Mental Health | Selfcare Behaviors
You are doing great, just this last section to go!
Let's switch gears a bit and take a look at the systems that turn our body's energy into mental output and ultimately behaviors. This is mainly conveyed by our neurotransmitters. Roughly, we have activating systems for focus, execution, planning vs. integrating & regenerating systems for digestion, recovery, memory, sleep, mood and contentedness. Throughout the day, these systems rise and fall in activity, depending on what we need in the moment. Imbalances or excessive activity in these 2 systems might be felt as stress, irritability, sluggishness or other uneasy feelings, while a balanced state is typically experienced as joyful, vibrant, or satisfied.
Our mental state also reflects in the health choices and selfcare behaviors in daily life. If we feel balanced, we are more likely to value our health and take care of our needs, while imbalance often leads us to neglect warning signs and to engage in compensatory behavior (the need to "reward" ourselves to feel "up" again).