restroom in the middle of the night. 

Delaying Bedtime

It’s common to have a night when your bedtime is later than usual. Perhaps you went to see a movie, concert, hung out late with friends, or you wanted to catch one more episode of a new series. The urge to stay up late and put off bedtime is sometimes referred to as “revenge bedtime procrastination.” This can lead to chronic fatigue overtime, according to sleep experts. A 2014 study found that bedtime procrastination is related to general reports of insufficient sleep that extend beyond self-regulation. Basically, you just have to go to bed at a reasonable hour and your morning self will appreciate it. 

Getting Into Bed Before You Are Ready For Sleep

Sleep experts explain that the optimal time to get into bed is when you are ready to fall asleep. There is no sense in lying down before you are tired. If you cannot fall asleep, you should try again when you are really sleepy. That way, you can feel more confident in your ability to fall asleep. Just make sure you don’t do anything to get in the way of feeling tired. 

Eating A Late Dinner

It’s true that eating too close to bedtime can interfere with proper digestion, which can negatively affect sleep. Your circadian rhythm, though, loves routine, which is why it’s best to eat dinner at roughly the same time every night. Ideally, eat dinner more than three hours before your bedtime. Late-night eating can affect metabolic health and make it more difficult to stay asleep once you fall asleep. Research suggests that eating dinner at roughly the same time every night can benefit your body’s internal clock, which benefits your sleep. 

Staring At Your Screen

This should not come as a surprise, but it is a very common bedtime habit. Scrolling through social media, watching YouTube videos, or streaming a movie or show on your laptop before bed can affect circadian rhythm and melatonin production, due to the blue light that screens give off. If you experience difficulty falling asleep and have a screen habit in bed, try to ditch the screen and opt for a book instead. Sleep experts suggest avoiding screens for at least one hour before you go to bed to ready your brain and body for sleep. 

Cranking The Heat

According to sleep studies, the optimal bedroom temperature for high-quality sleep is about 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit. The body temperature naturally dips just a little when you get ready for bed, so a warm bedroom is not ideal for sleep. Heat exposure ultimately decreases REM sleep and slow wave sleep, in addition to increasing nighttime wakings. Depending on the time of year, you will have to adjust your thermostat or open up windows to set the stage for a somewhat chilly sleep environment.

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It’s no secret that cases of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are on the rise. In fact, data from 2022 found that nearly 10% of American adults ages 65 and older have dementia. Another 22% experience mild cognitive impairment. An even more unsettling fact is that dementia cases are projected to double by the year 2060. That means that new dementia cases will rise to reach one million per year. 

Researchers note that the current lifetime risk of developing dementia after age 55 is 42%. Women face an even higher likelihood due to their longer life expectancy. Although aging is the dominant risk factor at the moment, health conditions including hypertension, poor mental health, obesity, and diabetes can contribute to the rising crisis. These projections are grim, but there are things you can do to delay, or at least reduce, your risk of developing dementia. A recent study, however, found that there is one promising solution to delaying the onset of dementia: staying socially engaged. 

Late-life Social Activity Could Delay Dementia Onset By Five Years

The recent study of conversation was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of Alzheimer’s Association. It highlighted how frequent social interactions could help preserve cognitive health into old age. The study involved about 2,000 older adults for a period of nearly six to seven years. Researchers tracked their social engagement and cognitive status. 

The results indicated that those who were the most socially active delayed the onset of dementia by five years compared to those with minimal social interactions. Study authors also observed a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment, which is an early stage of memory decline. More specifically, study authors found that the participants who were more socially engaged had: 

• A 38% lower risk of developing dementia
• A 21% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment

These findings highlight the role that social connections play in maintaining brain health. More importantly, social connections may reduce the national burden of cognitive decline. 

How Does Socializing Benefit The Brain?

According to study authors, the mechanisms behind this brain boost are not fully understood yet. At the moment, researchers put forth the following theories:

• Stress reduction: Having positive social interactions on a regular basis can help reduce chronic stress, which can harm the brain. Lowering your stress levels can help protect the hippocampus, which is the region of the brain that is essential for memory.
• Cognitive stimulation: Social interaction not only provides mental challenges, but also diverse conversations that can promote new neural connections, a process called neurogenesis. This is integral to delaying the onset of dementia, considering that altered neurogenesis has been identified in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. 
• Physical activity: More often than not, social interactions are typically coupled with some sort of movement. You may have a lunch date, which involves sitting, but you can take a walk or engage in a yoga class with a friend as well. Incorporating more movement into your social interactions can help protect against cognitive decline. 
• Hormonal balance: According to research, social engagement helps regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This helps control stress responses and can influence overall brain health. 

