Video games can play a beneficial role in improving your mental health. For decades, there have been a lot of research on the negative effects of gaming. Though we can't ignore this, the truth is video games  are great for stimulating the brain. They also help to improve problem-solving, memory, and concentration when played in moderation.

Benefits of Video Games

Improves mental health disorders

Encourages mental stimulation

Builds emotional resilience

Improves social skills

Things To Note

It is important to set limits on how much time you will spend playing these games. Spending too much time on these games every day can lead to addiction. It can also lead to isolation and using the games to escape from your real life. Gaming is good for relaxation and easing stress but can cause problems if it's excessive.

 3 Online Games To Improve Your Mental Health

Sudoku

This is a fun brain game that people of all ages and abilities can play. It is a logic game that challenges you to place the right numbers in boxes within a grid. Playing sudoku provides exercise and stimulation for the brain which can improve brain function according to a research study published in the International Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry. It is also relaxing and gives a sense of satisfaction and achievement when you complete the puzzles.

Crossword Puzzles

Solving crossword puzzles boost your vocabulary, spelling, and knowledge of trivia. These benefits in turn increase your ability to think abstractly and your brain's processing power.  

Research studies have shown that participating in activities like crossword puzzles can delay the onset of memory loss and alleviate dementia especially for those who are already at risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Role-Playing Games

A role-playing game is a game where the player assumes the role of a character throughout play. How you play your character depends on the person who created the game world and how you respond to the various events in it.

 These games have been used by educators to help develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. RPGs can also be used in a therapeutic sense for practicing desired skills like speaking up in a safe space and collaborating with others.

Recommended Online Game Websites

You don't have to download paid apps in order to get the benefits of video games. These websites are full of simple games you can play in your browser. And guess what? They are free!

1. Plays.org

This website offers hundreds of free and fun online games you can play directly from your browser. It's really easy to use. You don't have to download an app or register an account to use the website. Another great thing about this website is that there are no distractions from advertising and no paid upgrades either. 

When playing the games, you don't have to worry about losing access to the internet because they are stored on the web browser. They have a wide variety of games for adults and children.  Some games to try are the ultimate Sudoku timed puzzle game, which is a free online version of the classic Sudoku puzzle number game, and the Super Tetris logic puzzle game. 

2. BestCrosswords.com

If you love crosswords, you will love this one. This website hosts a large supply of free crossword puzzles. They publish 15 grids daily. You don't need registration and you can play in your web browser, smartphone, tablet or print in high resolution.

3. Arkadium 

This website has a large collection of online games you can play for free in your browser. You have to register to use this one and the advertisements can be distracting. Try Arkadium's Codeword, a word game that is a free online version of Codeword.

Journaling is writing down or keeping a record of your thoughts, experiences, insights, and feelings. It's simply writing down your thoughts and feelings so you can understand them more. It also helps your document your life. 

If you have a chronic illness, keeping a journal can help you track your symptoms, drugs, and hospital visits. Keeping a journal is a great tool for managing not just your mental health, but also your physical health.

Health Benefits of Journaling

Stress Relief

Manage anxiety and depression

Strengthens Your Immune System

 How To Get Started Writing a Journal 

* Dust Off Your Pen and Paper – You don’t need anything special to keep a journal; in fact, purists believe that using pen and paper is the best way to journal because you can carry it with you anywhere and you don’t need technology. So, there will be no excuses. 

* Do It First Thing in the Morning – Don’t procrastinate about keeping your journal. It’s best to do it in the morning before you begin your day so that you have the right frame of mind for the day. Plus, you only need five to ten minutes

* Do It Last Thing at Night – Another time to do it is before bed. This works especially well for gratitude journals. Write at least 3 things you are grateful for that day. That way you can go to sleep thinking about all the things you are grateful for instead of things you’re worried about. This is also useful for unloading your thoughts and concerns about the day on paper and you can free your mind for a good night's sleep.

