Your mental health is often the only aspect that is neglected during tough times. While trying to keep up with education and job, business and friends, romance, and fitness, there is a solid possibility of an individual losing sight of their mental and emotional health.
Under the circumstances the planet has suffered because of the pandemic and lockdowns, it is essential for everyone to start paying attention to the brain and its functions for your emotional and mental health.
Being conscious about your mental health through exercise and nutrition will help you improve cognitive functions like concentration and productivity that furthers the regulation of positive emotions.
Since mental health is a necessity for every individual, regardless of their stress levels, this blog is a collection of nine habits that can help you improve your mental health in no time.
1. Start a gratitude journal
Gratitude helps an individual feel grounded. It helps you remain focused on the present hence helps you let go of the past. It helps stop your mind from wandering into the worries of the future too. Gratitude journals have proven to be a helpful way of improving mental health in chronically depressed individuals.
2. Remember self-care matters
Developing a self-care regime is an easy way of knowing yourself. Whether you like to indulge in cosmetics or books, movies, or food, you must have a self-care ritual that is just for you.
You can take time out to focus on your thoughts and desires or even use the time to unwind. Either way, this can relax your mind and release the happy hormones in your bloodstream.
3. Try to develop a morning routine
What is the first thing you do each morning? Do you grab your phone or jump out of bed? If you plan to have a good start to your days, then you can develop a simple morning routine. Start the day by making the bed and grabbing a cup of coffee or tea. Or you can even try to do something fun like good mind tricks. This will boost your cognitive abilities of attention and logic that can come in handy during the later years.
4. Be social in the sun and rain
The relations in your life are the threads that hold you together. From parents to siblings, children, to significant others, each biological or bond of kinship helps an individual find their place on the planet. Spending time with your loved ones in their proximity is essential for the regulation of emotions and positive energy in the body.
If you have any estranged relations that you would like to fix, then the period of COVID-19 is the best time to rid your mind of this unnecessary burden; life is too short; remember that!
5. Have an active routine
Physical activities are also a great method of improving mental capabilities. Running, swimming, or hiking can help you build stamina and also reward you with sharp memory and spontaneity in decision-making. Physically active people tend to be more attentive to their diet and hydration, which is why you cannot ignore it at any cost!
6. Declutter your heart and home
Marie Kondo’s art of living with things that give you joy is duly applicable to both; the heart and the home. You must realize that your heart is a sacred place that must be appreciated and kept pure. So if you have any grudges or melon seeds that are holding you captive in the memory of the past, then now is the time to let things go.
Similarly, if you have cluttered your home with things that have vague meanings and origins in your current life, then you must take the plunge and donate them to those who would like to use them.
7. Meditate to indulge in silence
Meditation is another proven method used to relax and take account of your reality. The habit of inhaling energy and exhaling stress helps people broaden their horizons. It is essential for people who live with high levels of stress or a chronic illness that could worsen with additional stress.
It is significant to remember that many undiagnosed mental health issues tend to manifest physically. While most common issues include anxiety and depression, it is appreciated to have a meditation routine to reel back in your time to know where you need help.
8. Prioritize your sleep
Good quality of sleep is needed by every living being. Your body recuperates and regenerates lost cells, memories, and energies while you rest and recharge. Prioritizing good quality sleep that is undisturbed and restful will lead to healthier outcomes for you in your later years.
Those who sleep for seven to nine hours each night tend to have the optimal levels of mindfulness and attention needed to succeed at every goal in life.
9. Break the monotony
Life tends to get monotonous when you get too comfortable with a routine. Since the human race is a creature of habit, it is only fair to assume that routines develop quickly and are hard to break. This is why people who spend the majority of their adult life in a job like accounting and paperwork tend to develop dementia during their later years.
Monotony can also be frustrating and become hazardous to your mental health. We believe that switching things up is necessary for everyone, especially those who struggle with issues. Once you step outside for fun and defy your social anxiety, you realize the potential you hold.
Final Thoughts
Do you know the best practice to improve your mental health? Is it the right diet? Proper hydration? Or meditation? No! The direct route to better mental health is self-love. It is your free-pass that will help you attain the best version of yourself. Self-love is the epitome of health woes as it helps you realize your worth. Once you know how invaluable you truly are, then there is nothing that can stop you!