Looking after your mental health isn’t something you should only focus on when things are getting tough and you’re feeling low.
Mental health is important all the time.
Not only does good mental health make us feel better in ourselves, it can also help us sleep better, function better, have a more positive outlook on life and build stronger relationships.
Having good mental health doesn’t always mean it’s sunshine and rainbows though. You can still have good mental health but still have a bad day… That’s ok.
But when you have poor mental health and these bad days occur regularly, that’s when it can start having a negative effect on your life.
Everyone handles mental health differently and not all tips to improve mental health are suited to everyone. It’s important to consider what’s best for you and what you feel comfortable with.
The most important thing is to not compare yourself to anyone else. Mental health-wise or not, everyone deals with things differently and at their own pace. So don’t worry if someone seems to be moving at a quicker pace than you.
Take your time and focus on you.
Here are five tips to improve mental wellbeing.
1. Improve your sleep
Sleep plays a big part on our health, not only physical but mental health too. Therefore it’s incredibly important that we get enough sleep to function properly and take care of our minds and bodies.
The best way to do this is by getting into a routine. Take time to wind down before bed time and don’t use any blue light devices such as phones or laptops during this time unless they have the ‘night time’ setting. Blue light makes it more difficult for you to fall asleep and it can also affect the quality of the sleep you’re getting.
Make your room the perfect ‘sleep zone’. Ideally the bedroom should be cool and dark. If your room doesn’t get dark enough you can invest in a pair of blackout curtains or an eye mask. Pillow sprays are also great for helping you drift off to sleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, making sure there’s no time for bed-time thoughts and anxiety.
2. Socialise
Spending time with friends and family not only improves your mood but also helps take your mind off negative thoughts. Socialising in 2020 hasn’t been the easiest, but a phone call, FaceTime or a socially distanced walk can make all the difference and can turn your mood around.
If you feel comfortable, discussing how you feel with someone can help take a weight off your shoulders and can sometimes help you see things from a different perspective. Alternatively, chatting about something completely different and having a laugh can improve your mood significantly.
And as the saying goes ‘Laughter cures all’… this is more true than you think. When you laugh, your brain releases chemicals which improve your mood and makes you feel better. So make sure you make time to laugh with friends and family and watch everyone’s mood perk up!
3. Eat Well
We all know a balanced diet is important for our physical health, but did you know it’s also important for mental wellbeing too? Deficiencies in certain vitamins can have an impact on our mood so make sure to eat a balanced diet.
Balanced is the key word - it doesn’t mean you have to cut out junk food or remove certain food groups from your diet. Just being more conscious of what you put in your body can help in the long run. Alcohol and caffeine can also affect your mood so cutting down on those is really important. This will also improve sleep quality too.
4. Take Time For You
Taking time for yourself is super important. Whether that’s running a hot bubble bath and popping on a face mask, or sitting on the sofa reading a book, do something that you enjoy. If you have a dog, take it on a walk and enjoy the fresh air.
5. Mindfulness
Practising mindfulness can help massively with mental wellbeing. There are endless things you can do that are ‘mindful’, the most obvious being meditation. The act of sitting and learning to be present in the moment, removing all distractions can really help when it comes to controlling your thoughts on a day-to-day basis.
Meditation doesn’t have to be done sitting cross legged indoors either. Try taking a long walk outside and practise being in the moment. Vitamin D from sunlight can also boost your mood, but don’t forget to wear SPF.
