Ensure light arrives at your eyes at appropriate times of day and is absent at other times to coordinate all cells and systems of your body, as disruptions are linked to various health issues including digestive, mental focus, depression, and anxiety.
View bright light, ideally sunlight, for 5-10 minutes (or longer on overcast days) within 30-60 minutes of waking, without sunglasses or through windows, to set your body’s master circadian clock, boost morning cortisol for energy and focus, and improve sleep quality later that night.
Dim lights in the evening and late hours, especially between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., and avoid bright screens, as retinal sensitivity increases at night, and even low light can disrupt melatonin release and your circadian rhythm.
When feeling stressed or anxious, perform a physiological sigh by taking two quick, deep inhales through the nose back-to-back, followed by a long, complete exhale through the mouth, to immediately reduce stress by re-inflating lung alveoli and offloading carbon dioxide.
Practice panoramic vision by dilating your gaze to see more of the space around you without moving your head or eyes, which has a relaxing effect, reduces stress, and enhances situational awareness and reaction times.
Periodically view objects in the distance, beyond screens or walls, ideally a horizon, to reduce eye strain, prevent myopia, improve mood, and enhance metabolic function.
Engage in self-generated forward motion like walking, jogging, or biking outdoors without staring at your phone, as the visual world slipping by powerfully inhibits the brain’s threat reflex and reduces anxiety.
Incorporate 10-second micro-breaks during high-attentional activities (learning, deep work) to allow the brain to store information faster, decompress, and return with heightened focus.
To improve concentration, place a small target (e.g., a crosshatch on paper) at your computer’s distance and focus your vision on it, blinking as seldom as possible for about 60 seconds, to adjust your visual and mental focus.
Practice a sequence of visual focus: close eyes and focus internally (3 breaths), open eyes and focus on hand (3 breaths), focus on a distant object (3 breaths), panoramic vision (3 breaths), then return to internal focus and a crosshatch, to train your system for better transitions and focus throughout the day.
Deliberately engage in practices that force specific changes onto your nervous system, rather than letting passive living dictate its changes, to leverage its capacity for positive adaptation and build resilience.
Prioritize physical actions and behaviors to influence your mental and physical health and performance, especially when overwhelmed, as physical practices provide concrete tools to recalibrate your state of mind.
Engage in deliberate cold showers for three minutes every two or three days, or practice cyclic hyperventilation, to cause adrenaline release which strengthens the immune system and increases resistance to infections.
If struggling with sleep, consider taking magnesium threonate or bisglycinate, and 50 milligrams of apigenin (chamomile extract), as these non-addictive supplements can help improve sleep onset and duration.
Utilize Yoga Nidra (a 30-minute script) or the Reveri.com self-hypnosis app, both free resources, as non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) practices to improve your ability to fall asleep or return to sleep if you wake up at night.
Supplement with one to three grams of EPA essential fatty acids daily, especially if you don’t consume fatty fish, as 1-2 grams of EPA has shown antidepressant effects comparable to SSRIs and can lower the required dosage of such medications.
Consume one to four servings of fermented foods daily to improve your gut microbiome and reduce inflammatory pathways, supporting overall health.
Approach supplement use scientifically by introducing new compounds one at a time, observing their effects, and consulting a physician, rather than taking many at once, to determine what works best for your individual needs.
Engage in daily journaling, even if informal, to externalize anxieties and stresses onto paper, which can help expunge them and provide mental relief.
When encountering aggressive or concerning comments, especially online, filter them through the understanding that many people struggle with mental health challenges, which can help prevent personal triggering and foster a more compassionate perspective.
As a low-cost alternative to sunlight when unavailable, use a blue ring light (like those used by YouTubers) at your breakfast table or while working in the morning to stimulate your circadian system.
For children, dim screens, keep room lights low, and remove phones/tablets from rooms at night; also encourage two hours of outdoor time daily (even with homework) to significantly reduce the incidence of nearsightedness (myopia).
If you exercise, try to do it outside without sunglasses to maximize the benefits of natural light exposure on your visual system and overall well-being.