10 Ways to Improve Mental Health
Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash.
By Marisssa Del Mistro
Here are 10 ways to improve mental health. With Mental Health Awareness Month, it is the perfect chance to discuss creative strategies for improving mental health. These tips can help you cultivate a more fulfilling life.
What is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental health determines a lot about our quality of life. I’ve been pleased to notice the shift in destigmatizing mental illnesses as a society in the last decade. There has been more discussion around it, and many people now place as much importance on their mental health as their physical health.
Protecting your mind is vital every single day of the year, but May is a month dedicated to mental health, making it a chance to focus on it even more. Mental Health Month encourages you to closely examine your circle, your surroundings, and your daily routines, and check in with how all these elements can impact your overall health.
What are some practices that make you feel mentally well? Are there habits or activities that drain you? Take this chance to review your wellness and see what things you can add or take away. Add self-care to your routine and try some of these strategies. Here are 10 ways to improve mental health that can boost your well-being:
10 Ways To Improve Mental Health
1. Move your body
When you work on improving your physical health, your mental and emotional well-being automatically gets a boost too. Physical activity releases endorphins, which are powerful chemicals that can elevate your mood and give you that extra burst of energy.
There are many ways to exercise, like taking a relaxing walk during your lunch break, window shopping while walking laps in the mall, running with your dog, cycling or walking to appointments, dancing to your favorite tunes, or even playing activity-based games with your kids. Don't stress yourself out: even small amounts of physical activity can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health.
2. Trade TV time for something else
U.S. adults spend an average of two hours and 33 minutes watching TV each day. For people with stressful and busy lives, relaxing and watching a juicy series can be a therapeutic coping mechanism. This doesn't mean it is bad. TV in moderation is okay, but there are other alternative methods for calming down and resting after a big day.
If your evening routine is focused on the TV, why not switch it up? Try avoiding TV for one week and see how you feel. Swap it for reading, knitting, coloring, journaling, having a bath, cooking, going for a walk, or laying around with your pet.
Some research points to TV having links to anxiety and depression as it is very easy to fall into a cycle of loneliness and increased dependence on electronic entertainment, contributing to more self-isolation. Plus, the screens of electronic devices emit blue light which simulates daylight and can increase insomnia.
3. Cut back on alcohol
Another way to improve mental health is to cut back on your alcohol consumption.
Sober curiosity is a popular movement sweeping the world. It involves rethinking your true decisions behind drinking, rather than just going along with external pressures to do it. It sparks from the decision to improve wellness and feel better, as alcohol is, ultimately, a depressant.. Drinking alcohol also triggers the release of endorphins and an eventual comedown. So while alcohol can first numb physical or emotional pain, it will not make it go away and can have damaging effects in the long run.
Many people experience ‘hang-xiety’ the following day after drinking which can spiral into a few days, sometimes impacting an entire week. This is the feeling of being on edge, irritable, stressed, and unable to sleep or relax. If this is you, you're not alone - 'hang-xiety' is a common post-drinking experience, along with physical hangover symptoms like a headache, nausea, or trouble concentrating. If you find yourself feeling this way, consider cutting back as it might be good to rethink how alcohol impacts your well-being and mood.
4. Embrace nature
Whether it's a stroll through a city park or a full day of hiking in the great outdoors, immersing yourself in nature has been linked to a wide range of benefits. These include better attention, decreased stress levels, improved mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders, and even increased levels of empathy and cooperation.
There are many unique ways to embrace nature, regardless of your mood. Try:
Watching the birds and squirrels play from a bench.
Sit on the beach and watch the water.
Pick up flowers and smell them.
Stargaze in the evening.
Garden and plant.
Stretch or exercise outside.
A picnic outdoors.
5. Create Healthy Relationships
Another way to improve mental health is to improve your relationships. Healthy relationships with people in your life can do wonders for your mental health. Humans need that social connection to get through hard times and happy times. Being able to spend time with people who are open and appreciate you is so important and can help with self-confidence and reaching personal goals. They can also support by sharing advice or information based on their own experiences.
