Five Simple Tips To Clear Your Head This Spring

We are already halfway through spring, and that means we are more than ready to shake off those winter vibes and improve our health and wellbeing. 

As October is Mental Health Awareness month, we've teamed up with our mates at Snap Fitness to bring you five simple tips to help you clear your head this spring!

Eat Foods That Make Your Body Feel Good

Healthy eating is good for the soul. This isn't about fad diets or completely changing your eating habits. According to the Australian Government's Head to Health project, the foods you choose can have a big impact on your mood. Their research states, "Eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains can reduce your risk of some mental health conditions such as depression, while eating foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat may increase your risk." You should try to eat a rainbow of healthy foods with each meal, which could include different coloured fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, lean protein and dairy or dairy substitutes. This can be a big change for some of us, so it's ok to do it gradually! A few small healthy choices each day could give you some big benefits when it comes to clearing your head. 

Tune Out By Tuning In

If you find your mind is always racing, maybe it's time to get tuned into something that will help you to tune out. Try listening to a health and wellness podcast like Cass Dunn's Crappy To Happy or get totally relaxed with some chill out music on Hit Buddha. It could help to switch up the times of days that you are listening to music or podcasts - maybe you need to listen to something calming before bed, or perhaps you'll feel better hearing something inspirational on your commute to work! 

Exercise More

You've probably heard it before but we'll say it again - exercise isn't just good for your physical wellbeing, it's also good for your mental wellbeing. According to Beyond Blue, exercise promotes the release of feel-good chemicals in your brain, helps you sleep better at night, gives you a sense of accomplishment and can also be a great shared activity with the added benefits of social connections. Sometimes it can be hard to get started if you haven't exercised in a while. This is why somewhere like Snap Fitness can be a great place to begin, because you can work out at your own pace and visit at any time of the day. To really help kickstart your new exercise habits, Snap Fitness will be opening their doors all week for free in support of Mental Health Awareness. They'll be open from the 7th to the 12th of October in Victoria and WA, and the 8th to the 12th of October in all other states.

Help Other People

There's a lot of satisfaction to be gained from helping people who are in need. You might want to explore volunteer options in your local area, or you could just have a family member or friend who is in need of a little bit of extra assistance. LivingWell states that, "Helping and supporting other people, and working with others towards a shared goal, has been shown to be good for our mental health and wellbeing." It could be as simple as asking someone if they need a hand, or as large as coming up with a goal to change something in your local community. 

Treat Yourself

There's nothing wrong with a few pieces of chocolate, a glass of wine with your friends or indulging in a burger and fries every so often! Sometimes restricting ourselves can make us feel worse, so make sure you are treating yourself and enjoying your favourite treats every so often. Everything in moderation!

This editorial is proudly sponsored by Snap Fitness. Get fitter faster with Snap Fitness. Find your local club here.