Why do people avoid health checkups?

While we make up many excuses for avoiding a doctor’s appointment, the root of the problem is our anxiety. 

Too Busy

Perhaps the most popular excuse out of them all, people usually claim to be “too busy” to go to the doctor. Most employers will allow you to take time off to attend a medical appointment. If not, you may have to use an hour or two of sick time to go to the doctor. 

If kids are holding you back, ask a friend or family member to watch them during your checkup. 

Don’t Feel Sick

It’s a common misconception that you only need to go to the doctor when you are sick or something else is wrong. It is recommended that you visit your primary care doctor every three years if under 50 with no pre-existing conditions, or every year if over 50 years of age. At the end of your next doctor’s appointment, be sure to schedule your next one.

Fear of the Unknown

For some, fearing the worst can hold them back from visiting the doctor. It’s easy to imagine horrible scenarios in our heads, but odds are, everything is fine. Knowing is better than not knowing when it comes to any medical or health problems.

No Primary Care Doctor

Most adults are busy finding the best doctors for their children, they forget to find a primary care doctor for themselves. Finding a new doctor can be daunting, but doing your research and asking for recommendations is the easiest way to find a new health care professional.

Money

If you are without health insurance, going to your health checkup can be scary when you don’t know how much you’ll owe. The good news is, there may be financial assistance programs available to you. Talk to your doctor’s office to see if they have financial aid available or can recommend someone to you. They will also be able to estimate your costs before you book your appointment. All you have to do is ask!

What are the benefits of routine health checkups?

There are many benefits to routine health checkups, the main one being good health! By visiting your doctor routinely, they will be able to keep track of your health and have something to compare it to. This way, they can easily tell when an issue presents itself. 

Health checkups are the best prevention for serious health issues. Even if you feel fine and think you are as healthy as ever, it won’t hurt to be sure. With routine checkups, your doctor becomes an expert on you and your health!

Tips to improve your experience at your health checkup:

• Do research to find the right doctor for you by looking at Google reviews and asking your family and friends for recommendations
• Call the office to talk to the receptionist and ask any clarifying questions you have
• Book your checkup in advance
• Arrive early to your appointment
• Bring a list of questions you have for your doctor so you don’t forget them
• Ask a relative or close friend to join you so you feel more comfortable

Do you have the best health insurance?

It’s important to have the best insurance possible when going to your next health checkup. I’d love to help you get all you can from your health insurance. Get your free quote today or call me at 574-306-2028.

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Advantages of Opening an HSA

1. Tax-Free Benefits
Perhaps what’s most appealing about a Health Savings Account is all the tax advantages it offers. Any money you deposit into your HSA is untaxed, meaning a big discount on your medical expenses!

As a bonus, any grossed interest is also tax-free and belongs to you until you are ready to use it for qualifying healthcare costs.

2. Others Can Contribute
An HSA is unique in that others can contribute to it as well! That means your relative, employer, or anyone else can add to your Health Savings Account if they want to. The IRS does have set limits on HSA contributions each year.

3. You are the Owner
Even though others can contribute to your HSA account, no one else can take it from you. Your Health Savings Account is owned and controlled by you and you alone.

If you change employers or insurance companies, or even lose your health insurance altogether, the money in your HSA will still be yours. Even when you die, if there is money left in your account, it won’t go to the government, it will go to your beneficiary.

4. Annual Rollover
Health Savings Accounts are more attractive than Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) because they always rollover. This means if you have money left in your HSA at the end of the year, it will rollover into next year. FSAs will only allow you to rollover a certain amount into the next year.

5. Good Retirement Tool
Most people use their HSA as a retirement tool, as they should! With annual rollover and no limits on how much you can earn in your Health Savings Account, it’s the perfect retirement account. If you wait until age 65 to withdraw funds from your HSA, you will not pay any fees besides income tax. You can also use the money for anything, which means it doesn’t have to be used for medical expenses. It can be used to buy your dream car, vacation, or anything your heart desires!

