disorder. On the whole, I live symptom-free. I’m extremely lucky. But chronic mental illness is, well, chronic, and my symptoms come back and rear their heads from time to time.wellness tools—OK, now that I’m vegetarian, I guess they’re my tofu and chickpea wellness tools—those basic, well-known self-
A healthy diet . Healthy, in my opinion, is eating for joy as well as forExercise. I run. Actually, I ‘slog’ . And it certainly feels like a slog now that I’m 57.SAD light for fall and winter and any time when there’s a period of grey .But I discovered unconventional strategies, particular to me, that help enormously, too. Below are a few of them. If you’re struggling, maybe they'll spark ideas for additional tools you could use to ease your symptoms or bide time while they pass.
Every day or so in the afternoon, I raise my desk and switch on the treadmill to a comfortable walking speed. It helps me get into my body and out of my head, even when I’m ruminating. Thirty to sixty minutes later I’ve got my steps in, and my body feels looser, and I feel calmer.has been a game-changer. It’s the non-trademarked form of transcendental meditation . I checked out both TM and Vedic meditation. The TM vibe just wasn’t me. Vedic definitely is.
The practice resets my system, helps me destress, and gives me structure to my day. Structure is key in staying mentally well when you have bipolar disorder. I learned from Cindy Wu a student if you’re interested in learning more.. It’s soothing and inspiring at the same time. For you night owls, this one might be a stretch. Besides the benefit of yoga asana itself, there’s a hidden benefit. It motivates me to get to bed early and maintain a healthy sleep routine.
I’ve always loved birds. My dad and I used to go to Stanley Park in Vancouver. We’d walk, stop somewhere along a trail, extend an arm, and with a palm flat covered with bird seed, little chickadees would light upon our hands and nibble up the food.. They’re in my eyeline, so when I look up from my computer while I’m working, I’ll see glittering Rufous hummingbirds, stoic juncos on the ground, or plucky chickadees hanging like acrobats pecking at the suet.