How much have you thought of your mental health today? Sure, you’ve thought about your physical health. You’re easily reminded of it every time you look in the mirror. On the other hand, mental health probably doesn’t cross your mind very often.
It should, especially if you want to thoroughly enjoy life. If you’re young, you’ve probably experienced peer pressure. But you may not have entered the work force yet, where additional pressures can negatively affect you. The task of performing at your peak day after day is another ballgame altogether. All these pressures can take a toll on your mental health. That makes it important to perform key actions that will help solidify your mental health.
Sleep On Schedule
I know — work and school can be tough. Sleep becomes the scapegoat. Well that’s one of the worst things you can do. Lack of sleep will only hasten the decline of your mental health. If you’ve ever had a poor night’s sleep, you know the negative affect it has on your mood and performance. It makes every bad situation much worse. As much as possible, strive for at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Go to bed at a time that leaves you enough hours for rest. Nobody likes a grouch in the morning.
Spend Time Outdoors
Did you ever notice that when things get overwhelming, we are drawn to the beauty of the outdoors? As it turns out, Mother Nature knows best. Spending more time outdoors results in improved mental health. When you feel like you need a break, there’re no better place to take it than outside. Plus, a leisurely walk outdoors can reduce stress, and boost your endorphin levels, both key to keeping a level head.
Love And Be Loved
A fairly common trait among depression sufferers is the feeling that they are alone in the world. This could stem from many things, but it’s often related to some form of rejection, or not fitting into socially accepted norms.
Maybe you have a sibling who seems to be your parent’s clear favorite. Or maybe you just went through a bad break up. Get a dog! Dogs are undoubtedly, (okay, not starting a dog vs. cat war here!), the most loving companion you can ever have. Of course, I’m not advocating that you forego human companions, (tempting as that may be, at times), but pets can be great.
Laugh Heartily
Someone once equated laughter with exercise, since they are both so good for your mental and biological health. Though laughter can’t replace exercise, it is quite important. Laughter, like exercise, reduces stress hormone levels and elevates endorphins, those mood elevating neurochemicals so crucial to our mental health. So when things look gloomy, find something to laugh about.
Exercise
No list of actions that promote mental health would be complete without including exercise. After all, exercise is the fix to many things that ail us. That includes mental disease. Endorphins help optimize your mental health. They also aid in warding off chronic lifestyle conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. While these diseases can negatively affect the brain itself, they can inadvertently contribute to poor mental health, either from exacerbating stress, or by negatively affecting brain chemistry.
Conclusion
Don’t take your mental health state for granted. Sure, many people have never grappled with depression or any other form of mental illness, but some could have been diminished, or even avoided, with a little preventive action.
For more about your brain, and what to do for optimal brain and mental health, click HERE.