6. Convenient
HSAs will often issue account holders a debit card to pay for medical expenses. This way you don’t have to call about a reimbursement or worry about how a medical bill will be paid. With an HSA debit card, you can use money from your HSA on the spot or use it to pay a medical bill over the phone.

7. Covers a Variety of Medical Services
A wide range of medical expenses can be covered by your Health Savings Account. With your HSA debit card you can easily pay for dental, vision, and primary care services or prescriptions – even over-the-counter medical needs. If your health insurance doesn’t cover the service or prescription, your HSA dollars can still be applied.

Disadvantages of Opening an HSA

While there aren’t many disadvantages of opening an HSA, it may not be for everyone. HSAs tend to have higher deductibles but lower premiums which can be stressful, especially for someone who is planning any major medical procedures.

An HSA account holder will also need to be organized in order to keep up with receipts and medical bills. This is necessary to protect yourself in case you are audited by the IRS.

Why open an HSA?

Opening an HSA could be the best choice for you or a family member. If you’re considering opening a Health Savings Account, I’d love to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Please give me a call at 574-306-2028 or if you’re looking for a new health insurance provider, get your free quote today!

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Your Health Takes Priority

When budgeting for your monthly and yearly costs, it’s important to prioritize your health needs. Making sure you and your family are physically and mentally healthy should be your first focus. Although it can be costly, it’s important to budget when it comes to something as important as your family’s health.

Estimate Your Healthcare Costs

The first step is evaluating which appointments need to be scheduled yearly for each family member. Doing this will help you estimate the total cost for the year ahead. Talking to your insurance company and the doctors’ offices will help you get the most accurate estimations.

Set Aside Money For Emergencies

Emergencies and unexpected medical expenses are bound to happen. Obviously, these events are hard to plan for, but an easy way to help is to set up an emergency fund. You can do this by setting up a simple savings account at your bank. This way it will be ready whenever you need it.

A good rule of thumb when choosing an amount for your emergency fund is taking your monthly expenses and multiplying that by three. This should provide you with peace of mind that you’ll be covered in a worst case scenario.

Review Your Health Insurance Options

Do you have the best health insurance available to you? Most people are offered health insurance through their jobs and they enroll without exploring all of their options. It’s a mistake not to research other insurance options because you could be saving money. Please call me at 574-306-2028 to see if you are getting the best rates and coverage with your current health insurance provider.

Do You Have The Best Health Insurance?

Please reach out to me and let me know how much your health insurance is covering. Chances are, you’re not receiving the best coverage for what you’re paying. I’d love to help you get all you can from your health insurance. Get your free quote today or call me at 574-306-2028.

The post How To Budget Well For Upcoming Healthcare Costs appeared first on Michael Suhany Insurance.

Download A Fitness App

One of the easiest ways to workout in the winter is to workout at home. With smartphones, free fitness apps, and smart TVs, this has become even easier. Here are the free fitness apps we recommend:

• FitOn Workouts & Fitness Plans (iOS) (Android)
• Nike Training Club (iOS) (Android)
• Daily Yoga (iOS) (Android)
• Sweat: Fitness App for Women (iOS) (Android)

YouTube Workouts

Another completely free option, if you don’t mind advertisements, is streaming fitness videos from YouTube! There are endless free workout videos on YouTube and it’s so simple to use. Simply place your phone somewhere you can see it, use the YouTube app on your TV, or cast the YouTube video you’re watching to your TV. From HIIT workouts to Zumba, YouTube has a video for everything.

Paid Workout Programs

While there are many free options out there, some may prefer the consistency and personalization of paid workout programs. Some examples of paid workout programs you can stream at home include:

• Beachbody on Demand
• Daily Burn
• Peloton
• Jillian Michaels
• Gaia
• Glo
• TRX Training

The cost of these programs can range, but they are usually less expensive than joining a local gym or fitness studio. The best part is you can do them all at home using equipment or your own bodyweight. 

Why Workout?