* Write Often – Whenever you choose to do it, try to set it up so that it becomes a ritual and a habit. Journaling every day is going to be more effective than just doing it when you feel like it.

* Start Simply – Don’t start being worried about style and substance right now; just work on the daily habit with pen and paper (or if it’s easier for you, a computer or smartphone). Don’t make it hard - just get going.

* Begin with Today – Start right now and write about your day today. That’s the easiest thing to do. What of significance happened today? How did you feel about it? What would you do differently? What would you do the same? 

* Try Different Types of Journals – Once you develop the habit, you can start trying different types of journaling like a bullet journal, or a vision journal, or maybe even a project journal for your next project. 

* Keep It Private – The main thing to remember about your journal is that it should be kept private. The only exception is if you want to share thoughts with a therapist, counselor, or coach. Or if you want to turn it into a book or course, to help someone else overcome whatever you overcame.

How to Make Your Journaling More Effective

* Set Up a Comfy Journaling Spot – Find a good space you can journal in each day, one which is relaxing and without stress. Some people like to keep their journals by their bedside so that they can quickly write in their journals each night when they get into bed. Some people prefer to write sitting on their favorite chair while preparing for the day or even sitting at their desk. Just choose somewhere you find comfortable and will not be disturbed.

* Choose the Right Style of Journal for Your Needs – The type of journal you want to keep depends on how you plan to use it. You may want to track a project, in which case you’ll need a project journal. If you want to simply document your life, you’d want a classic journal. 

* Use Your Journal to Work Through Life and Reach Goals – Don’t just write in the journal; actively seek to improve something in your life - whether it’s the thoughts that drive your feelings or improving your actions so that you experience more success. Write about your goals in different areas of your life and your plans to achieve them. You can also use your journals to document your successes and achievements and note areas of improvement.

* Consider Using More Than Writing to Document Your Life – You don’t need to just use text. You can use images, pictures, tickets, and other memories inside your journal too. Sometimes a few pictures and mementos mean more than anything you can write to help you remember.

* Read and Reflect Occasionally – Take at least a few minutes to re-read parts of your journal. Once you’ve kept it for a year, it’s fun to go back and read the same day from last year to find out what’s different now and what’s the same and why.

Keeping a journal will help you deal with the things that happen to you as well as the things that may happen in the future.  Writing your experiences helps you remember what you did right and what you did wrong. It helps you improve your decision-making capacity for similar situations.

 However, it won't solve all your problems. So, do seek the services of an experienced mental health professional if you need help.

Stress can rob you of sleep and keep you tossing and turning all night if it's not well managed. This can affect both the quality of sleep and the duration of sleep. The National Foundation of Sleep conducted a survey that revealed that 43% of people aged 13 - 64 have reported lying awake at night due to stress at least once a month. On the other hand, poor sleep can cause stress.

Reducing stress and anxiety will help improve the quality and duration of sleep.  Apps in your mobile phone can be a needed ally to help you get more sleep. These health and wellness apps contain resources like guided meditations, sleep music, and even courses specially developed to help you manage anxiety, stress, and insomnia. These three apps are some of the most acclaimed health and wellness dealing with stress and sleep.

Headspace

This app's tagline is Be Kind To Your Mind. This mantra is perfect for when you are feeling stressed out and can't sleep. The app teaches you how to deal with stress and anxiety, meditate and live mindfully. You will also find sleep meditations, relaxing sleep music, and sleepcasts to help you relax and sleep. The app is free for the basics and charges a monthly fee for advanced features.

Calm

The Calm app is a highly rated app for relief from stress and anxiety. It has a wide variety of meditations ranging from beginner to advanced. The user can choose what type of meditation they prefer and for how long. This app also has an option for nature sounds which can be great as white noise for stress relief. It offers guided meditations, breathing programs, masterclasses, and relaxing music. This app is also free with in-app purchase options.

Dare

This app is based on the best-selling book 'DARE' which helps people overcome anxiety and panic attacks fast.  It is a training program to help people overcome anxiety, panic attacks, worry, and insomnia. One of its features is the collection of free audio guides to help you feel confident. You can also track your progress daily with the mood journal. The app is free with an optional paid subscription.

