Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and if you’re not taking care of it then you should be. It’s often overlooked, or put on the back burner. Life becomes difficult, your mental health starts to suffer, and you’re leaving yourself in the dust because you just tried to push through it rather than get help.
Understanding how to improve your mental well being is the first step into recovery and better health. Let’s take a look at 10 strategies that you can put in place right now into your routine that will help you to feel better emotionally and mentally.
Explore natural remedies
Mental health struggles can feel overwhelming, and anxiety and depression are right up there with two of the most difficult to deal with. Some people choose to turn to marijuana for anxiety as a natural way to manage their symptoms. Marijuana has shown amazing benefits for some individuals, but as with anything it’s important to approach it thoughtfully and in moderation. There are many other ways that you can alleviate anxiety and promote a healthier state of mind, to. Mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing are all natural remedies that you can use to help you with your mental health.
Move your body regularly
It’s something that is said a million times, but it’s worth saying it again. Exercise is a game changer because it releases happy, feel good hormones into your body. These endorphins boost your mood and help to combat the feelings of depression and anxiety that you’re feeling, and you don’t even have to do too much. A walk around the block, a jog through the park, a yoga session in the morning, or cranking up the music and having a dance party in your living room can all help to get your body moving in a positive way.
Start learning to sleep
It sounds like a ridiculous suggestion. As a grown adult you already know the process of going to sleep and how to do it. Except that if you’re dealing with mental health struggles, there’s every chance that you’re not sleeping right now. One of the easiest ways to improve your mental health is to get enough rest, and that means teaching yourself how to have a sleep routine. As a child, you may have fought against the bedtime routine but it’s time to put one in place now. You need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, so establishing a healthy bedtime routine is important.
Manage your diet better
They say you are what you eat and while food is not medicine it can still help to impact you and how you feel physically and mentally. There are strong links between your diet and your mental health, and being deficient in certain nutrients can impact how you feel. A balanced diet that is more rich in fruits and vegetables and lean proteins is going to help you to support your brain health. Is it going to be a cure for depression? Probably not. But you can start to feel physically better and that can improve your mental health.
Build a supportive network
Everything takes a village and one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health is to surround yourself with good people. You need people who can support you and uplift you, and human connection is essential to your mental health and well being. Take time to nurture relationships and try to be as present and supportive of yourself as possible along the way.
Practise meditation
We mentioned this earlier but it’s always worth another mention. Mindfulness is a good way to learn how to stay present in the moment. Meditation is a form of mindfulness, and it’s been shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress. You don’t have to spend hours doing it to experience the benefits, but just a few minutes every morning and evening can help you to centre your thoughts and create a sense of calm for yourself.
Start putting boundaries in place
If you want to maintain your mental well being it’s important to put boundaries in place. People pleasing by saying yes to everybody else isn’t going to make you feel good about yourself. Boundaries can apply to any area of your life and even how much mental space you allow others to take. Others around you may not like the fact that you set boundaries, but this is your life, and that doesn’t matter.
Pursue a hobby
Engaging in new hobbies or creative activities can be an effective way to help your mental health to improve. Hobbies give you a sense of accomplishment and achievement and that can boost your self-esteem and overall happiness. If you don’t already have a hobby, explore different activities to see what brings you the most joy. You’ll find something that appeases your mind and your body.
Focus on the positives
Practicing gratitude is a good way to help you to learn not to get caught up on what’s going wrong with life. Those rainy days are always followed by sunshine so you have to learn to focus on the sunshine that’s coming.
Get some help
It is perfectly fine to ask for professional help when you need it. There’s nothing shameful in asking for therapy, counselling, or talking to a mental health professional. In fact, it’s one of the best things and the bravest things that you could do for yourself.
Taking the time to take care of your mental health is going to help you to move forward in life. If you don’t look after your mental health, you’re going to find yourself drowning and unable to get back out of a pit. It doesn’t have to be that way, and with the ten tips we’ve listed, we’ve ensured that you are able to push forward in life and not feel so behind or low.
