Your mental health, which includes your emotional, psychological and social well-being, is just as important as your physical health — in fact, they are interlinked. That means the best ways to improve your mental well-being include improving your physical well-being.
The Best Ways to Improve Your Mental Well-Being
When you have good mental health, you are more resilient and can cope better with life’s challenges, have healthy relationships, feel more connected and contribute to your community. Below are a few different habits to improve your mental health.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your overall well-being, including your mental health. Sleep helps us mend, recover and heal. At a typical psychiatrist’s office, 50-80% of patients had sleeping issues in comparison to 10-18% of the general population.
Chronic sleep deprivation can become part of a vicious cycle — the less sleep you get, the more it makes you vulnerable to mental health issues. When you have a certain mental illness, you can also suffer from insomnia.
If you’ve dealt with sleep deprivation or insomnia, make sure you’re getting good rest by improving your sleep hygiene. Sticking to a regular sleep schedule, limiting your screen time at night, keeping caffeine for the morning and early afternoon, and only taking power naps that are 20 to 30 minutes long can help you improve your mental health.
Eat Nutritious Foods
On top of eating healthier, take time to examine how foods make you feel. For example, try to eat clean without any processed foods or sugar for two to three weeks and see how you feel. You may find that you feel better, both emotionally and physically.
Eating healthier can also help your brain function better, and studies show a correlation between the consumption of refined sugar with worsening brain functioning and mood disorder symptoms. If you choose one thing to try to improve your mental health when it comes to your diet, cut back on sugar.
Move Your Body
Most guidelines recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every day. Exercise helps us feel good thanks to the release of “feel good” hormones such as endorphins. Exercise also helps us relieve stress, sleep better and keep our memories sharp.
Try to vary your physical activity, but it can just start with walking around the block, parking farther away or taking the stairs at work.
Spend Time Outside
When you go for a walk around the neighborhood, you also get to enjoy being outdoors. Spending time outside can instantly lift our mood. Find a park or some walking trails or tend to your garden or yard. No matter what it is, find your favorite way to connect with nature.
Taylor Counseling Group Is Here to Help
If you’re looking for more good mental health tips and other kinds of support, Taylor Counseling Group is here to help. Schedule an appointment to meet with one of our counselors for more personalized care today.
