There is a taboo attached to mental health issues, people break the barriers to come forward and share their narrative.
Taking care of our mental health has become more important than ever now. Our emotional well being has a greater impact on our everyday life and daily functioning, whether we realise it or not.
When our mental well being goes downhill, everything and everyone around us can be impacted. It has an effect on the way we think, act and feel the whole day.
Our mental health circles around psychological, emotional and social well being. So, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that they intertwined. One affects the other.
There is a need to make mental health medical care available to the masses as there is a considerable gap between people who actually have the resources and are able to access medical care for their mental health needs.
People with mental health conditions sometimes may need treatment which they may not be able to afford. Hence, we have compiled a list of alternative and practical ways to revive your emotional and mental well being.
How Can We Take Care or Boost Our Mental Health
You can take up small steps every day to improve your overall well being which sticks in the long run.
1. Have Healthy Diet
One needs to have a healthy diet and eat a balanced meal every day to get going through the day. A poor diet will add on quickly to replenish you of energy. Our brain needs specific nutrients to function properly, and it helps to uplift our mood as well. Haven’t we all heard the phrase “Good Food, Good Mood”? Well, it’s quite true. Eat meals that are full of minerals and vitamins and antioxidants. See the results soon when you make this a routine.
Another important thing worth taking note of is to avoid skipping meals. Breakfast is the essential meal of the day to keep us going. Skipping breakfast can induce irritation and make us less productive. Watching your caffeine intake also helps to boost your mental well being. Don’t overdo your espresso shots as caffeine can induce anxiety and restlessness.
2. Meditation
Meditating can have a deep and soothing impact on your lifestyle. Keep aside at least 10 minutes a day for meditation. Yes, it works. Our mind is overworked, and hence we need to give ourselves a break every now and then. Meditation can help us in more ways than we can imagine. Just work on your breathing and calm yourself. Breathe in and out for two minutes slowly and just be calm and accept things slowly. With meditation, you start to take in things slowly and absorb it.
3. Exercise
Exercising not only has great benefits for your physical well being but also helps to boost your mental health. It keeps you fit, and in doing so, lowers your anxiety, reduces stress, makes you feel healthy and good about yourself and helps us to sleep well. You can choose any physical activity you like and turn it into a fun routine. You don’t have to spend hours exercising. Even 30-minutes a day is sufficient to let the energy kick in. Besides, it helps us in building routines which can work wonders.
4. Sleep properly
Getting a good night’s sleep of around 7-8 is the bare minimum you can do for your mental health. Most of us want to get the most work done by reducing our sleep time. This is where we falter. Lack of sleep can lower our energy levels and make us grumpy. Getting enough sleep helps us to deal with stress and problems better as we wake up fresh.
If you have trouble sleeping, keep a tab on your habits before bedtime. Avoid caffeine, tobacco or eating heavy meals. Keep your ambience cool and dark as most people find it easy to sleep when the room is comfortable. And no, Netflix binging before bedtime isn’t an option either. Reduce your screen time and keep the phone away.
5. Reach out to people
Don’t be shy to reach out to people, your friends, co-worker or family members who you can confide in terms of distress. Holding back only makes you more vulnerable and depressed. Sometimes opening up to people may help you put things in perspective. Also, remember, you are the one who knows yourself better than other people. So, if you feel you need to see a doctor or seek professional help, don’t hold back. Getting help at the right time can relieve you from unpleasant feelings and distress.
