10 Best Ways to Improve Your Mental Health

Having a healthy mind is the most essential aspect of our health because it determines the way we think and behave and how we spend our whole life. Even if you don’t have a serious case of depression or stress, it is still important to take good care of your mental health so you can stay positive and make the most of life. Here are 10 simple and practical ways you can use to develop healthy habits for strong mental health.

1. Love Yourself ❤️💙💛

Accept yourself the way you are. Avoid thoughts that make you underestimate yourself and make you feel guilty about anything you did wrong. Sad feelings should never stay for a long period because they bring depression. Forgive yourself for past mistakes and think that no one in this world is perfect so there is no use in dwelling over your mistake as everybody makes them. Give yourself time to heal and take things more lightly. Remember nothing lasts forever, not even your problems. Treat yourself with respect and love, because you’re the one you should love the most in this world!

2. Develop Healthy Relationships 👩🧓🧑

It’s important to connect with people especially those close to you. It will give you the opportunity to share your thoughts and create healthy discussions. Loneliness should be avoided as it causes a negative effect on a person’s mind and makes them vulnerable to self-harm and also substance abuse in extreme cases. You can defeat this feeling of loneliness by sharing your problems with family and friends. Also, it’s completely okay to cry out your emotions sometimes to relieve your burden. Surround yourself with people who bring positivity to your life and avoid relationships that create a toxic effect on your mind.

3. Add Physical Activity to Your Routine ⚽🤿🎾

Research has shown that one of the many benefits of exercise is that it improves mental health. Exercise releases endorphins and serotonin which can elevate your mood. Exercising regularly can reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety and also improves cognitive function. Add exercise to your daily routine even if it’s just 30 minutes walk. There is no need to perform intense workouts all of a sudden.  You can just start with a daily walk or slow pace jogging and it can make you feel more rejuvenated all day.

4. Practice Thankfulness 🙏👏👍

The habit of practising gratitude can hugely impact the way you think. It improves your mental health by reducing stress levels and creating a sense of satisfaction with life. If you ever feel anxious or stressed out over something that didn’t work out your way, think about all the things that worked out well and all the blessings you are grateful towards. Practice this act every day by feeling thankful for all the small things that bring joy in your life. The feeling of thankfulness is the best way to eliminate negative thinking.

5. Be Kind to Everyone 🙌🤝🤛

Research shows that being kind and generous towards others is a great way to boost your mental health as this increases positive feelings and reduce your stress. It also helps you connect with people so you can share your thoughts and listen to theirs too. These could be small acts of kindness such as thanking someone for opening the door for you or also larger ones such as volunteering at a charitable organization.

6. Set New Goals 🏋️‍♀️🥇💰

It is important to have a goal to work towards. Becoming stagnant and not improving yourself is the worst thing ever as it will make you confused and dissatisfied. Having ambition and working towards a goal makes us feel more active and also keep us away from useless thoughts. Make a list of task you want to accomplish in the next few months and make daily targets. Set achievable goals and don’t overburden yourself with too many tasks.

7. Be Creative 🎨🎭📊

Giving time to your favourite hobbies such as painting, gardening, dancing, playing a musical instrument is also a great way to improve your mental health and reduce stress. Make time for some creative projects whenever you get stressed from work. Also, you can try learning to play a new instrument or learn a new language. Learning new skills has also found to improve mental wellbeing as it increases your self-confidence.

8. Maintain a Balanced Diet 🥗🍉🥑

A balanced diet is not just important for our body, but it’s also essential for a healthy mind. Drink enough water every day and add healthy foods to your diet which contain all the essential minerals and vitamins. Lack of some minerals such as iron and vitamin B12 deficiency can negatively affect your mood. Also, avoid the excessive intake of caffeine because it can cause anxiousness and irritated mood.

9. Sleep Well 😴🛌⏰

Not getting enough sleep can make you more prone to emotional and psychological disturbances. Poor sleep habits include: sleeping for only 6 hours or less, waking up many times during the night and falling asleep while using a phone/laptop. Avoid these habits and be sure to take a complete uninterrupted sleep for at least 7 to 9 hours every night as having a good peaceful sleep will provide your body with the rest it requires.

10. Practice Mindfulness 🧘‍♀️🙏😊 

Mindfulness is the best exercise for improving your mental health. When you practice mindfulness, you become aware of the present moment and make peace with your surroundings. This way can fully enjoy each and every moment and let go of the past mishaps. Practising mindfulness can make you more peaceful inside out and you will be able to solve your problems efficiently without feeling stressed or pressured.

The above ways to improve mental health are applicable to every person as well as to people who experience mental health issues. Our mental health is as much important as our physical health and therefore should be taken seriously.

References:

• <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/medical”>Medical vector created by freepik – freepik.com</a>
• https://www.uhs.umich.edu/tenthings
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing/
• https://www.success.com/how-to-improve-your-mental-health/
• Callaghan P. Exercise: a neglected intervention in mental health care?. Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing. 2004 Aug;11(4):476-83.