Try this mental health hack to feel better daily

Do you feel trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts that just won't go? You're not alone. These patterns can weigh us down, affecting our mood and actions, sometimes ruining our entire day. But what if we told you there's a secret to breaking free and taking control of your mind before you start your day?

Negative thought patterns are best dealt with at their earliest stage.

Photo by Yuri Arcurs People images

This article will explore a simple yet powerful mental health hack that takes just 3 seconds to practice. This technique combines principles of placebo sleep, self-hypnosis, cognitive restructuring, and positive affirmations to help you start your day on a positive note.

It may sound technical and implausible, but trust me, once you read it carefully, you'll understand it. Once you understand it, you'll see how simple and helpful it can be.

Understand the Principle

In psychology, it's well-known that what we think about affects how we feel, act, or behave.

• Cognitive restructuring means spotting and changing negative thoughts to more positive ones. Quick Tip💡: Remember the 3 C's - Catch it, Check it, Change it.

• Placebo sleep is when you think you slept well, even if you didn't, to feel better. Research has shown that if you believe you're well-rested, your brain will perform better, regardless of your sleep quality. Similarly, if you're constantly thinking about how tired, frustrated, or broken you are, you're perpetuating that reality to yourself (you'll continue feeling that way).

• Self-affirmation is about reinforcing positive beliefs about yourself.

• Hypnotherapy involves using hypnosis, or a deep state of relaxation, to change our minds psychologically.

Whether we realize it or not, our thoughts, beliefs, and mindset can shape or influence our reality.

In other words, what you think about affects you. What you focus on determines how you feel.

As a man thinks, so he is.

Proverbs 23:7

For this reason, we can use our thoughts to our advantage.

Although it’s helpful to work with a therapist at first, this technique is something you can do on your own; you just have to learn how it works. But more importantly, know the 'right time' to do it!

What are the benefits?

Being able to identify and change your negative thought patterns has many benefits. For instance, it may help you:

• Stop overthinking

• Relieve stress and anxiety

• Improve sleep

• Rebuild self-confidence and self-esteem

• Heal from heartbreak and depression

• Release yourself from anger, unforgiveness, resentment, and other negative energy.

It can also help you navigate difficult transitions like divorce or the loss of a loved one.

In any situation where negative thought patterns develop, cognitive restructuring can help you heal, manage your feelings, and change unhelpful thoughts.

How It Works:

It involves applying cognitive restructuring and positive affirmation in a naturally hypnotic or semi-hypnotic state.

In the first few seconds of waking, our minds are in a suggestible state, the Alpha and Theta brain wave state. In this state, you are highly open to suggestions that can make healthy changes in your perceptions, emotions, memories, thoughts or behaviours.

• During this time, our conscious mind is quiet, allowing us to access the deeper parts of our brain where our thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors originate.

By consciously directing your thoughts during this brief period, you can shape your emotional state and set a positive tone for the rest of your day.

Let's Make it Practical.

When you wake up from deep sleep, your mind is in a unique state where it's more open to suggestions. This is like a brief moment where your subconscious is active. Note: This phase is the realm of your subconscious and is only experienced 'momentarily' as you wake from deep sleep (Delta brain wave state). What you think in those first moments can really affect how you feel for the rest of the day.

For example, if you tell yourself, "I had a great sleep," you'll probably feel more refreshed. Or if you think or say, "Yesterday's worries are over," you'll start your day feeling less anxious and with a clearer mind. You won't carry over yesterday's anxiety to today.

It's like cleaning the slate and giving your mind a fresh start. It's powerful.

If you think, "I am healing from my pain," you will feel healing and start noticing your progress.

You can also try saying things like, "I am getting better," to feel more hopeful about any challenges you're facing.

These are just examples; you can personalize it or say whatever feels right.

Quick Tip💡

For this to work, however, you must be patient with yourself, have full belief in this practice, and have firm expectations for the results.

Supplemental Practices:

In addition to a more positive mindset, you can also employ good sleep hygiene practices designed to improve the quality of your rest and mental well-being.

Some well-researched tips provided by the Harvard Medical School’s School of Sleep Science include:

• Avoid stimulants before bed, e.g., caffeine (six hours).

• Keep your bedroom calm, quiet, and dark, and eliminate activities like TV and work in bed.

• Relax before bed with a routine, such as a warm bath, reading, stretching, or journaling.

• Don’t go to bed until you are tired.

• Don’t watch the clock or stress about the time.

• Get natural sunlight first thing in the morning.

• Follow a consistent sleep schedule.

• Avoid naps or take short naps before 5 pm.

• Have lighter evening meals.

• Drink more fluids earlier in the day and less at night.

• Finish exercising three hours before you go to bed.

Make it a habit:

Now this is very important! Just like learning anything new, the more you practice, the better you get at it. So, keep it up! I suggest doing it every day until it feels like second nature to you. Take it one step at a time, focusing on one area of your life each day. This way, it becomes easier to stick with in the long run. You've got this!

Work with a professional:

Identifying underlying causes of unhelpful thought patterns or behaviours is crucial to successfully changing bad habits. Since a therapist can help with that, consider getting professional treatment. Need support to implement this insight in your personal life? Schedule an appointment today.

The bottom line

This simple mental health hack may not work for everyone. However, experts generally agree it's a low-risk approach to self-help and improving your mindset.

Are you considering it? Why not give it a try and see how it works for you?

It won't hurt — and it might really help.

Finally, ensure you explore other professional treatments if necessary.

Sending you all the healing and positive energy I currently have :)

P.S. This is one of my secrets!

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