Your phone can be a treasure trove of resources to relieve your stress and help you sleep well. You may have to download a few of these apps to find the one you like and maybe even pay for advanced features. But, getting a good night's sleep and staying calm and productive is well worth it. 

 Sadly, stress is part of life. At some point, everyone experiences stress. Physical, emotional, and other types of stress take their toll on our minds and bodies. That's why sleep is so important. Sleep can help reduce stress and its effects.

Our bodies use sleep to recover. While we sleep, our bodies carry out important restorative functions. It's amazing how much our minds and bodies remain active even when we are sleeping.

Stress affects the mind and body

Stress affects our mood

Stress affects our relationships

Focus is the key to productivity.

Most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you will have more time snd more tranquility. Ask yourself at every moment," Is this necessary?" - Marcus Aurelius

In this article, you will learn why focus is important in both your personal and professional life. You will also learn tips and strategies for keeping your focus so you can be more productive. 

Why is focus important?

When you focus on a single task, avoiding distractions, your brain becomes focused on that task alone. This lets you complete that task much quicker than if you were trying to complete two or three tasks at once. 

For instance, let's say you have to write a report, do your meal planning for the week, and research information for an upcoming speech. The best thing to do is to set aside all but one task. 

So, for this example, you want to give all your attention to writing your report. That means turning off the TV, cell phone, social media notifications, closing your door, and putting all your attention on writing this report.

When you focus on the task at hand without distractions, your work will be of higher quality because you will only be thinking about what you are working on at present.  Also, your creativity will kick in, allowing you to come up with ideas for the task you are working on.

Focus also allows your subconscious to do the work. Remember when you first learned how to ride a bike or drive a car. At first, it was difficult. But as you focused on what you were doing, your subconscious took over and helped you learn. The same is true in your everyday tasks. Once you begin focusing solely on one task, your subconscious helps you do it quicker and easier.

Why is multitasking bad?

If you are like many people, you spend your days multitasking i.e doing many things at the same time. You are probably so used to multitasking, you don't realize when you are doing it. You also believe it helps you save time.

Multitasking is bad for so many reasons.

Multitaskers are less likely to finish one quality project. They may finish all their tasks for the day but they will most likely be sub-par than if they had focused on one to completion before starting another one.

Multitasking can affect your relationships. If you constantly check your phone and send text messages while interacting and talking to other people, it can put people off.

Multitasking can cause you stress. If you are writing a report, trying to remember the emails you have to reply to, and cooking dinner at the same time, you may lose focus on the task you are doing. 

Instead of multitasking, prioritize your tasks and break them up into chunks.

Cut your goals into small targets

Track your time

Plan your week

Prioritize your list

Learn to say NO

Create an environment that works for you

Take a break when needed

Break it up

Time clock

Exercise

Consult your physician

Prioritize Important Tasks First

Practice Gratitude

Read Daily

Limit Social Media 

Exercise Daily

Practice Mindfulness 

Setting daily intentions every morning is one powerful way of taking control of your life and achieving your goals. It is so easy to wake up, grab your phone, check social media, emails or put on the television or radio without stopping to think deeply about how you want your day to go and what you want to achieve that day. 

This habit can take your life several notches higher if you add it to your morning routine. Setting daily intentions keep you focused on what you want and how you decide to feel throughout the day no matter what happens.

What are Intentions?

An intention is like a map. It tells your mind where you want to go in life and what you want to achieve. When you add a positive intention into your day, you are basically telling yourself what you want to achieve during the next 24 hours.

A daily intention sets your brain to work through your Reticular Activating System(RAS). For instance, if you buy a red dress that you think is unique, suddenly everywhere you go, you will begin to see red dresses. 

This is your RAS at work filtering and presenting you with information according to your belief system. You can use this to achieve your goals by setting positive intentions. Your brain will filter through all the information you receive to give you information relevant to your intention or goal.