Exercising is the best way to stay in shape and keep your body healthy – no matter what age you are. An activity as simple as going for a walk can lower your blood pressure, help decrease your chance of heart disease, strengthen your muscles, and the list goes on. Along with eating a well balanced diet, working out is the key to a long, happy life.

Please let us know if we can give you any other health tips or if you have questions about your current health insurance. We want to make sure you and your family are healthy and have the best coverage possible. Get your free quote today or call me at 574-306-2028.

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How Do You Know When You’re Experiencing Stress & Anxiety?

The signs of stress and anxiety will vary from person to person. Here are a few signs you may be stressed:

• Headaches
• Teeth Grinding
• Irritability
• Loss of Sleep
• No Control Over Emotions
• Unhealthy Eating Habits
• Social Withdrawal

The signs of anxiety can be similar to stress symptoms and will also be different for each person. If you’re experiencing anxiety, here are some symptoms you may have:

• Nervousness
• Panicked Feelings
• Sweating
• Muscle Twitching
• Digestive Problems
• Lethargy
• Difficulty Focusing
• Obsessing
• Increased Heart Rate

As we said above, anxiety and stress will appear differently in each individual. If you’re noticing changes in your mood or daily tasks becoming difficult, these could be symptoms of anxiety, stress, or both.

How To Treat Stress And Anxiety Symptoms At Home

If you’re beginning to notice signs of stress and anxiety, you could try a few things before seeing a doctor. Simple lifestyle changes have been known to improve overall mood and health, in turn helping symptoms of stress and anxiety. These are a few ways you can achieve a healthy lifestyle:

• Avoid Alcohol
• Exercise
• Stop Smoking
• Reduce Caffeine Intake
• Try Meditation and Yoga
• Eat Healthy
• Sleep

When Should You See A Doctor?

If you’ve made healthy lifestyle changes and you’re still not seeing an improvement, you should make an appointment with your primary care doctor. They will recommend further treatment if your stress or anxiety is disrupting your daily life. A few examples of this could be:

• Trouble focusing at work, school, or in your social life
• Coping with drugs, alcohol, or smoking
• Anxiety caused by a more serious problem
• Experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviors

Are You Covered?

If you’re experiencing stress or anxiety, you’ll need to make sure you have the best coverage possible. Please let me know if I can help you in any way. Get your free quote today or call me at 574-306-2028.

The post Maintaining Winter Health & Wellness: Tackling Stress & Anxiety appeared first on Michael Suhany Insurance.

• Coping with pain
• Depending on others for daily tasks
• Adjusting to physical limitations
• The financial burden of covering medical costs

A notable example of a chronic condition is Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease where the body’s immune system attacks the gastrointestinal system. Crohn’s inhibits the body’s ability to digest food and discard waste leading to inefficient absorption of nutrients which can manifest other issues such as arthritis, vision impairment, bone loss, kidney problems, and more. Even though the disease has no cure, through proper treatment, individuals can live relatively active and healthy lives. However, they need to make changes to their diet, take constant medication, and in most cases require surgery according to Harvard Health Publishing.

While each condition requires personalized treatment, Michael Suhany Health Insurance shares some common coping methods to help you come to terms with your diagnosis:

Educate Yourself About The Condition

Having uncertainties relating to health is one of the prominent factors for stress. Speak to your doctor and ask direct questions about your condition, what you should expect, and essential lifestyle changes you should make. Additionally, request them to provide you with various trusted online resources for you to research yourself.

Reach Out To Experts

Depending on your condition, get a referral for a specialist such as a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, neurologist, etc. Using their expertise a specialist can provide you with the best care for your condition. However, if you are visiting more than one specialist, it’s best to share all information with your primary care physician to receive a valuable second opinion on your treatment plan.

Connect With Your Insurance Provider

Health insurance providers across the country provide Chronic Disease Management Programs which focus on helping individuals cope with chronic illnesses. These programs help you connect with a team of experts such as physicians, physiologists, dieticians, and other specialists depending on your condition. Additionally, you also get access to counseling services, assistance in scheduling medical appointments, and home visits for regular check-ups.

