Five Ways to Keep your Mental Health in Check
Mental health is an issue that is still fraught with stigma, even in this day in age. Some of you may come from the ‘walk it off’ generation or have parents from then, at least. It is, however, not something that can be walked off, although, that helps. Mental health disorders can often be crippling for the sufferers and there’s a whole myriad of conditions that may arise. So tune in and stay happy.
1. Eat Well
We all know that what we put into our bodies is very important for maintaining physical health but we often neglect our minds in the matter. Our brains need a variety of valuable nutrients to stay healthy, just like all the other organs in our bodies.
You guys all know what makes up something healthy; make sure you’re eating lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, cereals and whole grains, oily fish, and dairy. Healthy unsaturated fats are essential to keeping your brain in check.
2. Stay Active.
We know, there are just those days that you want to cuddle up in bed with the latest Netflix series that you may or may not be binge watching, but for some those days are more regular than not.
Exercise is so so important, even if it’s the last thing you feel like doing. Regular exercise releases endorphins that keep your brain brimming with happy thoughts, it improves self esteem, and helps you focus and sleep better. It doesn’t have to be a full-bore sweat session either. Going for a half hour walk in the outdoors will make you feel better, we promise.
Tip: try and keep it mindful. Paying attention to the breeze, the smells and sounds around you will get your mind away from focussing on those niggly thoughts in the back of your mind and will help you appreciate your surroundings.
3. Get Away From it All
No, we don’t mean lock yourself in your room. This one is especially aimed at all you city slickers. The hustle and bustle of life can be overwhelming at times, we get it and you’re not the first person to ever feel stressed by their environment.
Take a weekend away. Book a holiday home in a remote location or pitch a tent somewhere. It’s so easy to neglect your roots and although it may not seem like it sometimes, us humans are supposed to be out there in nature.
Being somewhere where it gets truly dark at night time without the glare of streetlights, is quiet, calm, and most importantly star-gazeable is super important. You’ll thank yourself at the end of it.
4. Avoid Alcohol
This one might not be too popular but it is really important. Sometimes the ole vino can act as a crutch, a way of blanking out certain feelings that hit a little close to home sometimes.
You probably already know this but alcohol is not good for you, physically or mentally. Yes, it might make you feel better in the moment but you’re not going to love yourself the next day. Every man and his dog can comprehend how depressive a hangover can be.
We’re not saying don’t drink, just keep it to a glass instead of the whole bottle, huh?
5. Talk to Someone
This one can be really hard, we know this. Telling someone that you’re not okay can be one of the most anxiety riddled things in the world. Keeping open lines of communication will help you form healthy and constructive ways of dealing with feelings that may feel overwhelming at best, though.
When you’re in a real slump, it’s easy to believe that people don’t care about you or that the way you’re feeling is insignificant or ‘not that bad’ but you should never feel that way. We cannot stress this one enough, it may sound cringe but you are important and you do matter.
So, keep trucking along. It's probably not your fault if you're not feeling the best mentally. Sometime's the chemicals in our brains work against us for unknown reasons. Just take it easy and don't be too hard on yourself.