How to Improve your Mental Health

Your mental health is just as important as the overall health of your body, in fact, it’s important to have a healthy state of mind if you want to start making changes in your life. Achieving the perfect well-being is not as simple as thinking happy thoughts, but it’s a start. Seeking professional psychological help is also an option but here are a couple of steps that you can take on your own.

Think Positive

Research states that the way you think about yourself is important in understanding how you feel about yourself, and that has something to do with your mental health. If you see yourself as someone who isn’t worth anything, then that will be exactly how you feel about yourself. Think better of yourself so that you will feel better about yourself. Think about what you can do instead of focusing on what you cannot do. Empower yourself by treating yourself better. Practise loving yourself and stop yourself from thinking that you aren’t a person who deserves to be happy.

Make a List of Things that you are Grateful for.

Being thankful works hand in hand with feeling contented. Little achievements here and there is better than nothing at all. Start being grateful about the things that  you have and stop thinking about regret and things that you don’t have. Feeling happy means feeling satisfied about the things that are going on with your life at the moment and try not to worry all the time.

Focus on One Thing at a Time

Feeling pressured is one of the things that affect our overall well-being. Focus on one thing at a time and do your best at it as opposed to handling several things at a time and only achieving mediocre results, not being satisfied will only lead to frustration.

Exercise

You’ve probably heard about how exercise can make people happy, it is not just a theory, it has scientific data. During exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These are happy chemicals that can relieve stress and boost a person’s mood. Being physical can also lessen the effects of depression and anxiety. Try to include 30 mins. of exercise to your daily life, preferably outdoors so can appreciate the beauty of the world. Start small like walking or biking to your destinations and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Eat and Drink Well

Your body’s health depends on what you eat and it affects how we feel as well, this is why the term “stress eating” exists because a lot of people do feel better after eating a hearty meal. In moderate amounts, carbohydrates increases serotonin, a chemical that has a calming effect on you mood and foods that are rich in protein increases dopamine, norepinephrine and tyrosine, chemicals that can boost a person’s mood and help you stay alert. Fruits and vegetables are filled with nutrients that feed the cells of your body including the brain, which is responsible for transmitting these mood regulating chemicals. That also goes to show that drinking water as well improves your mental health condition.

Open Up to Someone

Friends aren’t only supposed to be there during the good times, they should help you feel better about yourself during your low points too. Surround yourself with good people that you trust and try to tell them how you feel inadequate or lost sometimes, a listening ear is something everybody needs.

Do Something Good for Someone Else

Build up your self-esteem by being a good person with a kind heart and doing something good for somebody else. This will help you and the person you are helping feel better about yourselves, and who knows, maybe the person you helped needs it more than you do. So start being a bigger person.

Take a Break

When everything feels too much for your brain to handle, there is no shame in taking a step back and walking away. Do something else or take a break until you feel better. Do some breathing exercise or start meditating to stop the pressure from eating away at your state of mind.

Sleep on Time

Research states that sleep deprivation has drastic effects on a person’s mood. Having a good night’s sleep will help you feel happier. Start going to bed at the same time every night to build up a routine and make sure you refrain from doing other activities on your bed other than sleep alone.

Start Now

No matter what others may think you need, if you feel like you need a bit of help, professional or otherwise, do what you think will be best. Don’t do something you don’t want to do except pushing yourself to a healthier mental state of mind.