If you’re afraid to fly, you’re in good company. About 40% of Americans feel some fear at the thought of flying. 【小题1】, these tips can help.

【小题2】

Exposure therapy is the idea that being exposed to something you’re afraid of over and over again calms down your limbic system so it doesn’t fire up as fast. That could mean less anxiety in the long run.

During the night, distract yourself

When we’re really anxious, we can’t think straight. The key is to try to connect to your rational, thinking brain. When we really focus on thinking, like doing a math problem, our emotional brain calms down. Try a crossword puzzle or Sudoku, read a really juicy romance novel or get through a pile of paperwork. 【小题3】.

If you hit turbulence (气流), don’t force yourself to calm down

During a rough flight, you might be to take slow, deep breaths to calm down. 【小题4】   . It’s nearly impossible to stop your fight-or-flight response, once it’s been triggered. Remind yourself that your body is having a normal response to a perceived threat.

Consult with a doctor about medication (冥想), if you feel you might need it

There are medications pretty quickly taking down anxiety.   【小题5】, talk with your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist. Try to think of a medication that’s not just short-term, but something that can help you bring your baseline anxiety down.

If you simply repeat a behavior for a certain number of days, you’re certain to develop the habit. But habit formation is not so simple.【小题1】But by employing the following tips, you will speed up the process.

A habit is simply a repeated behavior. Before you can develop a new habit, you will need to set a small, specific behavioral goal. For example, try “doing laundry every Sunday morning” instead of “keeping a more organized home”.【小题2】It’s a behavior that you can repeat over and over until it becomes a habit.

【小题3】You are motivated to make the change and you enjoy eating healthy food, but why can’t you keep the habit? Think about the barriers that might be stopping you. Maybe you are too tired to cook after work, so you end up ordering unhealthy take-out meals. Instead of trying to fight through the exhaustion, consider ways to work around the barrier. You could spend one weekend afternoon each week preparing meals for the next five days.

Experiment with to-do lists, daily phone alarms, and any other tools you can use to create reminders. 【小题4】In addition to creating reminders about desirable behaviors, you may need to remind yourself not to repeat the behavior you want to change.

We might sometimes fail to meet our own expectations, but we hate to let our friends and family down. Use the psychology to your advantage by getting a reliable partner who can text you reminders or words of encouragement.【小题5】

Habits are things we do over and over again and are usually fairly harmless. 【小题1】Vanessa Gebhardt, a psychologist, explained how breaking these harmful habits can help to have a positive effect.

Research by De Montfort University recently found that checking your phone regularly can make you more distracted and forgetful, and that’s not to mention the negative impact this habit can have on your mental health. 【小题2】To overcome this, monitor your screen time and be mindful of who you choose to follow, which online conversations or debates you choose to join, and focus on the positive posts, rather than the negative ones.

The corona-virus pandemic has been tough on many people as being inside all day can be difficult. Spending the majority of your day indoors can significantly increase your risk for depression, with lack of sunlight and vitamin D contributing to depressive symptoms. 【小题3】

Sleeping too little can leave us feeling under the weather, and this Vanessa says, is because sleep deprivation leads to low mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and getting more easily overwhelmed, which can negatively impact your mental health. Using techniques to relax before bed will help you to develop a sleep routine that works for you, helping you to feel energized and more positive during your waking hours.

Studies have shown that high-sugar, processed foods like cakes, bread, and biscuits, as well as red meat can significantly raise the risk for depression and eating these sorts of foods on a regular basis could be one of the reasons your mental health is suffering. To positively impact your mental health, pay close attention to the foods you are fueling your body and mind with. 【小题5】

Exercising is brilliant for reducing stress and the feel-good endorphins released by exercise can be an instant mood-booster. Regular exercise can also help improve your energy levels and motivation, increasing feelings of happiness and reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.