 Hey, psyched goers, welcome back to our channel. Supporters like you help us in our goal to spread awareness about mental health and psychology. You help us make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. So thank you for your support. Now on to the video. At times we can often forget to give our mental health the attention it deserves. Some of our actions may be too mentally draining such as holding onto toxic relationships or pushing ourselves too hard with school or work. It can be a good idea to step back and take a look at our behaviors and habits and ask ourselves the question, do I possess healthy habits or negative ones? I'm sure we all have negative habits but now it's time to start incorporating some mentally beneficial behaviors into our routines in hopes we can develop a new habit, a good one this time. Here are 10 healthy habits that boost your emotional well-being. Number one, perfecting your posture. Did you know that having an upright posture is not only seen as generally more attractive but has emotionally positive effects as well? According to a study in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, upright posture can have a positive effect and reduce fatigue. Are you slouching while you're watching this video? It's time to sit up straight. The preliminary study's conclusions suggested that adopting an upright posture may increase positive effect, reduce fatigue and decrease self-focus in people with mild to moderate depression. Number two, learn to acknowledge what you're feeling. While it may seem convenient at the time to go ahead and ignore that sadness or anger inside of you, let me know according to you, you have work to do. But in the long run, suppressing your emotions can actually do more harm than good. Just because you consciously suppress your emotions does not mean they go away. Instead, they build up. You should instead express emotions such as sadness, anger or anxiety to someone you trust. Just imagine what could happen if you don't allow yourself to release an emotion like anger and instead let it build up. Okay, so let's use anger for an example. Anger has been linked to obesity, low self-esteem, migraines, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, sexual performance problems, increased heart attack risk, lower quality relationships, higher probability of abusing others emotionally and physically or both, higher blood pressure and stroke. Says anger management coach, Dr. Schinner. Geez, that sounds like one of those over the top ads on TV. No, thanks. It's time to express yourself in a healthy way, of course. Anger can also lead to insomnia, anxiety, self-esteem issues and mental or brain fog, to name a few more. And this is just anger. There are physical and mental problems that can arise from any suppression of emotion, it seems. Because when these emotions build up, they will eventually rise to the surface and likely explode out of you like a volcano. So what are we supposed to do about all of these feelings? Well, anger coach Schinner suggests one way to break this cycle and that begins with mindfulness. One way to do this, he says, is by becoming more aware of when you're angry in the present moment, then looking at the emotion in a non-judgmental and curious way. So instead of beating yourself up, acknowledge how you're feeling and think about ways to cope. So try taking a break if you're feeling anger in a toxic situation and leave the room. Pretend your favorite pizza dish is just arrived and you need to pause your game. That is the treacherous game of anger. Level five, volcano eruption of fury. I'm giving visuals here. Remember, this is just anger, but you can do this with all of your emotions. We can't always control what we feel, but we can control what actions we take once we're triggered. Feel your emotion at the moment, acknowledge it, express it in a calm way, then let the emotion flow out of you like an ocean breeze in the mid-summer air. Yep, visuals help release your emotions in a healthy way, a kepartic way. Number three, get enough sleep. It's time you got your daily z's, or should I say nightly z's? It's time you got your nightly z's, my fellow Psych2Goers. I know you've been slacking. What time are you watching this video? 10 a.m., 2 p.m.? Don't say 3 a.m., it's 3 a.m., isn't it? The truth of it all is sleep is vital to your mental health and emotional well-being. Sleep helps repair and renew all of the cells in our bodies. Every time we lay down on that pillow and go to our blissful dreams, we wash away any toxins that can build up throughout our day. With enough sleep, we can have quicker reflexes, more mental clarity, and simply feel better. So if you're watching this away past your bedtime, it's time to sleep after this video. Number four, exercise regularly. Life can get hectic and busy, but that doesn't mean we should neglect our health. The benefits of exercise can start to present themselves if we fit in enough regular exercise each month. Our bodies release specific endorphins that relieve stress and boost our mood when we exercise. So it can be a valuable tool when you're feeling anxious or depressed. I know it can feel difficult to even get out of bed when we're feeling