Tips for Your Home, Life and Auto

5 Tips to Improve Your Mental Health

Staying healthy is about more than paying attention to your physical body—your mental health directly influences how you think, feel, react and maintain relationships. If you don’t take steps to promote your mental health, you may find that anxiety, depression and irritability can take control of your life.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 1 in 5 adults experience some form of mental illness in a given year, but less than half of them seek professional treatment. And, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with a mental illness, taking steps to improve your mental well-being can improve your physical health and help you maintain positive relationships.

Here are five tips you can use to help improve your mental health:

1. Talk with those who care about you. Simply talking to friends, family members or co-workers can help you overcome a personal problem and stay connected.
2. Take a break from digital distractions. Although smartphones and other modern technology make it easy to stay connected with others, focusing too much on digital media can make it easy to ignore close relationships and the world around you.
3. Take care of your body. Your brain is still part of your physical body, so it’s important to exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet and get enough restful sleep.
4. Set realistic goals and focus on taking the first step. Many projects or errands can seem overwhelming when taken as a whole. Try planning out steps for large tasks and concentrate on what you need to do first.
5. Get help when you need it. Although there can be negative social stigmas about seeking help for mental or emotional problems, mental health professionals are trained to help manage stress and mental illnesses with therapy or medication.

The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas that’s produced by the incomplete burning of any fuel, including gas, fire and wood. Many of the appliances in your home produce harmless amounts of CO. However, if these appliances aren’t properly maintained or ventilated it could lead to a hazardous buildup of CO. And, because the gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless, it can be easy to remain unaware of potentially dangerous levels of CO in your home.

Symptoms of mild CO poisoning can include flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, nausea and weakness. However, exposure to large amounts of CO for an extended period can be fatal. Follow these steps to prevent a buildup of CO in your home:

• Install CO detectors on every level of your home. Also, never assume that your home’s smoke alarms can also detect CO.
• Check your appliances every year to ensure that they’re in safe working order and have sufficient airflow around them. Appliances that emit CO include fireplaces, water heaters, portable generators, power tools, lawn equipment, and gas- or wood-burning cooking appliances.
• Never leave a car or other motorized vehicle running in an attached garage, even if the garage door is open.
• Never rely on ovens, gas grills or other appliances to heat your home.
• Contact a specialist to ensure that your chimneys, vents and flues are providing sufficient ventilation to your home.

For more information on protecting your home from CO and other dangerous gases, such as radon and natural gas leaks, contact us today at 831-661-5697.

Removing Distractions Before You Drive

Distracted driving is a serious and deadly problem. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving leads to over 3,000 deaths and 375,000 injuries every year. Although many conversations about distracted driving focus on cellphones, the truth is that any distraction can be enough to cause a deadly accident. The following list includes some of the ways you can remove distractions and keep yourself safe on the road:

• Get plenty of rest before you drive. Studies have shown that fatigued drivers perform just as poorly as those who drive while intoxicated.
• Know where you’re going and the road conditions before you drive. Looking at a map or having to focus on the weather can take your attention off of the road and surrounding traffic.
• Secure any items in your vehicle that may roll around. You may be tempted to reach for them while you’re driving.
• Don’t use your cellphone or a hands-free device while driving. If you absolutely must contact someone, pull over to the side of the road first.