50 easy to do self-care activities to improve your mental health.

Blue light. We have all heard about it. Especially now as we spend more and more time stuck behind our screens, we are all becoming more affected by it. I patterned with BLUblox to bring you some education about blue light and why BLUblox makes the best blue light blocking glasses on the market! Glasses were gifted to me in exchange for my honest review.

50 Ways To Practice Self Care

1. Pick one thing that you need to do and get it done so it’s off your mental “to do” list.

2. Get a book from the bookstore (or local library) about some topic you’ve been interested in, but have never taken the time to learn.

3. Use a planner or a calendar to intentionally schedule “me time.” When we schedule time for ourselves, we are less likely to feel guilty about it and more likely to follow through.

4. Stretch or do yoga.

5. In the morning, listen to music that inspires and motivates you.

6. Write a list of things you’re grateful to have in your life and post it somewhere you can see it often or have a photo of people or a place you are grateful for.

7. Go through your closet and purge the clothes you haven’t worn in years.

8. Dance freely like nobody is watching.

9. Share a kind smile with strangers on your way to and from work. Some people may go all day without anyone acknowledging their existence.

10. Call your mom, dad, or any other family member you care about just to say hi.

11. For fun, dress your pet in a silly costume and take them on a tour to make others smile.

12. Go for a walk.

13. Learn how to sew. Self-sufficiency may have some other mental health benefits for you as well.

14. Take a moment at the end of each day and consciously list a few good things in your life. This can help refocus your emotions on all the positive things that happen each day, even when it doesn’t seem like it.

15. Listen to a podcast.

16. Do a random act of kindness for a stranger.

17. Practice some mindfulness meditation. Lay on the floor and close your eyes for 5 minutes. Just focus on your breathing and nothing else.

18. Take a relaxing shower.

19. Check-in with yourself a few times each day and take a moment to process your thoughts and emotions. Don’t let them build up. Journal your thoughts to get them off your mind.

20. Swing on a swing set or lay in a hammock.

21. Be silly. Call your friend or sibling when you know they can’t answer and leave a ridiculously funny made-up song as your voicemail.

22. Watch an old, childhood favorite movie.

23. Make dessert and give it away to a neighbor, family member, or friend.

24. Take a painting class.

25. Try Karaoke at a place you have never been to.

26. Enjoy a picnic outside on a blanket.

27. Write something encouraging on a post-it and put it where you will see it every day or write directly on your mirror.

28. Commit to posting mostly or only positive things on your favored social media site for a while.

29. Write a review of a business you like. Send that positive energy into the universe and share some love for your favorite small business!

30. Do something you used to like to do, whether or not you were or are “good at it.” Remind yourself that you can do something just because you enjoy it, and the only way most people get better at something is practice.

31. Read a book that’s easy and fun.

32. Listen to an album or song you loved when you were younger but haven’t heard in a long time.

33. Send a postcard to someone far away. Decorate it before sending it.

34. Paint your nails a fun color.

35. Go for a hike.

36. Plant something or work in a garden.

37. Take a nap.

38. Get a massage

39. Go to a wine tasting

40. Tour a local museum

41. Get out on the water in a boat, kayak, or canoe.

42. Binge-watch a classic TV show.

43. Watch the sunrise/sunset.

44. Eat ice cream (or another treat) for dinner.

45. Buy yourself a fancy outfit and go out for an evening of fun.

46. Find a therapist in your area and schedule a session. If you find it helpful, keep going.

47. Find an interesting topic and do some research on it just for fun.

48. Play online games with complete strangers, or invite a friend to join.

49. Volunteer someplace that makes you feel like you are making a difference.

50. Invest in some high-qualify blue-blocking glasses that will improve your sleep, well being, and mental health.

BluBlox Glasses

BLUBlox makes glasses designed to filter out the artificial blue light that is causing so many modern-day health issues.

They have 4 different types of glasses that target 4 different problem areas:

Sleep+ is the world’s most advanced computer glasses addressing the exact frequencies of light required after dark to optimally produce melatonin for restorative sleep and health.

