People think that keeping your mental health on the right track is tricky. They assume that it means months or even years of therapy. Alternatively, they might assume that they need to remove all negative issues in their life that they have heard about in the media. However, this isn’t true. Instead, there are some simple strategies that you can explore to ensure that you remain healthy mentally and avoid some of the common issues. Here are the steps we recommend that you do explore.
Eat The Right Diet
What you eat is paramount when it comes to your mental health. If you eat the wrong foods then it can cause you to experience a massive high and an even bigger low. There are certain foods that can do this, they will make it feel like you are on some sort of drug. Foods that are high in fat and sugar will do this to you, so it is best to avoid these if you are already struggling with your mental health.
If you want to be careful with what you eat then you can speak to a nutritionist, they will give you advice on portion sizes and what is best to consume. It is best to enjoy a healthy, balanced diet. This should consist of all the basic food groups, this includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Ensuring your plate contains an equal amount of these will mean you are eating better than you were before.
Exercise Well
Next, you should think about exercising regularly. Regular exercise has been proven to have a wonderful impact on stress and anxiety. Essentially, with the right workout, you can work off your tension and ensure that you do remain far more calm which is fantastic news.
This is just a case of finding the right type of exercise that provides real benefits. That could be something like running. Or, you could be more adventurous and explore cold water swimming. This can provide benefits to the body as well the mind.
Coping Strategies
It’s worth exploring coping mechanisms that can help you keep your mental health on the right track too. There are lots of examples of coping mechanisms that could prove to be effective. One example would be DBT ACCEPTS. This acronym refers to a type of cognitive behavior therapy which can help you avoid the distractions that are stopping you from solving the issues in your life causing you stress overtime. Sleep Right
Sleep is important for everyone, adults need around six to eight hours a night and the younger ones need slightly more than that. If you are missing out on vital hours of sleep then this can be detrimental for your mental wellbeing. There can be many reasons you are missing out on a few hours of sleep, it could be down to the many thoughts that are swirling around and around in your brain.
Of course, it isn’t just about how much sleep you are getting. It is also about the quality of sleep you get each night. If you are sleeping for eight hours but constantly being woken up then this is not a good quality sleep. Broken sleep means you don’t reach the deep, REM stage of sleep that is needed to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed. There are many reasons you don’t reach this stage. It could be down to children waking you up through the night or an old mattress that is not very comfortable. Ideally, your mattress should be changed every six to ten years.
Downtime
It can often feel these days as though we are constantly on the go and doing something. If you have a busy personal and professional life, you might find yourself with very little downtime. That’s an issue because it means that you never get the time you require to breathe and relax.
The best way to get your downtime is by setting a schedule. By setting a schedule on either a daily or weekly basis you can ensure that you get everything you need done in a good amount of time. This will leave you with the spare time that you need to relax a little more and focus on things that you enjoy or that provide comfort.
Avoid Negative Influences
Finally, you should make sure that you are avoiding negative influences on your mental health where possible. These can take a variety of different forms. One example we have already discussed is diet. But there are also substances that can have a more powerful impact such as alcohol. Most people forget that alcohol is depressant. So, while it might give you a buzz short term, it’s also going to make you feel worse once you’ve finished drinking. That’s why people feel worse the morning after.
Negative influencers can also be people. For instance, you might find that you are struggling with toxic individuals who are playing havoc with your mental health in general. If you are worried about this, you should speak to the individuals in question. Alternatively, you can think about cutting some people out of your life, if you don’t think that they are going to change.
Influences on your mental health can also be triggers that cause you stress and anxiety. While you may not have to avoid these, you should learn how to deal with them effectively.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you can take to improve your mental health or stay on the right track. Remember, you don’t need to radically alter your lifestyle. With these steps, you will see a notable difference with how you think and how you feel. Even just getting the right amount of sleep each night could do wonders for you. Alternatively, no more than 30 minutes of meditation each day or even each week could be enough to help you see a real change. This will also help you avoid relying on meditation to improve how you are feeling.