Valentine’s Day started as an ancient Roman holiday, complete with sacrificial goats. Over time, it has become the commercial day we know and love (or hate), riddled with cards, chocolates, professions of emotions, and expensive dinners. For better or worse, it brings up a lot of feelings.
And managing your feelings, just like managing your weight or diet, is an important part of your health. Poor emotional health can lead to real effects on your physical health, including a weak immune system, upset stomach, and headaches. On the flipside, research has found a link between an “upbeat mental state and improved health,” including lower blood pressure, healthier weight, better blood sugar levels, and longer life.
Regardless of how you choose to spend this Wednesday, here are 3 things you can do to show yourself (and your mental state) some love.
Get an acupuncture treatment
We at Gracey Holistic Health know that acupuncture can help you release stress and anxiety by stimulating your body’s own production of endorphins. Known as the “feel good chemical,” endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. They also trigger a positive feeling in the body.
In addition, acupuncture can help reduce sensitivity to pain. All of this can even be coupled with a treatment that aims to relieve chronic conditions you may be experiencing, creating a compounding positive effect on your mental and physical well-being.
Give love to yourself and your friends
In addition to the positive effects that gratitude can have on your mental and physical health, research has shown that there is a link between social networks and health. Dr. Sheldon Cohen, a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University, has conducted research that shows that your friends may “provide psychological and material resources needed to cope with stress.”
Balance your emotions
Finding your emotional balance can be difficult in hard times, but psychologists claim it’s just as important to practice positive thinking as it is to allow yourself to feel sad when you need to. Emotional balance is just that—an equilibrium between the ups and the downs.
Give it a shot:
- Notice feelings you may have. Allow them to pass through your mind without judgment or attachment. If you’re caught up in the intensity of your emotions, you may not know what to do next to take care of yourself.
- Put the feelings into words. The better you can explain what you’re feeling, the better you can know how to re-balance.
- Refocus your thought. Allow yourself to daydream, remember a happy memory, or go out and do something that brings you joy!