Improving your wellbeing is as important as improving your physical health and these mental health tips include easy things you can do now to feel better.
While everyone is likely to experience some kind of stress in their life depending on the gravity of a situation, ignoring mental health can lead to more serious issues in the long run. Just like a deteriorating physical health can make someone feel incompetent to perform even the most simple tasks, a high level of stress can reduce your will to do anything.
If you are like me, stress can manifest in very real and physical ways. When have a lot of stress I usually get stomach issues, I stress eat or don’t eat at all and I suffer from headaches. Anxiety can make me feel dizzy and often manifests as pain in my chest and brain fog that doesn’t let me think straight.
I grew up in the 80’s when speaking about stress or anxiety was a sign of weakness, but I have learned that it’s not weak or shameful to talk about mental health but quite the opposite. When I thought about self care and being healthy I used to focus on taking care of my body only. However, I have realized that I can not be physical healthy if I am not taking care of my mind and finding ways to decompress, relax and manage my anxiety. When you think about taking care of your mind the same way you take care of your body the shame goes away. There is no health without mental health and here are some simple lifestyle changes and steps you can take to improve your mental health and you emotional wellbeing.
Mental Health Tips
Mental health issues often escalate and start manifesting as a physical pain which can be alarming. In such situations if the pain persists for a long duration, it is crucial to consult pain management doctors for understanding the root cause of the issue and making informed decisions about your health.
Apart from this, you can adopt the following ideas to protect and strengthen your mental health:
Surround yourself with the right people:
This is of utmost importance as the company you choose greatly impacts your thinking. If you are surrounded by vibrant and cheerful people who always tend to look at the bright things in life, you will eventually find yourself doing the same thing.
Form a community of friends and family whom you can talk to in stressful situations. Knowing you are not alone helps you relax and manage your emotions better. Make sure you nurture these connections rather than just turning to them when you need them.
Stop comparing yourself to others:
This is very common in this age of social media, filters and unrealistic expectations about how you look. Social media often leads us to believe that others have it better and are living amazing lives. This breeds feelings of envy and anxiety which can lead to people devaluing themselves.
Instead of comparing yourself with your peers, try to focus on your strengths and give yourself a positive pep-talk about things that you do well. This will help you develop self-confidence and free you from any negative thoughts you may have about yourself.
Don’t chase perfection:
One of the major reasons for depression is that many of us set unrealistic expectations for ourselves, be it in our personal or our professional life. When these expectations aren’t met, you feel deeply saddened and tend to see yourself in a bad light,
Chasing such expectations or the idea of being perfect in everything that you do can actually do more harm than good. It is important to push yourself to achieve your goals, but try not to be too harsh on yourself when you are not able to do what was planned.
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Focus on your physical health:
Instead of indulging in late night parties and junk food consumption which can cause health issues in the long run learn to honor your body. Taking care of your body means you have to give it the required sleep and nutrition to function properly.
Having a healthy lifestyle can greatly improve your mental health. Exercise has many stress-busting benefits as it enhances your feeling of well-being. Engaging in any kind of physical activity gives you an adrenaline rush that can help decrease stress levels.
Playing sports helps you stay fit and makes you feel active as it releases endorphins. Moreover, engaging in sports increases social interaction which helps elevate your overall mood.
Lately I have been taking NMN powder, NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide). This type of supplement not only has the ability to improve cellular energy but also improves sleep quality and even has potential anti-aging benefits too. This, as well as other supplements, could significantly help to improve your physical health which in turn, will aid your mental wellbeing.
Take a break
Taking a step away from environments that are generating stress and anxiety like work and sometimes even your family, can help you find your way back to balance. Whether it’s going outside for a few minutes after a stressful meeting, taking a weekend trip to the beach or planning a vacation, taking breaks to relax and recharge is so important.
For me traveling is a way to get away from it all and reconnect with the things that make me happy. I find that hopping on a car or a plane and physically leaving those things that stress me behind for a few days works wonders for my mental health and overall wellbeing.
Apart from the above mentioned steps it’s important for you to learn to accept & appreciate what you have in the moment. This practice of gratitude can help you realize that despite the issues you may be facing, there’s probably a lot of things you can be thankful for. This realisation can help keep stress at bay and induce the feeling of happiness.
Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .
When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.
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