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World Mental Health Day: Simple Daily Habits to Protect Your Peace of Mind

The Big Question

We track our daily steps, monitor our protein intake, and hit the gym to build our physical strength. But how often do we purposefully check in on our minds?

In today’s hyper-connected, fast-paced world, chronic stress, anxiety, and burnout are often accepted as simply “part of the job.” But it shouldn’t be that way. Every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day serves as a global reminder that mental health is a universal human right. It is not a luxury; it is the very foundation of your overall well-being.

Yet, when life gets busy, our mental health is usually the first thing we neglect. So, how do we break the cycle and start giving our minds the care they deserve?

Quick Answer: How can you protect your mental health daily?

Protecting your mental health requires intentional daily habits. You can build mental resilience by setting strict boundaries with your digital devices, prioritizing 7-8 hours of quality sleep, using physical movement to boost endorphins, and most importantly, breaking the stigma by talking openly about your feelings and seeking professional help when overwhelmed.

The Undeniable Mind-Body Connection

You cannot have true physical health without mental health. The two are deeply intertwined.

When you are chronically stressed or anxious, your body remains in a constant state of “fight or flight.” This triggers a steady release of cortisol (the stress hormone), which over time can lead to high blood pressure, weakened immunity, digestive issues, and severe sleep disruption. Conversely, poor physical health or chronic pain can heavily impact your mood and lead to depression.

Treating them as two separate systems is a mistake. Caring for your mind is caring for your body.

4 Ways to Prioritize Your Mental Health Every Day

  1. Set Firm Digital Boundaries

We consume more information in a single day than our ancestors did in a lifetime. Constant notifications, news cycles, and the comparison trap of social media drain our mental energy.

  • The Fix: Implement a “digital sunset.” Turn off work emails and social media at least one hour before bed to let your brain decompress.

  1. Use Movement as Medicine

Exercise is not just about weight loss or muscle building; it is one of the most effective, natural mood boosters available.

  • The Fix: Physical activity releases endorphins and serotonin (the “feel-good” chemicals). You don’t need intense gym sessions—a 20-minute brisk walk in nature, a light yoga flow, or even dancing in your living room can significantly reduce anxiety.

  1. Protect Your Sleep at All Costs

Sleep is the time when your brain clears out toxins and processes the emotions of the day. Sleep deprivation drastically amplifies anxiety and reduces your ability to handle stress.

  • The Fix: Aim for 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Create a calming bedtime routine, keep your bedroom cool and dark, and avoid caffeine in the late afternoon.

  1. Break the Stigma and Speak Up

The heaviest burden is the one you carry alone. For decades, mental health struggles were stigmatized, forcing people to suffer in silence.

  • The Fix: Normalize talking about how you feel. Whether it is opening up to a trusted friend, a family member, or seeking the guidance of a professional therapist, verbalizing your struggles is the first step toward healing.

Start Small

Improving your mental health doesn’t mean you need to meditate for two hours a day or achieve total enlightenment. It starts with small, compassionate choices. Take a deep breath before answering an email. Say “no” to a commitment you don’t have the energy for. Forgive yourself for having an unproductive day.

Pro Tip: Managing stress and building healthy routines can feel overwhelming to do alone. Use the GOQii App to track your sleep patterns and physical activity, and subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching! A GOQii Coach can help you build practical, customized stress-management routines, while GOQii Play offers excellent guided meditation and yoga sessions to help you unwind.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. When is World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day is observed annually on October 10. It is a day dedicated to raising global awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts in support of mental well-being.

  1. Why is mental health just as important as physical health?

Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Poor mental health can directly cause physical ailments like heart disease, chronic fatigue, and weakened immunity.

  1. What are the common signs of burnout?

Burnout often presents as chronic exhaustion, feelings of cynicism or detachment from your work or personal life, irritability, lack of motivation, and frequent unexplained headaches or stomach issues.

  1. How does physical activity improve mental health?

Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins (natural painkillers and mood elevators) and helps regulate your nervous system. It also reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.

  1. How can I help a friend who is struggling with their mental health?

The best thing you can do is listen without judgment. Don’t immediately try to “fix” their problems. Validate their feelings, check in on them regularly, and gently encourage them to seek professional help if they are struggling to cope.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical or psychological advice. If you or someone you know is experiencing severe distress, depression, or a mental health crisis, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional or a local helpline immediately.

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When Not Eating Becomes a Disease: Understanding Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia NervosaThe Big Question

Following healthy habits and maintaining discipline in your diet is a wonderful way to care for your body. But what happens when the desire to be healthy morphs into an unhealthy obsession?