What Can You Do?

If you want to stay socially engaged as you age, you don’t have to make tremendous alterations to your life. A few simple ideas can help foster new social connections, and a few examples are:

• Volunteer: Giving back to the community is a great way to meet new people in your community. Not only that, but it provides a sense of purpose!
• Keep learning: Perhaps there is something you want to learn, and your age shouldn’t stop you from doing that. Enroll in a course or attend a workshop that encourages learning and interaction. 
• Join a club: This could be a book club, gardening group, or local ceramics class. These classes  harbor people with shared interests, which usually ignite conversations and connections. 
• Stay physically active: It’s no secret that exercise offers brain-boosting benefits. Rather than just working out by yourself, though, health experts encourage you to take fitness classes or join a physically active group to get the social and physical benefits.

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Do you typically find yourself mindless scrolling through Instagram reels? Are you glued to your television binge-watching different shows and movies on a nightly basis? If you find that chunks of time are slipping away because of your screen addiction, you are not alone. Roughly 61% of people admit that they are addicted to digital screens and the internet. Worse than that, the constant connection to screens can take a toll on your mental health and overall quality of life. 

That’s where a digital detox comes into play. A digital detox can help relieve anxiety, improve self-esteem, and encourage more restful sleep. According to one survey, about one-fifth of people cited technology as a source of stress. About 43% of respondents checked their emails, messages, and social media constantly. Another study found that about 25% of smartphone owners between the ages of 18 and 44 don’t remember the last time their phone wasn’t within arm’s reach. 

Health experts note that heavy smartphone use can cause alterations in the brain. Every scroll, email check, or text message ping sends a dopamine rush to the same area of the brain that responds to addictive substances. If you feel like that describes you, a digital detox may be the right choice. Continue reading to learn how to do one.

Turn Off Your Push Notifications

Seeing constant updates about what is happening in the world can inform you of what is happening at all times. It can also be distracting, especially if you allow yourself to get interrupted throughout the day. You’re never truly focused if you are constantly distracted by notifications. One easy fix is to turn off as many notifications as you can live without. Consider muting group messages between friends that do not contain vital information, or turn off social media notifications. 

Put Away Your Phone During Mealtime

How often do you go out to eat and see people with gleaming smartphone lights directed back at their faces? According to research, having your phone on the table can reduce the quality of interactions, even if you don’t check it. What happens is that your brain is essentially waiting for the phone to light up, meaning you are not fully present in the conversation. The more energy you direct toward your device, the less energy you have to give to whoever is with you. 

Make Your Bedroom A Tech-Free Zone

Do you feel naked without your device in hand or next to you at all times? If you do, you need a digital detox. Now, most people use their phone as an alarm clock, so keeping it out of the bedroom may be an impossible feat. That said, if you take your phone to bed, it’s easy to start scrolling as soon as your head hits the pillow. Leave your phone on your nightstand, or in the drawer of your nightstand and invest in a simple alarm clock to avoid temptation. Screens also emit blue light, which can trick your brain into staying awake because it thinks that it’s daytime. 

Limit Yourself To One Screen At A Time

How often do you watch something and end up on your phone about 10 minutes or so into whatever you’re watching? Multitasking is not a bad thing, but multi-screening is. Make a habit of only looking at one screen at a time in order to help improve concentration. Plus, focusing on a movie with the family can lead to more enjoyment, which you may not otherwise experience if you checked Facebook 12 times while watching the movie. 

Convert To Black And White

We are not saying that you should revert back to the era before color television. What we are saying, though, is that smartphones are very alluring because of the vibrant colors and clarity. Many smartphones allow you to change the settings, allowing the phone to appear in grayscale. Removing vibrant colors may make your phone less pleasurable, which causes you to reduce overall screen time. 