We all set intentions at the start of the day whether we realize it or not. Even bad habits can stem from positive intentions. For example, your subconscious intention may be to feel good so you indulge in favorite junk foods or binge-watching your favorite TV show.

Deciding consciously to set positive daily intentions for your day is very beneficial for your health and life to go in the direction you want it to go.

Why Set An Intention For Your Day?

Intentions improve your focus.

Intentions can help you develop a more positive mindset.

You will be more likely to achieve your goals.

How Do You Start Your Day With Intention?

Connect to your why

Focus on your values

This is a list of daily intentions you can choose from to get you started. 

Read: Tools To Help You Achieve Your Goals

 Avocado is one great fruit everyone needs in their diet. Apart from the many health benefits, avocado can help you enjoy beautiful glowing skin whether you eat it or apply it on your skin. How does this super fruit make it all happen?

Avocados contains B vitamins that help keep your skin healthy and prevent skin conditions. Biotin is a B vitamin that helps the body grow thick, lustrous hair, long nails and healthy skin. Avocados are rich in this vitamin. Deficiency in this vitamin could lead to dry skin.

Avocados are rich in healthy fats. Healthy fats are good for your skin. Avocados are rich in two types of fat: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fatty acids moisturize the skin and keep it soft and supple. Polyunsaturated fatty acids protects the skin from harmful UV rays of the sun. Ultraviolet (UV) rays damage can cause wrinkles and has been linked to skin cancer.

Avocados contain antioxidants like Vitamin C , Vitamin E and Lutein. Antioxidants are necessary for great skin and  good health. Vitamin C helps to prevent breakdown of collagen and elastin. These are structural proteins that keep the skin plump and firm. Vitamin C is also used to treat and prevent inflammation in the skin. Lutein also protects your skin from sun damage, improve skin tone and slow aging. So, getting these antioxidants into your diet will help you have clearer and younger looking skin.

Avocados also contain Vitamin K, copper, pantothenic acid, folate and potassium which are all essential for optimum health.

Eating avocado is one way of getting all these great benefits. One small avocado a day or half if it's a large one will be fine. You can add it to your salads, use it as spreads for toast or add it to to your smoothies. 

Get three easy to make avocado smoothie recipes here.

How To Use Avocado On Your Skin

You can also use avocado as part of your skin care regimen by peeling it and using the flesh on your skin or using avocado oil. Avocado oil is oil that has been extracted from the pulp. You can use it directly on your face or add a few drops to your moisturizer. Because of its antimicrobial properties, it is said to be effective against acne.

An easy way to use avocado for skin care is to use it as a face mask. These simple homemade avocado masks can help you hydrate, exfoliate and nourish your skin easily and you will be well on your way to glowing skin!

Home Made Avocado Face Masks

1. Avocado and Honey Face Mask 

This mask is great for dry skin.

Ingredients

1/4 medium avocado

1 tablespoon of honey

Instructions

Mix the avocado and organic honey in a bowl.

Apply it to your face and wait for 20 minutes

Wash with lukewarm water and use a towel to pat your face dry.

Do this twice or thrice a week.

2.Avocado and Cucumber Face Mask

This is for you if you have normal skin that is not dry or oily. Use this for glowing skin.

Ingredients

1/2 medium avocado

5 tablespoons of cucumber juice

Instructions

Grate a cucumber and press the juice.

Add 5 tablespoons of cucumber juice to the avocado

Mix well and apply to your face

Wait for 20 minutes before washing with water

Use a towel to pat your skin dry.

Do this twice a week

3. Avocado, Lemon and Oats Face Mask

This mask can give you an instant glow when you need great skin for a special occasion. Do not use this mask everyday.

Ingredients

1/2 medium avocado

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of oats

Instructions

Mix all three ingredients.

Apply to your face and wait for 5 to 10 minutes.

Gently massage your face and neck for 2 minutes.

Wash with lukewarm water and apply moisturizer.