We all know that anything in excess can be harmful, and the same applies to dieting. When the pursuit of weight loss crosses the line from a healthy lifestyle choice into a rigid, fear-driven obsession, it can cause severe physical and psychological damage. One of the most serious manifestations of this is an eating disorder known as Anorexia Nervosa.

Quick Answer: When does a diet become a disease? A diet becomes an eating disorder when it is no longer about health, but driven by an intense, obsessive fear of gaining weight. Anorexia Nervosa is a severe psychological condition where individuals starve themselves or use extreme measures to lose weight, equating their physical thinness directly to their self-worth.

Beyond Calorie Counting: The Reality of Anorexia

To understand Anorexia, we must recognize that it is not simply a diet gone wrong. It is a complex psychological condition.

People suffering from Anorexia have a distorted perception of their weight. Despite being at a normal or even dangerously low body weight, they look in the mirror and genuinely perceive themselves as overweight. The thought of eating even a single extra bite fills them with intense anxiety about sudden weight gain.

To cope, they resort to extreme measures:

  • Severely restricting calories and limiting the types of foods they will eat.
  • Focusing obsessively on portion sizes.
  • Attempting to purge food after eating by vomiting, or misusing laxatives, diuretics, and enemas.
  • Exercising excessively, often immediately after consuming meals.

At its core, Anorexia is not about food or calorie counting; it is an unhealthy way to try to cope with emotional distress. The individual often tends to equate their physical thinness directly with their personal self-worth.

Warning Signs and Symptoms

The most evident physical symptom of Anorexia is starvation—and we must not confuse this with conscious, healthy eating. Because people with eating disorders often hide their behaviors, it can be difficult for loved ones to notice the signs early on.

Look out for these alarming physical and emotional red flags:

Physical Symptoms:

  • Noticeably low body weight or thin appearance
  • Chronic fatigue, dizziness, or fainting spells
  • Insomnia
  • Thinning hair that breaks or falls out easily
  • Bluish discoloration of the fingers
  • Irregular bowel movements and severe dehydration
  • Abnormal blood counts and irregular heart rhythms

Emotional and Behavioural Symptoms:

  • Frequently skipping meals or refusing to eat.
  • Making constant excuses to avoid food (e.g., claiming they already ate, aren’t hungry, or feel unwell).
  • Refusing to eat in public or around others.
  • Social withdrawal and avoiding friends and family.
  • Uncharacteristic irritability and mood swings.

How is it Diagnosed?

Because individuals with Anorexia often refuse to accept that they have a problem, diagnosing it early is challenging. Medical professionals generally refer to the criteria set by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to diagnose the condition. These include:

  1. Restricted calorie intake: Consuming far less than what the body requires for its age, height, gender, and physical health.
  2. Intense fear: An overwhelming fear of gaining weight or becoming fat.
  3. Distorted body image: A severe misconception of being overweight, despite actually being underweight.

A thorough medical history and physical examination will help doctors reach a definitive diagnosis and assess any internal damage.

The Path to Treatment and Recovery

Treatment for Anorexia requires a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach. It typically involves psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, family counseling, and sometimes medication.

Because the disorder is heavily rooted in psychology, a proper counseling environment is vital for helping the individual recognize the issue and begin the healing process. Long-term, untreated Anorexia Nervosa can lead to catastrophic medical issues, including severe anemia, gastrointestinal failure, and dangerously low bone density (osteoporosis).

There is absolutely no harm in being mindful about what you put in your body. Choosing the healthiest options and practicing portion control are great habits! But the body is a machine, and it needs fuel to function. The correct way to lose weight is by eating wholesome, nutritious foods and exercising regularly—not by starving yourself.

Pro Tip: Healthy weight management should never come at the cost of your mental or physical health. If you are struggling to find a balanced approach to eating, use the GOQii App. You can subscribe to a GOQii Personalised Health Coach who will help you build a sustainable, nourishing, and healthy relationship with food without extreme dieting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. What is the difference between Anorexia Nervosa and a strict diet?

A strict diet is a conscious choice made to improve health or lose weight within safe boundaries. Anorexia Nervosa is a mental health disorder driven by an obsessive fear of weight gain, distorted body image, and extreme, dangerous methods of starvation that compromise the person’s life.

  1. Can someone have Anorexia even if they don’t look severely underweight?

Yes. While severe weight loss is a hallmark of the disease, eating disorders affect individuals of all sizes. “Atypical Anorexia” involves all the psychological symptoms and severe restrictive behaviors of Anorexia, even if the person’s weight is currently within or above the “normal” range.

