Building Better Mental Health – 7 Tips to Improve Your Mental Health

Whether at work or school, your degree of productivity greatly depends on your level of mental alertness. In other words, your mental health is everything you are from your thoughts and feelings to your self-esteem and overall performance.

When you’re unable to function well in any part of these, it’s a sign that you need to seek help and address it. So, if this sounds like what you need right now, here are 7 tips to follow to boost your mental health.

1. Table of Contents

   Write Down Your Emotions 

Do you own a journal? If your answer is no, now is definitely a good time to get one. Being aware and staying in control of your current emotions is a powerful means of boosting your mental health. Fortunately, this is where journaling comes in.

According to a study, people with mental illnesses who penned down their thoughts and how they felt 3days in a week for 15 minutes for a period of 12 months experienced fewer symptoms of depression and felt better as their mental health and general well-being greatly improved.

Don’t know how to begin? Start by writing down how your day went, how you responded to certain events or people, what you think you could have done better, and resolve to do so if such a situation should arise again.

This subtle, yet effective act has set many people free from mental battle. It can help you too if you adopt it. So, what are you waiting for? Get that diary and start your journaling journey.

2. Own a Pet 

There’s no exaggeration of the crucial effects a pet has on improving its owner’s mental health.

Pets not only bring joy to their owners but have also been proven to significantly reduce anxiety, depression, and overall health status, almost in an instance. Most pet owners confess to sharing their day with their pets in the absence of no one when they return home. This is especially true if the pet is either a dog or cat.

A good place to start if you truly want to boost your mental health is by getting a dog or cat. Do this and thank us later.

3. Regular Exercise Boosts Mental Health

You’re probably aware of the physical benefits exercise gives, but you may just be surprised to learn the immense mental benefits that also come with it.

Over the years, research has shown that regular exercise as little as 30 minutes per day goes a long way in reducing anxiety, enhancing mood, and improving mental illnesses such as depression.

Regular exercise comes with increase energy level, self-esteem, and good sleep, all of which contribute to daily activeness and productivity.

Want to give your mental health a boost? Incorporate regular exercise into your routine. Start small and remember that you don’t have to always hit the gym to get a meaningful exercise. Just an hour’s walk can do wonders.

4. Take A Break

Virtually everyone’s so busy trying to make money, build businesses, get a degree, or make a name while forgetting the importance of rest as a part of this process. Not only is taking a break once in a while required for maximum rest, but it also helps restore your level of mental productivity thereby boosting your performance, either at work or anywhere else.

Here are examples of what you can do while taking a break to improve your mental health.

• Practice meditation
• Reflect on previous works, both successes, and failures, and plan for the future
• Go on a vacation, or
• Spend time with family only

There are, of course, other interesting stress-free activities you can do for improved mental health, such as playing games you love, going shopping, seeing a movie or two. Whatever you choose to do during your breaks, be sure it’s something mood-boosting that you enjoy and nothing stress-related. Your mental health will thank you for it.

5. Practice Gratitude 

A lot of people invalidate the immense benefits that come with sense of gratitude. It is important to understand that the simple act of saying a genuine ‘thank you’ has a profoundly positive impact on your mental health. How?

Oftentimes, mental illnesses arise from the inability to handle negative emotions. Fortunately, gratitude has the power to undo this because of the positive vibes it carries. What do I mean? Each time you say thank you, you are looking at the bright side of things while neglecting the wrongs.

By learning to appreciate people and things around you, or focusing on the good than the bad, you can begin to see your life in a better way, while overcoming mental illness in the process.

6. Eat Healthily

What is it that they say? Who you are on the outside is a reflection of who you are on the inside. Eating junk foods such as unhealthy snacks, fatty and fried foods have been linked to causing symptoms of depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety.

The remedy? Get yourself veggies, fruits, high fiber foods, more proteins, and fewer fats. Not only will you feel good on the outside, but you’ll also feel a lot better on the inside. And that’s a good sign of improved mental health.

7. Practice The Act of Giving

Random acts of kindness as little as a simple compliment, forgiveness, or a smile towards others can do wonders to your mental health. What’s more, you don’t have to suffer from mental illnesses to start giving. Giving should be a part of your life, the same as everyone else’s.

People suffering from mental illnesses often report that by volunteering in their community for a good cause, they felt better and more fulfilled with their life. It’s simple- the act of doing good for others gives a sense of satisfaction to humans, a good dose for improved mental health.

8. Seek Help

When all said has been done and you still experience no improvement in your mental health, it’s time to seek professional help.

This set of people are well trained and will guide you beyond what this article will.

 

Finally

While your physical health may need good care, your mental health needs a better one and should always come first and be given priority. Should you feel the need to work on your mental health, follow the highlighted tips above. But while you’re at it, remember, there’s no shame in asking for help.