Having an insurance plan that covers chronic illnesses can dramatically reduce healthcare costs.

Take Responsibility For Your Health

According to research, individuals who exercise regularly find it easier to manage symptoms of chronic conditions. Exercise improves cardiovascular health, reduces inflammation, increases mobility, and strengthens joints. Additionally, it promotes good mental health by reducing stress and promoting mindfulness. Depending on your condition, you may not be able to participate in strenuous exercises, however, even doing simple home-based exercises can have a major positive impact on your health.

Furthermore, supplement your fitness activities with proper nutrition and timely medication. You can also boost your motivation to move by creating fun playlists and investing in a pair of wireless headphones.

Be Open To Help

Making lifestyle changes becomes easier when you have the support and motivation from your loved ones. Talk to your family about changes you want to make and ask them to join in as well. Additionally, learn to ask for help to overcome challenges created due to your conditions. This can include climbing stairs, holding heavy objects, traveling to a store, for check-ups, or buying medicines, etc.

Upgrade Your Home

Making necessary changes to your home can help cope with your condition better. For example, if you foresee climbing stairs to be a challenge in the future, consider shifting your bedroom downstairs, additionally, make your washrooms accessible and install centralized controls for appliances throughout your home.

Downsizing can help pay for medical costs. Moving into a small home makes for easier maintenance and lower upkeep costs. Before deciding to move, create a budget for monthly expenses on your healthcare needs and ascertain how much selling your home will cover. Be sure to also review mortgage options that are available to you by staying up to date on mortgage news that can affect your circumstances.

Living with a chronic disease is understandably stressful. However, by making your well-being a priority, implementing necessary lifestyle changes, and working closely with your doctors you can learn to manage your condition and maintain a good quality of life.

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Mental illness can begin at any age from childhood through later adult years, but interestingly enough, most cases begin earlier in life. The term “mental illness” encompasses a wide range of health conditions. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors. While many people have mental health concerns from time to time, a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function throughout your day.

What Are The Causes of Mental Illnesses?

While mental illnesses can be caused by a variety of sources, mental illnesses are believed to generally be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors.

Inherited Traits

Mental illness is significantly more common in people whose immediate relatives also have a mental illness. Certain genes may increase your risk of developing a mental illness. This means if one of your relatives has been diagnosed with a known mental illness, you should take extra precautions and talk to your primary caregiver regarding warning signs and symptoms.

Environmental Exposures

Another known cause of mental illness is environmental exposures, typically before birth. Exposure to toxins, alcohol, or drugs while in the womb have all been linked to different types of mental illnesses.

Brain Chemistry

A person’s brain chemistry is one of the leading causes of mental illness. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body. When the neural networks involving these chemicals are impaired, the function of nerve receptors and nerve systems change. This understandably can lead to depression and other related emotional disorders.

What Are The Warning Signs Of Mental Illness?

Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn’t always easy. Unlike diabetes or cancer, there is currently no medical test that can accurately diagnose mental illness. A mental health professional might use what is called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association to assess symptoms. But such diagnoses are not as definite as normal, physical health diagnoses.

Since there is not a clear-cut method for diagnosing, mental health professionals often rely on apparent warning signs and symptoms for determining if someone has a mental illness. These symptoms can affect emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Some of the most common warning signs and symptoms of mental illnesses according to the Mayo Clinic are:

• Feeling sad or down
• Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
• Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
• Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
• Withdrawal from friends and activities
• Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping
• Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations
• Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
• Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
• Problems with alcohol or drug use
• Major changes in eating habits
• Sex drive changes
• Excessive anger, hostility, or violence
• Suicidal thinking

If you are seeing the warning signs of a mental illness, you should see your primary care provider or a mental health professional. Most mental illnesses don’t improve on their own, and if untreated, a mental illness may get worse over time and cause serious problems.

