29 Oct Mental Health Tips
When it comes to mental health tips that work, it’s often about finding the right balance that works best for you. Some common tips that have shown to be effective for most people include making positive changes to your diet, exercise routine, sleep habits and reducing stress where you can.
Just recently was Mental Health Awareness Week. The aim of the week is to provide the population with awareness about mental health, as well as reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues. Unfortunately, there is no wonder pill to just stop mental health conditions, and it can affect anyone at any time. In saying this, we can live a lifestyle that helps keep us perform and help us feel our best.
Diet- it is becoming more and more prevalent how much our diet really affects our body. The most obvious effects are on our weight, but we’re starting to see a big shift in how our diet affects our mood and mental health. Sounds very simple but by reducing the amount of trans fats, sugar, carbohydrates and alcohol can have a profound effect on our mental health. Eating a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, healthy fats such as avocados, salmon and walnuts can show significant improvements in our weight, our mood and the way we feel daily.
Exercise– we all know how important exercise is for weight management and the positive effects on our muscles and bones. But exercise is just as important for our mental health and wellbeing. Just 30 minutes 3-4 times a week can have a significant impact on the way we feel about ourselves, our mood and stress levels. Start small, whether that be walking every second day, and build your way up.
Sleep- sleep is another factor that we seem to skimp on and not notice the negative impact it is having on our health. When we don’t sleep enough the levels of cortisol rise in our body, turning us to make poor food choices, not notice when we’re actually full to stop eating, and makes us craving foods like biscuits, coffee and cakes. When we have adequate sleep for our body we are mentally alert, our cortisol levels are low and our cognitive function is high. By ensuring you have a good sleep routine, this can reduce the negative impact on our mental health and overall stress on the body.
Reduce stress levels- reducing our daily stress levels and taking time out for ourselves each day is so important for our mental, and overall health. Just 5 minutes to sit still, relax and breathe can work wonders for our mental health. Practice some deep breathing, or just sitting by yourself in a quiet room reading for 15 minutes a day can reduce our stress levels significantly.
Remember mental health does not discriminate, and it can affect anyone at any stage of their lives. Be kind to yourself, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re suffering. Remember to ask loved ones if they’re also okay! Together we can all make a difference.