Mental health is health. It really is as easy as that. Most of us work on keeping our bodies healthy on a daily basis. We see doctors to get preventive examinations and know what to do to keep our bodies as healthy as possible. But what about our minds?
While thinking about writing about how to keep one’s mind healthy I started typing … changes to improve your quality of life … But if there is one thing no one needs, it is another list of things that one needs to improve. Improvement is often connected to the feeling of not being good enough. And that’s not what lifestyle changes should be about. I’d rather think of this list to be useful advice or even better: food for thought. An – incomplete (feel free to add your very own ideas in the comments – list of things that might make one’s life a little less hard. Lifestyle changes are modifications you might make to your everyday routines. Some habits may take time to develop, so try slowly integrating them into your daily life.
- Eat a balanced diet: Cooking can be fun and a well-balanced diet provides all of the energy you need to keep active throughout the day. Food is fuel!
- Practice kindness: Not only do acts of kindness to others have been scientifically proven to make us happier, but we’re also likely to be rewarded back for it. Kindness is contagious.
- Stay active: You don’t need to run a marathon on a daily basis. Staying active is all about appreciating your body and its ability to move. Find something you really enjoy! Physical activity and exercise can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Even 30 minutes a day can make a difference.
- Get enough rest: Find out how much sleep and rest you need to feel your very best and prioritize it. And even if you’re a night owl: Going to bed before midnight also benefits your health.
- Talk to a therapist: Therapy can help to learn about your feelings and how to cope. Therapy also offers a safe place.
- Get checked for nutrient deficiencies
- Limit screen time: A study published in 2018 by the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology looked at how the usage of social media affected the mental health of 143 college students. If these young people showed depressive symptoms at the start of the study, their symptoms decreased after reducing their social media use to just ten minutes per day on each platform (Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat) for three weeks.
- Bond with a pet: A proven way to reduce stress and improve your mood is to pet your dog or cat. If you don’t have a pet, even petting a stuffed animal can give you a mood boost. You might even consider volunteering at your local animal shelter.
Let us know what benefits your mental health!
Sollte es euch nicht gut gehen und solltet ihr akuten Redebedarf haben, ist die Telefonseelsorge jederzeit unter den folgenden Nummern zu erreichen: der + 49 800 1110111 und + 49 800 1110222.
Author: Anna
Photo credits: unsplash.com/Prophsee Journals