Warning Signs To Look For In Children

Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. Because children are still learning to identify and talk about their thoughts and emotions, the most obvious symptoms of adolescent mental illnesses are apparent through behavior. Symptoms in children may include the following:

• Changes in school performance
• Excessive worrying or anxiety—fighting to avoid bed or school
• Hyperactive behavior
• Frequent nightmares
• Frequent disobedience or aggression
• Frequent temper tantrums

Of course, all of these symptoms can also be attributed to normal adolescent behavior. So, you should watch for a marked change in behavior in your child or a consistent pattern that doesn’t seem to be going away.

Knowing warning signs to look for in yourself and your children can help you know if you need to speak to a professional. A health care provider can help develop a treatment plan that could include medication, therapy, or other lifestyle changes.

What are the Treatment Options for Mental Illnesses?

Mental illnesses are health conditions that involve changes in emotion, thinking, or behavior. While there are not exactly cures for mental illnesses, there are many effective treatment options for a variety of mental disorders. Remember, mental health conditions can be harder to treat if you wait until your symptoms get worse. You should start by consulting your primary healthcare provider and discussing the possible treatment options for your specific mental health illness.

Treatment plans will look different depending on your diagnosis and depending on what treatment plans suit your individual lifestyle. Additionally—to the best of your ability—take care of yourself. Sufficient sleep, healthy eating, and regular physical exercise have been known to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with mental illnesses. This is not an attempt to simplify the gravity of mental illness. However, taking these extra steps on top of seeing a health care professional has been proven to alleviate some of the symptoms of mental illnesses.

If you live in the Kosciusko area, there are many amazing resources available to you if you believe you are suffering from a mental illness. The Bowen Center provides comprehensive care and treatment for people struggling with substance use disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and much more. LifeTouch Ministries and Counseling Center, McArthur Counseling Center, LifeWorks Counseling and Consulting, and Mitchell Counseling and Consulting are just a few of the reputable mental health services in the Warsaw area.

If you are experiencing the adverse effects of a mental illness—seek help now. This is not a path you should have to walk alone.

Take Care Of Yourself

If your mental wellbeing is at the top of your priority list, you might have pressing questions about your health insurance. If you are from the Kosciusko area and have any questions about your health insurance options, set up a time to meet with insurance agent, Michael Suhany. With his years of experience, he can walk you through various insurance plans and find one that prioritizes your long-term mental care. Contact him today to set up an appointment.

The post Causes, Warning Signs, And Treatment Options For Mental Illness appeared first on Michael Suhany Insurance.

Understanding what mental health services your insurance plan covers is the first step in getting the care you need and ultimately deserve.

A Brief History

To promote mental health, lawmakers passed a bill in 2008 called the Mental Health Parity Act, better known as MHPA.

This law does not require that health insurance plans include mental health services. However, it does state that if mental health services are offered by an insurance provider, that coverage must be comparable to the physical health coverage offered. This law also states that any health insurance plan that offers mental health services must cover behavior treatment like psychotherapy, counseling services, mental inpatient services, and substance use disorder treatment.

Unlike coverage for dental or vision needs, there currently aren’t health insurance options that single out mental healthcare. When available, mental health coverage is within the framework of a medical health insurance policy. If you’re shopping for new health insurance and want to only consider plans that also provide mental health coverage, visit https://www.healthcare.gov/ to compare plans and find one with the coverage you’re seeking.

What Will I Actually Pay For Mental Health Services If I Have Insurance?

With any mental health coverage, you will be responsible for any copays and deductibles. However, the parity law mentioned above states that you cannot be held to two different deductibles for mental health and physical health services. What does this mean exactly? Well, if you have a $3,000 deductible and pay $1,500 for physical healthcare and $1,500 for mental healthcare, it means you have met your deductible for the year.

One important reminder when it comes to financing your mental healthcare—mental health providers can choose whether to accept insurance or not and what plans they want to work with. To minimize costs, try seeking treatment with a provider in your plans’ network.

About now, you might be wondering to yourself, what types of mental health services do insurance providers typically offer?