sad or anxious about our day. But if you can find the will to push yourself, even literally just out of bed, that's a great step forward towards feeling better. Next is pushing yourself onto that workout bike of yours downstairs or your yoga mat. Number five, make socialization part of your routine. When we're distracted or busy, we can forget to socialize with the ones we love. Whether we have friends or not, it's best to get out there and practice a bit of socialization. According to the National Institute of Health, social connections might help protect health and lengthen life. Scientists are finding that our links to others can have powerful effects on our health, both emotionally and physically. So maybe volunteer at an organization you're passionate about. Call up your mom or a long lost friend. Join a community with individuals like you. You can even leave a comment below and socialize with fellow Psych2Goers. We're here to listen. Whatever you do, it's best to open up and express how you feel to someone. Psych2Goers included. Number six, think before you act. Oh boy, how many of us have jumped up and blurted out the first thing we think of in excitement? Like that time my friend was telling me about the loss of her goldfish crackers and I blurted out crackers? The cheesy one? Just me? Yeah, she didn't have any crackers. I mean, not the snack at least. Must not get them confused again. The thing is, we can act before we think. When we first need to calm down our strong emotions before taking action. Sometimes before even processing a request or comment we fill in the blank with what we think someone else means. In my case, I thought she said we got some goldfish crackers. But what she really said was the funeral preparations for my goldfish crackers has already begun. I get... But often people can interpret something said with normalcy as something cruel intended due to our own negative feelings. So it's best to think and process what's really being said before you act. Number seven, be present in the moment. This behavior isn't always the easiest to turn habitual. We can often ruminate on our worries throughout the day. These worries can create anxiety and pile up. Instead, try focusing on one task at a time. If you find yourself struggling try noticing the physical sensations around you. What you're smelling, tasting, hearing this will help ground you back to reality and calm you down. Number eight, take a break and practice self-care. Congratulations. Watching this video is a part of practicing some self-care and relaxation. Ah, the calmness of learning habits to boost your emotional well-being. Are you feeling it now? It's important to take a break when life gets too busy or challenging and do something we love. If that's simply watching a few YouTube videos in quiet solitude, go right ahead. If it's taking a relaxing warm bubble bath, get the water running because it's time for some U-time. If you still feel like your days are too busy you can simply try taking a moment to do some deep breathing and lower your heart rate. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Number nine, don't make social media a habit. As much as you like mindlessly scrolling and pressing the heart button on your friend's social media posts and posting photos of your food, stop it, you're making me hungry and posting relatable memes all day, well, that one is pretty fun. But as much as you like spending your undue time on social media, it isn't always great for your mental health. I mean, think about it, you're hunched over and cramped, staring at a little tiny screen, straight posture, everyone, straight posture. And not only that, but people often find themselves comparing themselves to Photoshop influencers with unrealistic lives. Plus too much of one thing can tend to be bad and unproductive in this case. So it's best to not make social media a habit. Use it sparingly to post and browse memes every now and then. And I suppose with the memes, a good laugh never hurt anybody. Uh-oh, old habits die hard. Number 10, eat healthy. I know, I can't help it either sometimes. Sometimes I simply want a snack on, well, don't mention crackers. It's best to move on. But a healthy diet not only helps your brain, but your body as well. So take it easy on this snack food for now. And instead, recognize those delicious, leafy grains and bright colored fruits will only add to your good mood. You can start by trying to include foods rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Research has shown that these nutrients restore structural integrity to the brain cells necessary for cognitive function. And it can boost your mood. These nutrients are commonly found in nuts, flaxseed and fish. Uh-oh, did somebody say fish? Do you mean goldfish? Speaking of fish, I'll be right back. Thanks for watching and learning more about mental health and psychology, Psych2Goers. Which habits will you enact and which bad habits are you guilty of? Let us know in the comments. If you found this video helpful, don't forget to click the like button and share this video with a friend. Subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell icon for more content like this. And as always, thanks for watching.