New Year, Better You: Building Your Mental Fitness in 2022

Each new year, we all try to set some resolutions - whether big or small, mostly to see a better form of oneself. While for some it’s to eat better, for some to sleep better, give-up some habits but for majority it’s to become physically fit.  Rarely do people set goals to improve or work on our mental health and stress levels in our daily life.

Stress has a big impact when it comes to our overall health affecting everything from our mood, sleep, diet, and heart health. Understanding your own stress is the most effective way to help you manage it.  In  2022, let's aim to build mental strength and feel calmer. Below are some tips that could help you achieve this resolution

Build a positive mindset

The first step to enhance your mental strength and manage stress more effectively is to focus on building a strong and positive mindset. This could help you feel excited about activities that you would usually find daunting by reinforcing how much fun the activity will be or how much better you would feel at the end of it. Small changes like these can potentially enhance your mental health and empower you to manage your lifestyle efficiently.

Embrace physical and mental activity

Adopting an active lifestyle is a good way to manage stress and can encourage a sense of accomplishment which combined can support your mental health. A daily exercise routine  can also help you build resilience and better equip you to deal with any stressors that may come your way.

Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness helps to bring more of you into the present moment. It helps  us to hit the pause button and become more aware of what our thoughts are. . Regular and intentional  mindfulness practice can disrupt stressful thoughts and sensations which may otherwise overwhelm us. It also allows us to  consciously examine the situation and gain control rather than simply reacting. .

Shape your real strength

The last few years have made us realize we are capable of more than we thought and given a new meaning to what is considered “strong”. According to a UAE survey^[1] conducted on the behalf of Fitbit by Course5 Intelligence, 50% of respondents recognize strength as a combination of mental and physical traits while 33% defined strength as the ability to deal with the stresses and challenges that life could present us in our daily lives. Strength is all-encompassing and has evolved, in recent times, from being in the best shape physically to prioritizing both our mental and physical health, listening to our bodies, and thinking about our health holistically.

Improving your sleep routines
Restful sleep is not just vital for physical and mental health but equally important for  work productivity as well.  Daily work stress can cause the hormone levels in our body to behave irregularly, which in turn can interrupt normal sleep cycles and can result in short-term and long-term sleep deprivation. Managing your anxiety, fostering regular and predictable routines can help achieve better quality sleep.

Additionally, self-care is another important and helpful remedy tool, which many of us tend to forget or neglect, to relieve stress or anxiety and in turn build mental strength. Sleeping well, eating healthy, and dedicating quality time for yourself, are all key self-care actions one must remember to follow.

Modern-day wearables could offer a helping hand in achieving one’s  New Year resolutions by providing tools to monitor and track your stress levels, sleep, heart rate and by helping you stay fit and energetic. Advanced features on recently launched smartwatches and fitness trackers include  heart health notifications, stress management with EDA sensors, premium program memberships and mindfulness tools. Some Premium memberships on wearables can also  unlock a range of mindfulness sessions from experts including Deepak Chopra Mindfulness Method or Calm that could facilitate in helping to manage stress in the luxury and comfort of your home. Through personalized guidance, content, and insights, users can take control of their wellbeing and rebuild a routine that nurtures healthier habits, and make small changes that will have longer-lasting impacts on their overall wellbeing.

In 2022, let us appreciate the benefits that we could gain by taking a step back and checking in on how we are feeling, and ultimately taking small steps that can drive long-lasting, positive change.

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