Medicaid

If you’re unfamiliar with Medicaid, it Is a public state and federal combined health insurance program that offers health insurance coverage to low-income individuals who meet certain criteria. Medicaid plans are known for having low costs, but sometimes the choice of mental health professionals may be more limited than in private health insurance plans.

Medicaid does generally cover inpatient hospitalization, psychiatric rehabilitation, prescription drugs, and crisis intervention. By law, however, Medicaid does not cover state hospital or specialty psychiatric hospital care for people aged 22-64.

Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program that provides coverage similar to private health insurance. Medicare does not cover a broad range of community-based services for people with mental illness. Medicare does cover inpatient hospitalization, partial hospitalization, outpatient services with licensed mental health professionals, emergency care, and prescription drugs under Medicare Part D.

Private Insurance

Private health insurance plans vary in their health and mental health benefits but typically offer fewer mental health services than public mental health programs. Private plans that are available through an individuals’ job will typically cover inpatient hospitalization, partial hospitalization, outpatient mental health treatment, emergency care, and prescription drugs. If you’re not sure about your benefit amounts and limits which vary by state and the plan you are on, ask your human resources representative for more clarification.

A Quick Caveat

Remember, just because an insurance plan offers coverage for mental health doesn’t mean that all services are automatically covered. For example, stress caused by life changes like a move or financial difficulty may not be covered by your insurance plan. However, that same insurance plan may cover stress therapy if that stress is related to something like an anxiety disorder. If you are looking for an insurance plan that covers mental health services, make sure you do your research in order to find an insurance plan that adequately covers all your needs.

Protect Your Long-Term Mental Health

If your mental wellbeing and general health are at the top of your priority list, you might have pressing questions about your health insurance. If you are from the Kosciusko area and have questions about your health insurance options, set up a time to meet with insurance agent, Michael Suhany. With his years of experience, he can walk you through various insurance plans and find one that prioritizes your long-term mental health needs. Contact him today and set up an appointment.

The post What Mental Health Services Are Covered By My Health Insurance? appeared first on Michael Suhany Insurance.

For some, working from home is a great experience. It can mean less time spent in the car and more time spent with family. However, for some people, working from home can be draining and can negatively impact your mental health. If you are currently working from home, there’s a good chance you will continue to do so for a while. Implementing these practices into your workday can help maintain and even improve your mental health.

Limit Screen Time As Much As Possible

Most remote jobs require a significant amount of time in front of a computer screen. A sedentary lifestyle plus extensive screen time can take a serious physical and mental toll on your body. In fact, Harvard researchers have linked excessive screen time with poor sleep and decreased creativity.

Try taking regular “tech-free breaks.” Although it may feel more efficient to eat lunch at your computer, your brain will thank you for taking a break from the screen. Eat lunch with your family, outside, or reading a physical book.

Experts also suggest implementing the 20-20-20 rule while working from home. Every 20 minutes, focus your eyes and attention on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will help clear your mind and give your brain a short and regular break. This may seem like a small thing, but limiting your screen time in little ways can create big payoffs when it comes to your mental health.

Prioritize Physical Exercise

A primarily sedentary life can contribute to anxiety and depression-like symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to prioritize physical exercise while working from home. A run, walk, or trip to the gym has obvious physical benefits, but daily exercise can also have a significant impact on your mental health. Exercise reduces stress, eases symptoms of depression, and improves your thinking, learning, and judgment.

Additionally, exercise releases endorphins, which can act as a mood booster as well as a natural form of pain relief. Sitting in a chair all day can cause quite a few aches and pains. Regular physical activity can actually help relieve those problems.

Create Boundaries Around Your Workspace

Even if you’re working from home, it’s still important to go to the office each day. Set up a dedicated space in your home for work and limit your work time to that particular space during each day. This will help you stay more focused when you’re working, and it will be easier to be fully invested in home life at the end of the workday.

While it’s a good idea to establish a more permanent workspace, it’s also a smart idea to change up your scenery once in a while. Moving locations helps stimulate your brain and may inspire more creative thinking patterns, which encourages positive mental health.

