Over the years, mental health has been at the forefront of a lot of studies. Many countries have been studying mental health, learning more about its importance and ways to support people’s mental health. The results have all been conclusive and show that your mental health is just as important as other aspects of your life, such as your physical health and overall wellbeing.
Supporting your mental health can be achieved in many ways. You can concentrate on your diet and what you are eating; you can improve your sleeping habits; and you can ensure you drink more water. Enjoying a hobby is also important, as is reaching out to friends and family members when you think your mental health is struggling. Think of it this way: if your friends or family members were struggling, you would want them to have the confidence to reach out to you.
If you want to know more about ways to help your mental health or are actively trying to improve your mental health, keep reading! We have put together our guide on eight different ways to support your mental health.
Pay attention to your diet
The foods you are putting into your body can have a direct effect on your mental health. If you are overconsuming bad foods (such as processed meats or fast food restaurants), you will find yourself feeling tired and sluggish. Junk food can affect your sugar levels in a negative way, as well as your blood pressure. It’s important you aim to consume at least 5 pieces of fruit and vegetables a day; these can be in your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Our biggest tip is to try to add vegetables to your sauces; this way, you won’t realize you are eating them. For example, peas, carrots, and sweetcorn in spaghetti bolognese.
Ensure you look after your overall wellbeing
Consider your wellbeing as part of your overall health. There are various things you should be doing every year that will help your mental health as well as other factors of your health. For example, you should be getting regular eye checks to look after your sight. Your hearing should be checked at least once every decade, and a visit to a dentist is a must. The longer you leave this, the more treatment you may need, so it’s not worth putting off.
Enjoy a hobby
Enjoying a hobby in your spare time is not only beneficial to your mental health, but it is also great fun! A hobby allows you to learn new skills as well as make new friends and socialize. The type of hobby you do can be anything, from joining a chess club or a photography club to running a cocktail blog or joining a band. A hobby can be enjoyed on the weekend or during the week; simply plan it around your schedule. Why not encourage your friends or family members to join you? A new hobby might be a way to bond with them.
Drink plenty of water
How much water do you drink a day? A lot of people don’t realize that the recommended amount should be 2 to 3 liters of water a day. Water is good for your complete wellbeing; it helps your immune system, helps your brain work better, and can aid in weight loss. Our tip would be to purchase a 1 litre water bottle and aim to finish it three times a day. By having a 1-liter bottle, you can easily keep track of what you are drinking. An alternative method would be to keep track of how much water you are drinking through an app on your phone.
Prioritize your sleep
Alongside drinking enough water and paying attention to your diet, prioritizing your sleep is also important. Similar to drinking enough water, sleep can help improve your immune system as well as help you keep a healthy heart, reduce your stress levels, and improve your concentration levels. The recommendation is around 7–9 hours a day; the amount varies depending on your gender and age! The best way to keep track of your sleep is to wear a fitness tracker or fitness ring to bed. They use your heart rate and activity level in bed to estimate how much sleep you are getting. An alternative method would be to note down when you go to sleep and when you wake up, then add it up over the week.
Reach out to your family and friends
Speaking of family members and friends, when you are feeling down and your mental health is suffering, don’t be afraid to reach out to them. It may sound cheesy, but a problem shared is a problem halved, and this couldn’t be anymore true. As we mentioned above, if your friends or family members were struggling, we are sure you would want them to reach out to you. The same would apply to them, we know they would want you to reach out to them if you were struggling.
Exercise is important
If you want to improve your fitness levels, lose weight, and improve your mental health, then exercising should be something you do weekly. In fact, you should aim to exercise around 3–5 days a week. This can be through a sport such as football, tennis, or cricket. Or through an exercise routine such as running, cycling, or swimming. Try to convince your friends or family to join you when exercising, as this can help motivate you. Having someone to exercise with you also makes it more fun, meaning you are less likely to cancel than if you were going to do it on your own.
Cut down on vaping, smoking or drugs
This point may not apply to you; however, if it does, cutting down on vaping or smoking will very quickly help your mental health. Both are very addictive and have negative effects on your overall health, including fatigue and increasing your chances of getting cancer and heart disease. Quitting can be very difficult, but with the right determination and support around you, it is very much possible, and you’ll reap the rewards if you do. Ways to quit include using smoking aids, putting together a plan to stop smoking, and reaching out to support groups.
Just like smoking and vaping, drugs are also high on the list of things you can do that can damage your mental health. Stimulant drugs have been proven to make you feel depressed, anxious, and paranoid. They can also be very dangerous and, if overused, cause drug addictions, which could lead to something fatal.
In Conclusion
There are so many different ways to take care of your mental health. When making changes, try to change a few things within your lifestyle and see how it affects you. By making fewer changes, you won’t overwhelm yourself and will find it easier to stick to the targets you have set. Once a change becomes a habit, make an additional change. And remember, nobody is perfect; your mental health is going to have its ups and downs. Be kind to yourself when you find yourself going through a down stage.