SummerGlo is a blue blocker meets color therapy. A powerful daytime blue light blocking lens that not only blocks the exact frequencies of blue light found in LEDs spectrum but combines mood-boosting yellow color therapy to help alleviate depression, anxiety, and S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

BluLite is the only daytime computer glasses to “filter down” across the entire blue light spectrum – important for any digital device user that wants to see benefits of reduced digital eye strain, headaches and migraines by filtering the correct spectrum found in such devices.

REMedy Sleep Mask is a 100% blackout sleep mask. Offering a one size fits all, zero eye pressure and 100% light blocking for every user.

So What’s The Deal With Blue Light?

Natural Blue Light

Not all blue light is bad. It can actually be found both naturally and artificially. When a person goes outside, they will see naturally emitted blue light from the sun. This form of blue light is essential in regulating our sleep and wake cycles and our internal body clock. Blue light has also been shown to improve alertness, reaction times, and create a sense of wellness. Blue light from the sun is essential!

This is why it is so important that we try to get outside and see some natural daylight in the morning and throughout the day.

However, blue light from the sun is also accompanied by all the other colors from the light spectrum, making it a balanced and healthy light source. This is why so many people suffer from something called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during winter months when the sun does not come out as much and we spend less time outside. This decrease in natural blue light, in turn, lowers our mood and heightens feelings of depression and anxiety.

THE DARK SIDE OF BLUE LIGHT

The light found in digital devices and light bulbs contains far more blue compared to other colors in the spectrum meaning our eyes are receiving too much unbalanced blue light. This blue light penetrates the eye and over the course of a day will cause digital eyestrain. Digital eyestrain is characterized by dry itchy eyes, headaches, and fatigue. Digital eyestrain can also progress into macular degeneration over time.

I am sure we have all experienced this at one time or another. Whenever I spend too much time on my computer, I suffer the consequences for days with dry, sore eyes, a headache, and feeling overall drained.

A Case of the Blues…..and Greens

Our body’s clock and sleep-wake cycles are entrained by blue and green light. In the morning when we see blue light from the sun it tells our brain that it’s day time and to make us feel alert and awake. When the sun sets and it becomes dark the removal of blue and green light tells our brain its night-time. This sends a signal to the brain to secrete melatonin (sleep hormone) which then makes us feel sleepy and eventually sends us to sleep.

In modern society, after dark, we now switch on our cell phones, watch TV or turn on our house lights which all contain blue light. This blue light sends a message to the brain telling us its day time, so we do not need to relax or feel sleepy. Exposure to the blue and green light from digital devices, TVs, and light bulbs after dark is disrupting our sleep.

Beating the Blues

So what can we do? To effectively combat the negative effects of artificial blue light during the day its essential to wear high quality, blue light filtering computer glasses. These glasses filter out harmful blue light from digital devices allowing you to avoid that dreaded digital eyestrain.

To help fight against blue light-induced S.A.D, along with depression and anxiety, it is paramount to wear mood booster glasses that contain a light-yellow lens. This helps reduce the stress-causing wavelengths of blue light while brightening up your view on the world.

In order to get the best night’s sleep, it’s a must to block blue and green light after dark with red lens blue blocker glasses. This way melatonin can be produced effectively to increased your sleep quality and in turn decrease the likelihood of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

My BLUBlox Glasses

First of all, you need to find the right pair for yourself. BLUblox can help with that! Check out their Face Shape Guide For Glasses. I also followed their size guide to pick a smaller frame size to ensure a proper fit. It seems like I always have a hard time fitting my slim, oval face, so this was super helpful! I chose the Denver Sleep+. With a baby at home, I will do anything I can to help myself get a better night’s sleep!

As soon as I tried on these glasses I could tell they were superior to any cheap sunglasses or computer glasses I have had in the past. You can feel the quality in the frame, the bend of the bow, and the way they fit and feel on your face.

They do take some getting used to as they literally change everything you see to look a bit orange. But the trade-off is well worth it! BLUBlox makes the world’s most advanced blue-blocking glasses. They block 100% of all blue and green light from 400 nm to 550 nm. These glasses help promote the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone, when worn 2-3 hours before bed, and lower stress hormones allowing for a smoother night’s sleep.

Check Them Out

I highly recommend you invest in a pair of BLUblox glasses. If you, like most Americans, spend hours looking at screens, could use an improved night of sleep or just want to improve your overall health, you should check these out. The company is based in Australia, but ships to the US. The website is easy to navigate and the company is great to work with.