  1. What should I do if I suspect a friend or family member has Anorexia?

Approach them with extreme empathy and without judgment. Avoid talking strictly about their weight or appearance; instead, express concern for their overall health and happiness. Encourage them to speak to a medical professional, therapist, or counselor.

  1. Why do people with Anorexia exercise so much?

Excessive or compulsive exercise is often used as a “compensatory behavior” to burn off the calories they have consumed. It is driven by the intense anxiety of gaining weight and a compulsion to exert control over their body.

  1. Is recovery from Anorexia possible?

Absolutely. With the right combination of psychological therapy, nutritional support, and medical care, individuals can and do recover fully, developing a healthy relationship with food and their bodies.

#BeTheForce 

Disclaimer: This article is intended for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Eating disorders are serious medical conditions. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please seek help immediately from a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional.

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Benefits of Meditation: How One Daily Habit Can Transform Your Mental Wellbeing

The Big Question – What if just 10 minutes a day could help you feel calmer, think more clearly, and respond to life’s challenges with greater resilience?

The alarm hasn’t even stopped ringing.

Before you’re fully awake, your phone lights up with emails, messages, missed calls and reminders. Your mind immediately starts racing through deadlines, responsibilities and unfinished tasks. You move from one activity to the next, trying to keep pace with the day, yet somehow it always feels like you’re falling behind.

By evening, you’re exhausted not just physically, but mentally.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Modern life constantly demands our attention, leaving little room for stillness. But what if one simple daily practice could help you navigate the same busy life with greater clarity, focus and peace?

That practice is meditation.

Quick Answer – What are the benefits of meditation?

Meditation is a mindfulness practice that trains your attention and awareness. Regular meditation has been associated with reduced stress, improved emotional regulation, better focus, enhanced sleep quality and greater overall wellbeing. Even 10–20 minutes a day can make a meaningful difference when practised consistently.

What Is Meditation?

Meditation is often misunderstood as “emptying your mind” or “thinking about nothing.”

In reality, meditation is simply the practice of intentionally focusing your attention.

According to Buddhist traditions, meditation develops:

  • Concentration
  • Mental clarity
  • Emotional balance
  • Self-awareness
  • Compassion

Today, meditation is also widely practised in healthcare, psychology and workplace wellness programmes to help people manage stress and improve mental wellbeing.

Meditation doesn’t remove challenges from your life it changes how you respond to them.

It won’t eliminate difficult conversations, deadlines or uncertainty, but it can help you approach them with a calmer, more balanced mind.

What Happens in Your Brain During Meditation?

When you meditate regularly, you practise gently bringing your attention back to the present whenever your mind wanders.

Over time, research suggests meditation may support changes in brain function associated with:

  • Better attention and concentration
  • Improved emotional regulation
  • Reduced stress reactivity
  • Greater self-awareness

Studies have also observed changes in brain regions involved in learning, memory and decision-making, including the prefrontal cortex, while reduced activity in the amygdala may contribute to a calmer response to stress.

Although meditation isn’t a magic solution, consistent practice can help train your brain to respond more thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.

Why Meditation Matters in Everyday Life

Meditation isn’t just about sitting quietly.

Its benefits often extend into everyday situations.

You may notice that you:

  • Respond instead of reacting during difficult conversations.
  • Stay focused for longer periods.
  • Feel less overwhelmed by stressful situations.
  • Recover more quickly after setbacks.
  • Become more patient with yourself and others.

These small changes often add up to meaningful improvements in overall wellbeing.

Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation

Helps Manage Stress

Meditation activates the body’s relaxation response, helping reduce mental and physical stress.

While stress is a normal part of life, learning how to respond to it more effectively can improve resilience.

Improves Focus and Productivity

Regular mindfulness practice strengthens your ability to sustain attention.

This can improve:

  • Concentration
  • Task completion
  • Decision-making
  • Workplace productivity

Supports Emotional Wellbeing

Meditation encourages greater awareness of thoughts and emotions without immediately reacting to them.

Over time, this may help reduce emotional overwhelm and improve emotional resilience.

May Improve Sleep Quality

Many people struggle to sleep because their minds remain active long after they’ve gone to bed.

Meditation and breathing exercises before bedtime can help calm the nervous system and support a more restful night’s sleep.

Supports Healthy Ageing

Emerging research suggests meditation may help support healthy brain ageing by encouraging lifelong cognitive engagement and stress management.

While more research continues, maintaining good mental wellbeing remains an important part of healthy ageing.

