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5 ways to get more out of Foundations

Get the scoop on how to make the most of Foundations' mental wellbeing tools.

Hey you! If you’re reading this post, we guess you’re already using (or are at least pretty interested in using) Foundations to support your mental wellbeing.

So…warmest of welcomes! We’re really happy to have you here as a guest on our blog and can’t wait to tell you more about the app and how it can help you work towards a more balanced mental wellbeing.

Our team of mental health experts has created a variety of evidence-based tools and resources to help you build resilience and handle stress. We hope that for you (like thousands of others) Foundations will become a source of support on good days and bad.

How to use Foundations to work on your mental wellbeing

So what are some things Foundations can help me with?

1. Drift off to sleep.

Need help getting back to dreamland? Try our NAVY technique to help you sleep—originally designed to help pilots get to sleep in a hurry, even while sitting up, it’s one of our most popular sleep audios. Or fall asleep to soothing nature sounds with any one of Foundations’ Relaxing sounds for sleep.

Still recovering from last night’s not-so-great sleep session? Get 9 tips from a Foundations neuroscientist (yours truly) in our blog post on How to bounce back after a bad night’s sleep.

2. Unwind at the end of the day.

Do you have trouble disconnecting when it’s finally time to log off? Breathe deep and leave your workday behind in 2 minutes flat with 4-7-8 breathing to unwind—deep breathing has been shown to reduce stress and anxious thoughts. Or learn to let go of tension in your body in just 8 minutes with Progressive muscle relaxation.

Want to find out more about deep-breathing? Check out our blog post, How five minutes of this breathing exercise can make a big difference.

A person stands in the middle of a green field of grass looking at the sky.

Clay Banks via @​Unsplash

3. Build better habits.

Making changes, even for the better, can be challenging. Foundations is here to lend a hand. Programs like 5 steps to being mindful and best-selling author and renowned happiness expert Professor Paul Dolan’s The pleasure-purpose principle are designed to help you build positive habits (like thinking in a more balanced way, and being more present in the moment) that support your mental wellbeing.

On the fence when it comes to the purported benefits of mindfulness? Read 4 Evidence-based reasons to start practicing mindfulness now, from a psychiatrist on the Foundations team.

4. Learn to challenge your thoughts.

Give yourself some much needed mental space by learning how to keep unhelpful thoughts in check with techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in Foundations’ Challenge your thoughts program. By learning to identify unhelpful thoughts, and record them in your Foundations Thought record you can work towards balancing your thinking.

Feeling unsure about working with your thoughts with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? Get familiar with the basics (and the benefits) of this family of techniques in 6 Things you didn’t know about CBT (and can use to handle stress).

5. Start a gratitude practice.

It’s not as easy as it sounds (especially during difficult times), but science shows that being grateful can help you feel better (physically and mentally)...but, you’ve got to make it a regular part of your routine. Learn how to move your focus to what’s good with our Take steps to more positive thinking program. Or use our Ending the day with gratitude audio (6 minutes) to separate your busy day from your evening as you reflect on what you’re thankful for.

For more on gratitude and a world-famous scientist who practised it (despite rather difficult circumstances), check out our blog post Choosing gratitude in difficult times.

Is working on my wellbeing worthwhile?

Working on your mental wellbeing is without a doubt, hard work. But we can help make it easier, and we promise, it’s well worth any time you can invest. Even a few minutes, a few times a week can make a difference.

None of the above catch your attention? You can also begin by exploring Foundations’ library, stocked with quick activities to support you right away, and longer programs to walk you through evidence-based techniques you can incorporate into your mental wellbeing toolkit.

Wherever you start, give yourself margin and time to experiment. Take away what resonates with you, and leave what doesn’t.

We hope to see you around the app soon! Have a question or comment about what you’ve tried so far? Send us an email at foundations@koahealth.com​.