A lot of people have been struggling with their mental health as of late. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that many people have spent the majority of the past 12 months indoors. Some people have not even been able to go outside to get their shopping because they are considered high risk. Although the vaccination rollout has given us up and shows light at the end of the tunnel, there is still a long way to go.

There seems to be a stigma attached to talking about mental health, so many people can feel uncomfortable talking up if they are struggling. If you are missing going outdoors and working with your mental health, Meditation and mental health exercises can help. In this post, we will talk you through some of the different activities that you can try, which will be especially helpful during this period.

• Meditate – One of the best ways to find your inner zen and boost your mental health is to practice Meditation. If you have never meditated before, don’t write it off. It may take a little bit of time for you to get used to this, but the benefits are worth it. To meditate, you need to find a comfortable place to sit. After this, you need to focus on your breath and then follow your breath for two minutes. You can then try different breathing techniques as you get more used to Meditation. It is that simple! Many people take CBD before Meditation because it helps them relax and get into the best frame of mind.
• Stoic Meditation Exercises – This form of Meditation is based on Stoicism, a philosophy with foundations in humility, compassion, and restraint. You can boost your levels of happiness by using the Negative Visualization exercise. This involves focusing on how you would feel if you were to lose some of the things you have in your life at the moment. The aim of this is not to make you sad but instead to make you feel happy and grateful for the things that you do have in your life at the moment.
• Transcendental Meditation Exercises – You will commonly see Transcendental Meditation abbreviated to TM. This is a sort of meditation technique that has been created to aid your awareness. It can also help you stay away from any thoughts that can be distracting. Transcendental Meditation is derived from the ancient Vedic traditions in India. The idea of saying a mantra, again and again, is something you will find in Transcendental Meditation. You will get into a comfortable position, close your eyes, and continue to repeat a phrase or word. By doing this, you can transcend the conventional process of thinking and sharpen your focus.
• Gratitude Meditation – Another approach that we recommend giving a try is Gratitude Meditation. With this, you will reflect on all the great things that you have in your life at the moment. It is a straightforward exercise, but it can have extremely beneficial results. The point of concentrating on the things you are grateful for is moving away from any negative thoughts that you may have and terming them into positive ones. You will experience positive emotions like compassion, loving-kindness, and gratitude, which will broaden your awareness. You will also find your capacity to problem-solve and create will expand.
• Visualization – Visualization is another good exercise that you can do indoors, and this can help to relax and calm your body. It is also an excellent exercise to do if you have been struggling to sleep due to your mental health. Whenever you use your imagination, you are effectively visualizing and daydreaming. You can use visualization to create a mental location where your body can be relaxed, and your mind can be happy and calm.
• Body Awareness – Also known as body scan meditation, this type of exercise enables you to tune out any distractions that you may have while concentrating on the different parts of your body. This is an excellent way of determining how you are feeling within that moment. For example, fatigue, headaches, and muscle pain can be exacerbated if you experience excess muscle tension. You can help to prevent the build-up of pressure by scanning your body. To do this, you can either lie down or sit so long as you are in a comfortable position. Close your eyes for a more in-depth scan. It would help if you began with your toes and feet, tune into any sensations you may be feeling, such as discomfort or pain. You may even notice sensations like throbbing, aching, stinging, or tingling. Next, take a nice, deep breath in through your nose and then exhale through your mouth, which will release the uncomfortable feeling. Allow that part of your body to relax, be loosened up, and soften. You can then state working on the next party of your body, moving progressively up, focusing on each muscle group at one time.

So there you have it: some of the different meditation exercises and mental health techniques that you can try at home if you are struggling at the moment. More people find their mental state challenging at present than you may think, so you are not alone. When you are feeling down, it is essential to look for different ways to pick your mood up and help you through this period. We hope that the suggestions that have been mentioned above will help your mental health during this undeniably challenging and difficult time.