5 tips to improve your mental health.
We all know the importance of keeping our bodies fit and eating right. Those are values that are instilled in us everyday with the perceptions created in media.
What about your mental health? How often do you see a focus on that?
For every commercial or program that you see displaying a model who is in very good shape or eating what seems to be a salad of super foods, how much is mental health brought up?
It is true that in recent years there has been a huge increase in drawing attention to keeping your mind healthy, but our lives are so filled with responsibilities, goals, media influence etc. that it is easy to forget when we are already thinking about so many other things.
We need to keep our mind , ironically, at the front of our thoughts with the other things we consider “important”, instead of behind.
To help, here are 5 tips to improve your mental health and have a healthy mind.
Relaxation Exercises
Avoid feeling overwhelmed when you feel like you have too much on your plate.
Like previously said, our lives are busy. Very, very busy. In the fast pace of things we often forget to take time to ourselves.
So stop. Take a few minutes to yourself so you can practice just relaxing for a change.
Try some of these options if you don’t know here to start;
- slowly count to 10
- Practice deep and slow breathing
- Meditate
- yoga
Brain Foods
Just like the body, it is very important to feed your brain with the right nutrients to keep it functioning at peak performance.
So remember that your diet is a very understated part of your overall health. Yes it keeps you in shape physically, but also plays a big role in mental health as well.
There are plenty of dietary supplements and so called “brain foods” that you can introduce into your diet. Do your research to know what you would like to try, but as a good starting point you can try including seafood which contain Omega 3 Fatty acid, or for something a little sweeter try dark chocolate which has strong antioxidants and has been linked to better brain health.
Reduce Surrounding Negativity
Having emotional support in times of sadness is vital in making a comeback to happiness. Being and feeling alone can potentially make your feelings worsen.
So just as it is important to bring positivity into your life, it is just as critical to take out the negativity.
Someone who cares about you has the ability to bring you out of a rut by showing you one person, of many, who can give you a shoulder to lean on when the going gets tough. When you don’t have the energy to do things, the desire to keep going, having somebody else that loves you and is willing to pull you along through the grime of sadness and into better times is beyond valuable .
A person who is negative can dig you a deeper hole. Worsen your sadness and kill your good vibes.
Pick and choose who you have around you, they have a big impact on your emotions!
And as always, if you are ever feeling depressed you can seek help!
Exercise
A good deal of folk despise working out, getting tired, sweaty, dirty. How could this possibly improve your mental health if you are one of the people who just don’t enjoy a lot of exercise?
First of all, dont quit until you see the results. If you are not happy with them then you dont have to continue. You will never know until you try.
Second, exercise has big positive effects on your mental state.
It helps you feel good about yourself and keeps a feeling of accomplishment. It influences the release feel-good hormones and increases oxygen flow to the brain. There are several other benefits and that is the reason exercise is a sure fire way to improve your brain’s health.
Whether you decide to get a gym membership or work out at home, get that sweat going and you should see benefits.
Put The Plan In Motion
After you’ve done the research, made whatever decisions needed to be made, and created a plan towards better mental health, there is one more crucial step:
Go ahead and start your plan, embark on your journey!
Procrastination takes new victims everyday. You can have high goals and aspirations but they will never be accomplished if you don’t stay motivated don’t put in the work that needs to be done.
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How do you take care of your mental health? Share in the comments below.