Common Types of Meditation

There is no single “correct” way to meditate.

Choose the approach that feels most comfortable.

Mindfulness Meditation

Observe your thoughts without judging them and gently bring your attention back to the present moment.

Breath Awareness Meditation

Focus entirely on your breathing.

Notice each inhale and exhale.

Whenever your mind wanders, gently return to your breath.

Guided Meditation

Listen to a trained instructor who guides you through relaxation or visualisation exercises.

Excellent for beginners.

Loving-Kindness Meditation

Focus on developing compassion and kindness toward yourself and others.

Body Scan Meditation

Slowly bring awareness to different parts of your body, noticing sensations without trying to change them.

Often used to reduce physical tension.

How to Start Meditating

You don’t need a mountain retreat or complete silence.

Start small.

Step 1

Find a quiet place.

Step 2

Sit comfortably with your spine relaxed but upright.

Step 3

Close your eyes or soften your gaze.

Step 4

Take slow, natural breaths.

Step 5

Focus on your breathing for five minutes.

When your mind wanders and it will gently bring your attention back without criticising yourself.

That’s the practice.

Common Meditation Myths

Myth: I have to empty my mind.

Reality: Thoughts are completely normal. Meditation teaches you to notice them without becoming carried away.

Myth: Meditation is only for spiritual people.

Reality: People from all backgrounds practise meditation for stress management, focus and overall wellbeing.

Myth: I need an hour every day.

Reality: Even 5–10 minutes of consistent practice can be beneficial.

Myth: I’m bad at meditation because my mind keeps wandering.

Reality: Every time you notice your mind wandering and gently bring it back, you’re practising meditation successfully.

Common Beginner Challenges

“I can’t stop thinking.”

That’s completely normal.

The goal isn’t to eliminate thoughts.

The goal is to notice when your attention drifts and gently guide it back.

Meditation is a skill, and like any skill, it improves with regular practice.

The Bottom Line

Life may never become less busy.

Emails will continue arriving.

Deadlines will remain.

Unexpected challenges will still appear.

Meditation doesn’t change your external circumstances—it changes your relationship with them.

It creates a little space between what happens and how you respond.

And sometimes, that small space is where clarity, resilience and peace begin.

Start with just five minutes today.

Your future self will thank you.

Pro Tip: Building a meditation habit is easier when you track your progress. Use the GOQii App to monitor your daily mindfulness practice alongside your sleep, activity and stress levels. Your GOQii Personalised Health Coach can help you develop a sustainable meditation routine that fits seamlessly into your lifestyle.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. How long should I meditate each day?

Beginners can start with 5–10 minutes daily and gradually increase to 15–20 minutes as the habit becomes more comfortable.

  1. Is it better to meditate in the morning or evening?

Both work well. Morning meditation can help set a positive tone for the day, while evening meditation may help you unwind before sleep. The best time is the one you can practise consistently.

  1. What if my mind keeps wandering?

This is completely normal. Simply notice that your attention has wandered and gently bring it back to your breath. Every return strengthens your mindfulness practice.

  1. Can meditation help with anxiety?

Meditation may help reduce stress and improve emotional regulation. However, it should not replace professional mental health care. If you’re experiencing persistent anxiety or depression, consult a qualified mental health professional.

  1. Can I meditate lying down?

Yes, although many people find sitting upright helps them stay alert. If you’re practising before bedtime, lying down may be appropriate.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical or psychological advice. Meditation can be a valuable tool for supporting mental wellbeing, but it is not a substitute for treatment of mental health conditions. If you are experiencing persistent anxiety, depression or emotional distress, seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

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Embracing Tears: The Healing Power of Sadness

Tears need to be shed -Divya

Her voice quivered as she spoke over the phone and slowly but surely tears emerged. First gradually, then in quick succession, until they became a steady stream. By now she had disconnected the call but her body shook in uncontrollable sobs. I gently put my hand on her shoulder and checked if she was okay. She looked at me through her teary eyes, shaken out of her reverie and gave me an embarrassed nod indicating that she would manage without my help. I sat there next to her on the train, feeling pained, wondering why a stranger’s grief caused me so much suffering.

Sadness is one of the longer lasting emotions and we feel it when we have experienced loss. The loss could be anything – a breakup, death of a loved one, loss of financial security, loss of respect in the eyes of others, feeling rejected, loss of a job, regret about opportunities lost, loss of a body part or loss of health, to mention a few. We not only feel saddened but also feel the need to reach out and help, when we see someone in pain (like I did with the girl in the train), especially if it’s a loved one. According to Dr Paul Ekman, the reputed psychologist who studies emotions, this impulse is fundamental to the sense of community. This feeling is motivated by the suffering we experience when we see someone else’s suffering.

tears

However, expressing sadness and especially doing so through tears is not something that comes easily to a lot of us.