Blending home with work on a daily basis can be detrimental to your mental health and overall productivity levels. So, pick a bright, sunny spot in your house, and set up a semi-permanent home office. Setting intentional boundaries in your home will help reduce stress and benefit your mental health in the long run.

Protect Your Long-Term Mental Health

Working from home can have many upsides, but ignoring the challenges it creates for mental health can be draining. Embracing a work-from-home arrangement as a way to not only be safely productive but to improve your own mental health, can help you get the most out of each workday.

If your mental wellbeing and general health are at the top of your priority list, you might have pressing questions about your health insurance. If you are from the Kosciusko area and have questions about your health insurance options, set up a time to meet with insurance agent, Michael Suhany. With his years of experience, he can walk you through various insurance plans and find one that prioritizes your long-term mental health needs. Contact him today to set up an appointment.

The post Improving Your Mental Health: Getting In The Zone While Working From Home appeared first on Michael Suhany Insurance.

With this in mind, you might be wondering how you can begin improving your mental health on a day-to-day basis, starting now. Establishing a routine that supports your psychological well-being can make all the difference in the world. The following mental health activities can easily be embedded into your normal routine and can help relieve built-up stress and depressive-like symptoms.

Create A Gratitude List

While our brains like to wallow a bit while we’re feeling blue, it’s much healthier for you to focus on what’s going right in life. This can be difficult if you’re going through a particularly emotional or stressful period. But no matter what you’re experiencing in life, there are always things you can be grateful for. Studies show that people who practice gratitude daily tend to experience happiness more. Take time every morning to write down five things you are grateful for. It could totally revolutionize your mood.

Make Your Bed

Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit, explains that making your bed is a pivotal habit. This means it sets in motion a series of other positive habits throughout your day. For example, he found that people who made their beds were more productive, stuck to their budgets, and had a greater sense of well-being. The added bonus of making your bed is that you’re less likely to cave into your bad mood and lie in bed all day.

Try making your bed as soon as you wake up every morning. Starting your day with an immediate task can help you feel accomplished for the rest of your day.

Take A Walk Or Go Outside

If you’re feeling down, getting some exercise might be fairly low on your list of things you want to do. However, if you can muster the motivation, exercise is usually worth the effort. Exercise releases endorphins which can act as a natural form of pain relief. Physical activity can also help relieve stress, so if recent worries are making your mood worse, you might see some improvement after a quick walk.

Spending time in nature can also help lift a low mood and relieve stress and sadness.

This is partly thanks to sunlight. Sunshine can trigger the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that improves moods. Additionally, spending time around trees, flowers, running water, and other elements of nature can also relieve your feelings of sadness and stress and benefit your overall well-being.

Pick Up A Good Book

Bibliotherapy refers to either structured or voluntary book reading with the goal of relieving mental health difficulties. It may sound silly on the surface, but reading has actually been found to decrease a person’s depressive symptoms. An act as simple as diving into a good book can calm the mind and relax the body, helping to decrease blood pressure, slow the heart rate, and more.

In particular, multiple studies have indicated that reading works of fiction can be particularly beneficial. Engaging in fiction can increase your sense of empathy by relating to characters, and also gives you really great talking points in future social interactions.

If you find yourself feeling beaten down or overwhelmed, cracking open a good book could be just what you need to get back on track.

When To Seek Professional Help

One caveat—while these tips and suggestions are researched ways you can improve your mental health, depression and continued feelings of sadness should not be taken lightly. If improving your mental health is a consistent struggle for you, you may want to set up regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments to make sure you are fully caring for yourself in the ways that you need.

Protect Your Long-Term Mental Health

If your mental well-being and general health are at the top of your priority list, you might have pressing questions about your health insurance.

If you are from the Kosciusko area and have questions about your health insurance options, set up a time to meet with insurance agent, Michael Suhany. With his years of experience, he can walk you through various insurance plans and find one that prioritizes your long-term mental health needs. Contact him today to set up an appointment.

The post Improving Your Mental Health: Things To Do When You’re Blue appeared first on Michael Suhany Insurance.