Taking Care of Your Mental Health
In the same way we take care of our physical bodies, we should take care of our mental health too.
Before the pandemic started, nearly 500,000 Malaysians were experiencing symptoms of depression, as reported by the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey. During the lockdown, people suffered increasing levels of stress due to being anxious and worried about their circumstances. It was noted that many young adults started to buy affordable medical insurance plans in Malaysia in case anything happened to them or their families. While the country is currently slowly healing from the pandemic effect, it’s crucial to take care of yourself mentally in order to give your 100% in every aspect of your life.
The Benefits of Meditation in Fighting Depression
Meditation is about developing awareness and owning a strong point of perspective. It is about developing your ability to look at things objectively and comprehend them more fully. In this, you will be able to make more intelligent decisions that can appease both your emotions and mind.
1. Meditation Helps Reduce Stress
Meditation can provide you with a sense of calm and peace, which can benefit both your physical and mental health. You can relax and manage stress by concentrating on things that bring you peace. Especially now as the economy is recovering and everyone is getting back into the rhythm of working in the office or going back to school, there are a lot of thoughts and worries that can flood your mind. Meditation can help you go about your day more calmly. It gives you the ability to focus more on the positive aspects of your life and has controlled mindfulness and awareness of the other things that are bothering you.
2. Meditation Helps Control Anxiety and Nervousness
People who are dealing with anxiety or nervousness can benefit from meditation as it helps them to accept their surroundings with a curious observational attitude. Going for job interviews, leading a meeting, or giving a presentation are examples of day-to-day activities that make people nervous. Before attempting anything that makes you feel nervous or anxious, set aside a few minutes each day to quieten your mind and relax. Aside from practising and preparing for these situations, it’s also important to prepare your mind and fill it with positive thoughts and positive potential outcomes.
3. Meditation Helps Improve Your Emotional Health
As life becomes more fast-paced, many people struggle to deal with their emotions in a timely manner. With this build-up inside, it can be difficult to think/concentrate as there are many feelings that you have not dealt with yet. Meditation can help you improve how you interact and deal with your emotions. Aside from making you feel more at peace, you are more mindfully aware of how different situations make you feel and you are able to act in a healthy way. Being more emotionally fit can also help build your empathy as meditation also means that you are giving kind attention to yourself and that same kind of attention would then extend to others.
4. Meditation Helps Improve Your Sleep
Sleeping problems are frequently associated with depression. This is due to the fact that stress and pressure can make it difficult to relax and sleep well. Meditation may help you sleep better due to its relaxation technique that calms the mind and body while you prepare to take rest. When you meditate, you undergo a variety of physiological changes. For example, an increase in the sleeping hormone melatonin, an increase in the precursor chemical serotonin, and a decrease in heart rate.
Conclusion
In The same way we take care of our physical bodies is the same way we should take care of our mental health. Understanding that all emotions are valid (including your own) is a key step to making sure that we pay attention to ourselves on the days we aren’t doing great. Aside from meditation, discuss your problems and emotions with someone you can trust or with a professional.
By stressing self-love, you might want to subscribe to a medical plan. There are different types of medical plans that you can choose from. If you have concerns about insurance and financial protection, talk to us at AmMetLife. We provide a variety of insurance policies and plans such as an affordable medical coverage plan in Malaysia. We cater to different age groups and different kinds of coverage to help you have peace of mind.
All or any of the benefits stated above are subject to terms and conditions. The above articles are intended for reference and informational purposes only. AmMetLife does not accept any responsibility for loss which may arise from reliance on information contained in the article.
References:
1. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/10/631154/almost-500000-msians-depressed-nearly-500-suicide-attempts-year
2. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know
3. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-meditation-for-generalized-anxiety-disorder-4143127
4. https://www.everydayhealth.com/meditation/how-meditation-can-improve-your-mental-health/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3328970/
6. https://www.remarkgroup.com/en/insights/more-malaysian-youth-turning-to-insurance