You certainly want to surround yourself with ‘your people,’ not unhealthy friendships that drain your energy and leave you feeling bad about yourself. Signs they are ‘your people’ include:
They notice and celebrate the little things.
They step up for you during important, stressful, sad, and difficult times.
They are dependable.
They listen and cheer you on.
They are not threatened by your success or life events.
They make time for you regularly.
They leave you feeling energized and happy.
If you are seeking new people in your life, look into joining a new club or sports team, travel, or reconnect with people. Ensure you are doing things that will make you happy and that will help you meet like-minded, kind people.
6. Sing out loud
There is something to be said about how great singing in the shower makes you feel. Even if you are tone-deaf, sing! When we sing, the musical vibration moves through the body and can alter emotions, creating a calming energy. Singing soothes nerves and lifts mood, and releases the endorphin hormone that is associated with pleasure. If you're not so bad, try joining a choir, and singing with others can boost your mood even more.
7. Do one thing at a time
While multitasking might feel like you’re being super-productive, the opposite is true. Multi-tasking is linked to the increased production of stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) that make your body feel full of pressure and tension. Slow down and focus on the present moment by doing one thing at a time.
8. Ground yourself in mindfulness
Simply taking a few moments each day to practice mindfulness can help reduce stress, improve focus, regulate emotions, and boost your overall mental well-being. If you often find yourself lost in a sea of your thoughts, unable to focus on the present moment, you can try grounding yourself in various mindfulness practices. Start by simply taking three slow, deep breaths. Then, feel your feet planted firmly on the ground and ask yourself a few questions:
What are five things I can see around me?
Can I identify four sounds I can hear right now?
What can I smell?
Take a moment to touch your knees or anything else within reach. How does it feel underneath your fingers?
This can support bringing you back to the present moment to ease the constant swirling thoughts. You can also try a meditation app for guided meditations to relax your mind.
9. Get Solid Sleep
You wouldn't run miles in broken sneakers, so one of the first things to get a night of good sleep is investing in good bedding. This means excellent pillows, duvets, and mattresses. Getting enough sleep is crucial for mental health as losing a few hours of sleep can negatively affect your mood, energy, focus, and ability to handle stress. Over time, it absolutely can wreak havoc on your well-being.
Adults should strive for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night, but sometimes it's hard to shut off and sleep because your brain needs time to unwind after a long day.
To wind down and prepare for sleep, try taking a warm bath, reading with a soft light, listening to soothing music, or practicing a relaxation technique. While a sleep-in is tempting, do your best to stick to a regular sleep-wake schedule, even on weekends, to help set your body's internal clock and improve the quality of your sleep.
10. Declutter your space
It's not just a placebo that you feel better when things around you are tidy. It turns out that our environment can have a big impact on both our productivity and our mental well-being. If our physical surroundings are cluttered and chaotic, it can leave our minds feeling just as disorganized and scattered. You can relieve anxiety by decluttering as it offers a sense of relief, helping to clear your mind and promote calmness. Start small by cleaning out drawers, donating clothes and books, and ensuring everything has a place it should stay in the house.
Self-care should be a priority to avoid burnout, feeling low, and anxiety. However, if you've been putting in the work to improve your mental and emotional well-being but you're still not feeling like yourself, it might be time to seek help from a professional.
Have you tried any of these strategies to improve mental health? Comment below or tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your wellness journey and get encouragement.
Related Posts: How to Beat Gym Anxiety, How Does Social Media Affect Mental Health?
Marissa Del Mistro is a writer, editor, and always on the hunt for the perfect workout. Marissa absolutely loves trail running, dancing, and cycling. When she’s not writing, Marissa loves cooking, podcasts, traveling, and exploring her home in the beautiful unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ nations.