Spring Clean Your Social Media Accounts

Research shows that the more time you spend on social media, the likelier you are to feel worse about yourself. In fact, one study found that the more time participants spent on Facebook, the poorer their mental health outcomes were. That isn’t surprising when you consider the fact that people only see a highly curated version of peoples’ and celebrities’ lives. Don’t allow social media to suck you into its vortex! You can spring clean your social media accounts by blocking, muting, unfollowing, or deleting people or things that do not bring joy or happiness into your life. You can use social media to inspire positivity!

It’s impossible to escape technology these days, but you can do things to limit your screen time. If you find yourself checking emails, texts, and social media too frequently, consider doing a digital detox. It may just help you improve sleep, posture, and self-esteem.

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If you are like any other American adult, then you are no stranger to a little sleep trouble. In fact, one in three American adults does not get a sufficient amount of sleep every night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A lot of people turn to a number of vices in order to get quality shut-eye. 

Magnesium spray, which is a trendy relaxing spray that was popularized on social media platforms, is said to promote sounder sleep. Can a few spritzes on your skin be the all-natural sleep aid you’ve been looking for? Is misting yourself with magnesium spray just another overhyped social media trend? We’re going to cover all that and more in this article. 

What Is Magnesium? 

Magnesium is a vital mineral in the body that is involved with numerous functions, including those relating to nerves and muscles. Magnesium also aids with mood regulation and energy production. Although the body produces magnesium, health experts recommend obtaining it via magnesium-rich foods or supplements. Alternatively, you can apply magnesium oil topically on the skin, which absorbs the mineral. In order to make magnesium oil, you add magnesium chloride flakes to water to create an oily liquid. 

What Is The Connection Between Magnesium And Sleep?

As previously mentioned, magnesium supports nerve function and muscle relaxation. It also aids with the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps control the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Magnesium is also essential for DNA and protein synthesis, in addition to reproduction and cellular health. 

When magnesium levels dip too much, you may find yourself tossing and turning, or waking up too early. It’s also possible to feel more stressed or restless at night when magnesium levels are low. According to research, people with higher magnesium levels experience better sleep, longer rest, and improved energy during the day. A February 2022 systematic review found a link between magnesium levels and sleep quality. That said, researchers that examined clinical trials noted magnesium supplementation for sleep disorders were mixed. 

As of now, scientists believe that magnesium influences brain chemicals, including GABA, NMDA, cortisol, renin, and melatonin. All of these can affect relaxation and sleep quality. So how much magnesium do you actually need? The general recommendation is 310-420 milligrams per day for adults, depending on age, sex, and pregnancy status. 

Does Magnesium Spray Actually Work?

According to studies, taking magnesium orally may improve sleep quality, reduce daytime drowsiness, and regulate circadian rhythm. That said, clinical evidence for skin absorption is lacking at the moment. That said, many magnesium spray users report that it helps them sleep better, due to the spray’s muscle-relaxing properties. Just keep in mind that more studies are needed to confirm if magnesium spray is a viable sleep aid. 

Absorption Is The Problem With Sprays

Research confirms that topical application of magnesium oil can help relieve nerve pain and muscle cramps. One of the issues, however, with magnesium spray is that it is not as easily absorbed by the body compared to oral intake. For people who have gastrointestinal issues, or issues taking supplements, magnesium oil can be a viable option. The spray, however, may not be as easily absorbed by the skin. No published data indicates a better or worse comparison of transdermal absorption compared to magnesium supplementation. Some data, however, indicates that the skin can absorb the spray when used in close proximity to a high density of hair follicles. Basically, spritz the magnesium spray where you have a lot of hair follicles to increase absorption. Don’t just mist it in the air and think that you will sleep like an angel. 

How To Choose The Right Magnesium Spray

Just like most items under the health and wellness umbrella, not all magnesium sprays are created equal. Health experts encourage you to look for the following in your magnesium spray:

• Magnesium source: Magnesium chloride is the most recommended because it is more easily absorbed by the skin. 
• Third-party testing: Choose a brand that is independently tested for safety and quality. You can tell this by a seal on the spray bottle or information on the company website. Common third-party testers include NSF and USP. 
• Purity: Make sure to select products that are free of artificial additives and unnecessary chemicals. Magnesium sprays should only contain a couple ingredients!

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