Mental health is an essential aspect of health since it encompasses the individual’s psychological, emotional, and social well-being. As people become more educated, they need to understand how to enhance and improve mental health. Below you are going to find 10 easy and effective tips to improve your mental health.
10 Tips to improve your mental health
Here are the top 10 easy tips to improve your mental health:
1. Prioritize Social Connections
Family and friends are warm sources that can boost your mental health and possibly decrease stress. This perhaps especially so where communication is done on the face-to-face basis. In a particular study, it was examined that people with good social relations have a 50% higher tendency to live longer.
2. Stay Active
Exercise is known to have a positive impact on the physical health of a person ; but this is not different from its effects on the health of the brain. Which you will agree is effective in reducing stress, in enhancing memory as well as in improving the quality of sleep. According to WHO, for adults, the recommended activity level is moderate aerobic activity of at least 150 minutes per week.
3. Get Enough Sleep
This helps to ensure that the body and the mind are at par with each other to help in the course of fending for itself and other equally important issues that are vital for the health of an individual as well as the mental wellbeing of an individual.
Checkout: 8 Surprising Health Benefits of Getting More Sleep
A study concluded that individuals who slept for less than six hours per night were twice as likely to experience heart attacks as those who slept for a normal 8 hours. They are 5 times more likely to report frequent mental distress compared to those who slept longer. Adults should try to get between 7-9 hours of healthy sleep per night.
4. Eat a Healthy Diet
Food and nutrition influence the psychological and emotional states of a person. Deer et al further described various foods that improves the brain; Omega-3 fatty acids foods like salmon and antioxidant foods like blueberries. Spice and coffee should be avoided because they cause negative impacts on anxiety and depression.
5. Practice Gratitude
Analysis of the above points shows that it is very important to pause and reflect on the positive experiences in everyone’s life as a way to enhance well being and improve mental health. A research done by Roberts and Otto showed that taking time to write down what one is thankful for magnifies the feeling of contentment. Research revealed that the act of positively focusing on what you have to be thankful for can cause up to 10% improvement of one’s well-being.
6. Limit Social Media
Researchers found out that social networks are closely connected with anxiety and depression when used in large amounts. It is encouraged to minimize the time you spend using a computer and instead do things that make you joyful. Studies say that cutting down social media can be beneficial to a person’s mental health after weeks of trial.
7. Engage in Relaxation Techniques
Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing are regarded as some vital practices that have the ability to decrease stress levels and even improve mental health. They are useful in unleashing some sort of relaxation techniques that in-effect assist in clearing your mind. For instance, Mindfulness meditation can reduce the stress level by 20%.
8. Find Purpose and Meaning
Having a purpose in your life is a good thing to boost your mental health. Participate in activities that can make you feel useful and provide purpose like donating your time to help or mastering a new skill. In this case, having purpose in life increases one’s resilience and minimizes the risk of having depression.
9. Connect with Nature
It is also understood that going out into nature and spending time outside can be beneficial in enhancing your mental well being. The effect of nature exposure is conducive in stress control, enhancement of mood and overall health. A research showed that a mere twenty-minute walk through a park will get you into a happier state of mind.
10. Seek Professional Help
If you are experiencing issues concerning mental health, it is advisable to seek professional assistance. Cognitive behavioral solutions or by a prescription of drugs are among the ways of treating mental disorders. In the past year, it was identified that 19% of the adult population was treated for mental health illnesses as confirmed by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Conclusion
The process of overcoming mental disorders and improve mental health is complex and embraces different methods. It shows that by focusing on social relations, physical activity, sleep, diet, thankfulness, limiting time on social networks, relaxation, and finding personal meaningfulness, as well as turning to professionals if necessary, one can improve his/her mental well-being and quality of life.
Just be aware that even the smallest of alterations can have a significant impact. Introduce one or two tips at a time and increase the number of tips that you are applying over time. Remember, the value of your mental health is well worth the effort.
