5 Effective Ways To Improve Your Mental Health

Good mental health is an important part of our overall health. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood to adolescence. According to World Health Organization (WHO), “Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realize his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community”.¹

Unfortunately, mental health is an ignored aspect of our everyday life. And mental health problems are actually very common, even young children show early warning signs of mental health concerns. According to a scientific study, about 25% of all US adults have a mental illness and usually, 50% of US adults will develop at least one mental illness during their lifetime.²

Mental health is as important as physical health in the workplace and in social settings. Flexing your emotional muscles is crucial to remain resilient and healthy in everyday life. Taking good care of your mental health can boost your mood, self-confidence, and can add a positive effect to your overall enjoyment of life.

So, here are the 5 effective ways to improve your mental health.

5 Effective Ways To Improve Your Mental Health

1. Be Self-Compassionate

We live in an incredibly busy world. Our pace of life is fanatic. Our society demands our time like never before. We have tons of responsibilities and commitments. This hectic life schedule often put a constant pressure on our mental (and physical) health and we often complain that we did not get enough time for ourselves.

Yes! It is a common occurrence and we all had same emotions in our everyday life – but if you want to improve your mental health – it is must to have self-compassion.³ It is one of the most critical aspects of our life. How do you perceive yourself? How do you talk about yourself? And how do you represent yourself? Eventually, this becomes the reality for you. It is a must to give same kindness and care to yourselves that you give to a good friend. If you don’t love, cherish, and value yourself, then it is unlikely that you will dedicate time and energy to living a healthy, happy, and productive life.

So, for improving the mental health, it is must to:

• Value yourself; treat yourself with kindness and respect.
• Avoid self-criticism.
• Plan realistic goals in your life.
• Always try to take out some quality time for yourself.
• Focus or develop a hobby, do whatever you want to do.

2. Adopt A Healthy Lifestyle

Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes:

• Eating a healthy, nutritious, and balanced meal with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. A healthy diet will help to keep your immune system and you will be better able to cope up with routine stress.
• Exercising regularly has numerous benefits for our physical as well as mental health. It increases the level of serotonin and endorphin (feel good hormones) and helps in decrease the depression, anxiety, and stress. It also helps in improving mood.
• Getting enough sleep. Lots of mental illnesses are often associated with sleep deprivation. Maintain an ideal temperature of the room, practice a calming sleep routine such as read a good book, take a bath, and meditate for a few minutes.
• Keeping a check on your mental stress level.

3. Practice Gratitude

“I have a bike but I want a car”, “His salary is much higher than mine”, “I want to buy a big house”, etc… are some examples of common wishes. We always have these kinds of higher ambitions and endless expectations from life. It is all right to have plans, desires, and ambitions but having a self-contentment is equally important. Life is much better when we acknowledge the brighter side. Expressing and practicing gratitude always help in improving mental well-being. Most of us often forget to be grateful for various blessings that God has given us.

According to Mental Health America, tracking gratitude and achievements with a journal is a good idea to get started.⁴ Including 3 things you were grateful for and 3 things you were able to accomplish each day – will help you develop a sense of gratitude for your blessings and also improve your overall mental health.

4. Learn Stress-Relieving Techniques

According to National Institute of Health, everyone feels stressed from time to time.⁵ Every type of demand or stress such as work, school, personal and professional commitments, major life changes, or traumatic events can be stressful. And this stress affects our mental health. Along with poor mental health, continued stress may contribute to more serious health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease etc… Unfortunately, we cannot change circumstances but we can prepare ourselves better for handling those tough moments. Here is the list of some well-known stress relieving strategies:

• Again regular exercise, even a simple 30 minutes walking per day can help you to reduce stress and boost mood.
• Explore stress-relieving programs such as tai-chi, meditation, yoga, and gentle breathing exercise. According to National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, relaxation techniques often combine breathing and focused attention on pleasing thoughts and images to calm the mind and the body.⁶ A scheduled time for these and other relaxing activities always help in improving the mental health.
• Take a nature’s walk, nature has amazing healing power. Being close to nature is the easiest way to get de-stressed.
• Talk to your family, friends, and stay connected with the people who understand your sentiments and help you in recovering from low days.
• Practice mindfulness. The true treasure of life lies in sweet, tiny moments. So try to stay in moments, forget unnecessary worries and anxieties, and enjoy the true essence of life.

5. Ask For Help, Go To A Therapist

Talking about your issues and problems out loud can be very helpful. Just like you see a doctor for physical illness, apply the same for mental illness. If things are getting too much for you and you feel you cannot cope, do not hesitate to take a professional help. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and addiction and lead happy, rewarding lives.

Additional Tips

• Surround yourself with positive people.
• Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else.
• Break the monotonous routine by doing simple changes – such as – go to a different park or try another cuisine for dinner.
• Work on your strength to build self-confidence and courage.
• Keep an optimistic approach towards life.
• Take the help of creativity (coloring, drawing, and writing) to get de-stressed.
• Take time to laugh, laughter is the best medicine. It reduces routine aches, pain, and anxiety level.
• Use social media wisely. Get disconnected time to time to avoid constant mental pressure.
• Spend some time in the sunshine to get enough vitamin D (It is believed to be a mood elevator).
• Practice forgiveness.
• Enjoy a relaxing bath or spa to relieve stress.
• Avoid alcohol, smoking, or other drugs.

So these are some incredibly effective ways to improve your mental health.