PYM-Founder & Mental Health Advocate Zak Williams On Rest And Routine
In this guest post from Zak Williams, co-founder & CEO of PYM, he shares a little more about his own mental health journey after the death of his father – late acting legend Robin Williams – and how sleep forms part of his daily mental health routine.
Bearassentials
In search of a natural way to support mental health, Zak Williams and his wife Olivia, dug into the research behind botanical adaptogens. The end result was the creation of a safe, delicious and supportive anxiety and stress relief product called PYM.
PYM Mood Chews target the body’s hormone levels to help manage feelings of anxiety and stress.
In this post, Zak shares a little more bit about his personal mental health journey and how he incorporates rest into his mental health routine to feel his best self.
Did you know?
The amino acid GABA is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter in the brain that can support anxiety relief and help elevate mood.
After my dad took his life in August of 2014, my anxiety went into overdrive. I found myself depressed, anxious, traumatized and was having issues coping with daily life. As I went about trying to heal and piece my life back together, I found myself trying to treat the chronic stress and anxiety I experienced with alcohol and cannabis products.
These band-aids left me numb and disconnected. I was nowhere near happy and definitely not feeling like the best version of myself. So, I stopped self-medicating and got sober. But even with this big step, I still didn’t feel like my best self.
My mind needed something to bring itself back into focus. Through diving into the research, I discovered that there are a wealth of botanical adaptogens and amino-acid complexes that help recalibrate our bodies and brains so they can heal themselves. Through that exploration, I finally found a group of compounds that actually made me feel OK, made me feel normal, and helped me not just get through the day but actually thrive. As a result, I asked myself why nobody knew of these compounds and why they were so hard to find.
I spent the next two years working with my wife Olivia, innovating on compounds, taste, bioavailability, and accessibility to create a safe, natural, delicious, and most importantly, supportive anxiety and stress relief product.
As a result, I launched PYM in 2020 – a year that greatly challenged the mental health communities throughout the world. PYM Prepares Your Mind to produce the naturally occurring neurotransmitters that help you feel like yourself again through using the PYM Mood Chews.
PYM is focused on how what you put in your body can positively support your body and help you feel like your best self. We talk a lot about what we do daily to affect our hormone levels to improve our moods. Amino acids and adaptogens in PYM target the body’s hormone levels to manage feelings of stress and anxiety. In addition to that, we also advocate for and believe in practicing mental hygiene routines to get the full effects.
As a mental health advocate, I believe in solutions that work for the individual while sharing personal successes to help others. I try to maintain my psychological well-being through various means. My mental health routine is a mix of relieving stress, getting adequate rest, and orienting towards gratitude and appreciation throughout the day. Gratitude especially helps me refocus and dive back into what’s important.
I start my day with gratitude lists, meditate when I can throughout the workday and give myself a break before bed to be mindful with my family.
Overall, rest is essential for me to recharge. I take some PYM and sneak in a 20-minute power nap here and there when I need it. Getting that little bit of extra rest and grounding can be a fantastic pick-me-up for my productivity.
Having a solid nighttime routine is important for me to have restful sleep, so I prioritize a nightly ritual to set myself up for success. After we finish work, my wife and I will cozy up on the couch and relax with either a movie or a book. Then, when it’s time to wind down for sleep, I drink water, take supplements, stretch, and wash my face before lights out. This helps set me up to improve the quality of my sleep despite potential stressful life factors.
My mental health journey has continued to be just that – a journey. In addition to taking PYM Mood Chews, I have continually adapted my own mental health routine. Rest is an intricate part of my mental health as I find calming my mind at night can positively affect my mood the next day. Knowing my mental health state can also affect my sleep, it’s important to me to make it a priority.
In general, I have found that a number of factors can play into overall improved mental health and sleep. Prioritizing strong relationships and connecting with friends and family, following a healthy diet, and immersing myself in nature are all things that have a positive impact on me. Having opportunities to share, especially in settings such as therapy and community support groups, is also a high priority for my personal wellbeing. It’s important to find the key factors that improve your mental health and prioritize them to set yourself up for success.
