4 ways to be more rested in 2022

We're all exhausted. Even when we’re trying to stay positive and be grateful for what we have, the truth is the last two years have really taken their toll on even the most chilled out people. We all make resolutions, but this year needs to be different. We really need to prioritize our mental health and address the collective trauma we have all experienced. I’m going to try a few things this year to make sure I can handle whatever 2022 throws at me:

Go to therapy (or at least talk it out)

By now we all know that our mental health is just as important as our psychical health and some experts have even suggested that going to therapy is just as important as going to the gym for our wellbeing. I have often avoided therapy for several reasons. It can be costly (like a fancy gym membership) and after the last two years and some job changes, money has been tight. Not to mention some previously bad experiences with some therapists that I just didn’t seem to click with. Therapy can take a lot of investment of both time and energy and I’m just not a particularly patient person, I would prefer a quick fix for my anxiety. This, of course, is completely unrealistic, recovery from any mental illness or burnout takes time. I have, however, quite recently found a few online organisations that use web chats where you can discuss any concerns you may have regarding your mental health. As someone who finds it hard to discuss my mental illness with loved ones, it has been really beneficial having a safe space to talk about this openly. I should make it clear that these organisations are not a replacement for therapy or a suicide line, they are run by volunteers who often have had their own battles with mental health. You should always seek professional help if you feel that you can longer cope. Yet, when I had a flare up of anxiety when I was about to start a new job, I found the online chat services really helpful and I certainly felt less alone. I hope in 2022, I can find the courage to no longer bottle things up and go to therapy on a regular basis.

Get some REAL sleep

I have the worst bed time routine. Scrolling through Instagram, watching Netflix, no set bed time...not to mention the odd glass of wine to help me drift off. As a result, the quality of sleep I get is pretty poor. I wake up groggy, especially if I have woken up a few times in the middle of the night, and I spend the rest of the day just feeling a bit meh. The solution: a bed time ritual. I am a skincare junkie, so during lockdown I tried loads of serums and essences and potions until I found a good fit for my skin. Not only has having a skin care regime shown results on my face but I’ve found the routine of ‘taking the day off’ has been a great form of mindfulness and allows me to relax. Replacing screen time with a good book is an obvious choice to help promote better sleep but it's easier said than done. After a long day, it's much easier to disconnect with some bad tv than a thought-provoking piece of writing. But there are still so many beautifully written poems, short stories and novels that I am yet to tackle. Hopefully 2022 will be the year that I can tick them off my reading bucket list and get some good sleep in the process.

Have a social media detox

Again, this is much easier said than done. But in the last few years, it's been very easy to get swept up in other people's online fantasies, comparing our lives to what is presented to us on social media. We all know that people only choose to post the good parts of their life on social media, but it's difficult to remember this. As a result, we compare, get jealous, get frustrated at our own lives and start to question our own choices. I have already taken several steps to have a healthier social media consumption. This includes unfollowing people whose values don’t align with my own or who seem to exaggerate their reality on social media. It also means following more beneficial social media accounts, those that promote self-care and mental health. We don’t have to cut out social media completely, but we can definitely use it in a smarter way, that allows us to be more connected with accounts that encourage and inspire us. This year, I will be making the effort to keep my social media channels healthy and will even try to be more honest in what I post.

Journal

Everyone should journal. Fact. I only started journaling a few years ago. It initially started as something to do when I was bored, when our Wi-Fi was poor and kept cutting out. But it became so much more than a past time. Allowing yourself to process your thoughts and put them down on paper is one of the most mindful things you can do, no matter how the words come out. It can help us process anger, anxiety, excitement, disappointment, grief, anything at all. It Is like a small process of therapy for ourselves and you don’t have to be a writer or even that creative to see the benefits. If you haven’t tried it before, I can’t recommend it enough. Just take ten minutes with a pen and paper and see what comes out. You might be surprised or confused or underwhelmed, but you will feel lighter afterwards. I certainly don’t journal enough, but It's something I am trying to incorporate into my daily routine. A page a day keep the doctor away. I’ve never really liked apples that much anyway.