The main reasons why people may try to suppress sadness are:

       1. The fear that if we start crying or expressing sadness, we may get engulfed and may not be able to stop – This is a misconception. The reality is that strong emotions like sadness, when unaddressed, distort our thinking, prevent us from being reasonable and may drive us to make poor judgments. Hence, it is critical that we process these feelings through healthy expression. It is true that sometimes when we feel sad about a particular event, it may trigger off unexpressed pain from earlier times, making us revisit unresolved hurt. It is okay for that to happen. This may become a doorway to re-examine earlier unacknowledged losses of our lives. A good cry allows us to release the hurt and sadness through tears. It lets out the painful emotional energy and makes room for positive thoughts and feelings in our heart.

      2. Sadness can be a difficult and painful emotion to experience and one wants to avoid going through it – The best way to overcome any emotion is to acknowledge and process it, rather than trying to reject or bury it. Trying to reject sadness may lead to additional feelings of anger, shame and helplessness. Every emotion has a role to play in human life. It would help us to remember that experiencing emotions, even the painful ones, is a sign of the compassionate human heart that beats in our chest and that experiencing a healthy dose of any difficult emotion is the pathway to growth.

      3. The Social stigma attached to shedding tears – There is this idea that feeling hurt and crying is a sign of weakness. Crying is often accompanied by feelings of shame and embarrassment because many of us worry about appearing helpless, dependent and powerless. The cultural stigma around men shedding tears explains (to a certain extent) the frequency with which men turn to, substance abuse, angry outbursts, violence, bullying, isolation or emotional numbness. This is not to say that all women are comfortable with expressing sadness. Often women who cry openly are ridiculed or may be treated with indifference, making one feel weak and inferior. This makes women wary of crying as well.

While the first two reasons are something for each of us to work through individually or with a therapist, however, the third one is far more complex than it appears on the surface. Most times when we think of social stigma, we do not think of ourselves as contributors to it, but unfortunately, almost all of us may be contributing to this stigma not just in the way we treat others but more importantly in the way we treat ourselves. When children grow up watching adults shaming each other for crying or adults shying away from shedding tears and/or when they are repeatedly told that strong people don’t cry, the message becomes deeply ingrained, making its way into their words and actions as they grow into adults.

People who try to bury their feelings of sadness are not the only ones who pay the price for doing so. Deep sadness that goes unexpressed could result in long-lasting suffering. It could result in unhealthy behaviours like substance abuse, misplaced anger and may also pave the way for depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) or mood swings, to name a few. We may withdraw, make ourselves emotionally unavailable, thus reducing our capability to form authentic meaningful relationships and shrinking our ability to experience positive emotions like joy and passion. Our loved ones would invariably feel the distance this creates. We may at times end up behaving inappropriately because these unresolved feelings may be pulling us in different directions, thus leading us away from our goals. Buried feelings lead to health issues that include high blood pressure, increased incidents of diabetes, heart diseases, stiff joints and frequent infections due to lowered immunity.

Though undoing this social stigma can take time, each one of us has the power and choice to start this process of change. Here are a few things we can do towards bringing this much-needed change:

  • Allow yourself to have a good cry when you feel sad and pained, and instead of criticizing, talk compassionately to yourself when you feel sad.
  • When your loved ones shed tears, let them know through a hug, gentle touch or just your quiet presence, that you feel their pain and that you honour their feelings.
  • Become aware of any comments you may be making or any gestures you may be displayed, which implies that crying is a sign of weakness and consciously make an effort to change them.
  • Be an ambassador of healthy expression of emotions by starting off conversations about the social stigma of shedding tears, within your family, workplaces and social circles.

In conclusion, the main function of involuntary expression of sadness through tears is to signal the need for help, so others are moved to help. But that’s not the only purpose. Acknowledging and experiencing our sadness fully, allows us to honour the thing we have lost and acknowledged the importance of what the loss signified. It helps us to process the grief in a healthy way, such that the body can rebalance and heal itself. It is an opportunity for us to connect with ourselves, to hold our experiences sacred and honour our valuable existence as individuals and as part of a community.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. If you are experiencing prolonged sadness, persistent emotional numbness, or symptoms of clinical depression that interfere with your daily life, please reach out to a certified mental health professional or therapist.

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]