In addition, to have good physical health, we need to maintain our mental health. We will learn in this article the best tips and steps to improve our mental health.
1 Exercising
Exercising releases chemicals in the brain that improve our mood, strengthen our heart and lungs condition, as well as boosts self-confidence, helps focus, relieves stress, improves sleep hours and feelings. It also keeps the brain and other vital organs in good health.
-Did you know that 30 minutes of walking a day can reduce symptoms of depression by 36%?- (Source: Mental Health Foundation).
Daily exercising, even just walking, relieves any tension in our muscles and helps us dispel negative thoughts and fears.
2 Eating healthy food
What we eat and drink has been shown to affect our health, and a healthy balanced diet is necessary for maintaining good physical and mental health.
Tips for a healthy diet to maintain good health:
Eating regular and balanced meals that provide energy for our body and mind and not eating one of the meals leads to fatigue and a lack of focus.
Eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, oily fish, and unsaturated fats (such as olive oil) because they contain essential nutrients to strengthen brain health, such as folic acid, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Keep drinking enough water, as studies show that even minor dehydration can cause fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes.
Avoid drinks that contain a high percentage of sugar and excessive amounts of caffeine because they increase tension and anxiety in some people.
3 Get enough sleep
What we feel can affect our sleep patterns, and in turn, sleep problems affect how we feel physically and psychologically during our waking hours.
During sleep, the muscles relax, and breathing slows, which contributes positively to our mental health.
Sleep disturbance or insomnia affects hormone levels and neurological functions in the brain, impairing thinking and emotional regulation and causing irritability and fatigue during the day.
4 Manage stress
Stress is natural in everyday life, but exposure to it continuously can affect our health. Whatever its causes, we can learn how to reduce stress and manage stress well, including work stress. Take a five-minute break from your usual routine, share lunch with co-workers or do a new activity on the weekend, for example.
A few minutes is enough to get rid of psychological tension and help improve mood.
5 Avoid stimulants
Stimulants such as caffeine, energy drinks, tobacco, and some medications negatively affect our overall health and may contribute to psychological problems in the long term. Therefore, it is better to avoid it permanently or reduce the amount of consumption gradually.
6 Self-acceptance and positive thinking
An essential step in improving wellness is when we accept ourselves and others. We maintain our mental health when we understand that all people are different, and it is obligatory to deal with this difference. We are all different in our thinking, skills, abilities, problems, and qualities. Understanding and appreciating these differences, both for ourselves and with others, helps us build positive relationships. Let's try to identify negative thoughts, replace them with positive ones, and spend more time doing enjoyable activities that occupy our minds positively.
7 Wakefulness
Wakefulness means being more aware of the present moment, like our feelings, thoughts, bodies, and the world around us. Learning wakefulness techniques and relaxation techniques (tools for mental wellness) positively helps change our feelings about life daily and change the way we face challenges.
8 Be social and take care of others and connect with them
Connecting with friends and family makes us feel included and cared for;
People close to us can offer different perspectives on what's going on inside ourselves and help us solve our practical problems, and keep us active and connected to reality. Talking about our feelings and sharing our thoughts with people makes us feel comfort and support, especially in cases of discomfort and stress.
That is another part of taking responsibility for our well-being and supporting those around us to stay healthy.
9 Have fun, learn new skills, and do things you are good at
Doing enjoyable activities helps overcome stress and tension, so making time to do the things we love can perfectly enhance our mental health.
Learning new skills gives us confidence and a sense of accomplishment. This learning can take different forms, such as participating in a training course, playing a musical instrument, a sport, a language, or any interest. When we do something we are good at, we feel successful or satisfied, which improves our self-confidence and appreciation.
10 Ask for help
There is no superhuman, and we all sometimes feel tired or too stressed in our life. But if things get complicated and we find it hard to deal with, it is necessary to seek help from someone we trust or a professional (adapted from 10 Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health, Mental Health UK).