Through my journey as a developer, I've been working remotely and have experienced different challenges as a developer and one of my most dreaded experience has been deeps of low mental state.
My first low mental health experience set in within my first three months of consitent developmnent which came with low motivation cause I was not really happy inside. I also found it hard to share my experience with anyone around cause I could not open up to anyone that I was really depressed. I had been indoor all week, slept less and spent most of my time alone cause I was either finishing a course or starting a new project and had less time for friends, exercise or any other thing that would make me less focused.
I hope this article would help someone out there cause I'll be sharing ways I've learned to balance mental health for optimised productivity.
Drink Water.
The human body is made up of about 60% of water and the brain composition is also made of 75% of water. water is one of the most natural occuring element on the planet. Water can be used for many purposes. Taking close to 1L of water early in the morning benefits the body in many ways and would contribute to providing the brain with sufficient amout of water as fuel to energize the mind.
Exercise.
The body releases feel good dorpamine hormones when we exercise our body. During exercise, our heart beat increases which sends more blood supply to the brain. Exercise not only burn unwanted fat in the body, exercise would help in strecting your muscles and also overall health. You don't need to lift heavy weight or perfom high atheletic exercises to get the best out of an exercise session, you could start with easy trainings that you could perform from 45min - 2rhs cause studies would prove that edurance exercise helps brain healing more that heavy sprints. Running for miles is a great choise but beyond self programs you could perform group exercise like football, basket ball, tennis or other sports you could as well enjoy with the company of others.
Sleep
I enjoy coding till morning cause it's when I'm most focused, but I had to adapt to working during the day so I wouldn't miss night sleeps.
Sufficient sleep, especially REM sleep, facilitates the brain’s processing of emotional information. During sleep, the brain works to evaluate and remember thoughts and memories, and it appears that a lack of sleep is especially harmful to the consolidation of positive emotional content. This can influence mood and emotional reactivity and is tied to mental health disorders and their severity.
Having up to 8hrs of sleep during the night would make you fill up your physical and mental energy for the next day. Try sleeping before midnight and having the cold shower in the morning and watch how it makes it's inpact in mental boost.
Good Nutruition for the brain.
Eating cooked food and having balanced diet plays a significant role in mantaining mental health. For me eating is a hobby and I love food the most. But over feeding in the mornining can also result to being dull so I suggest having a light break-fast reach in magnesium and protien as breakfast then going heavy at launch for a refill. Besides a balanced diet, there are good foods for the brain that you souldn't miss out in your diet.
- Fatty fish: Fatty fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, a major building block of the brain. Omega-3s play a role in sharpening memory and improving mood, as well as protecting your brain against cognitive decline.
- Coffee : Coffee can help boost alertness and mood. It may also offer some protection against Alzheimer’s, thanks to its content of caffeine and antioxidants. -Dark chocolate: The flavonoids in chocolate may help protect the brain. Studies have suggested that eating chocolate, especially dark chocolate, could boost both memory and mood. -Nuts: Nuts contain a host of brain-boosting nutrients, including vitamin E, healthy fats, and plant compounds. -** Oranges*: Oranges and other fruits that are high in vitamin C can help defend your brain against damage from free radicals. -Eggs*: Eggs are a rich source of several B vitamins and choline, which are important for regulating mood and promoting proper brain function and development.
Code
“A son asked his father (a programmer) why the sun rises in the east, and sets in the west. His response? It works, don’t touch!”
Coding initiates different regions within the brain, it reinforces the monotonous movement that builds up the muscle memory and makes the brain's ability to become more proficient within the process of learning.
Brain-stimulating activities like coding basically act as a great workout for the brain and strengthen its ability to memorize and perform tasks.
Over the years you would get used to coding for a long time and with a good routine as a habit you form repeated patterns that becomes a lifestyle others would love to live.
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