5 Tips for Honoring Your Mental Health
Life is chaotic, unpredictable, and complicated — for everyone. You have to manage your career, social life, family, and physical health every day, and also deal with the multiple crises that inevitably happen. People that seem like they have it all figured out are often also struggling, because struggle is part of the human experience. Because of how busy our lives are, it’s easy to forget about the importance of mental health.
While it may be hard to carve out time in your day to relax, unwind, and find ways to get rid of all the stress that is pent up, it is essential to find space in your life for your mental health. Otherwise, you can get burnt out, and your physical health will suffer as a result. Our mental health is tied to everything we do—concentration, heart rate, sleep, energy levels, mood, and creativity. Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ve put together five tips you can consider adding to your daily life to honor yourself and give your mind the relaxation it needs and deserves.
Spend Time In Nature
Disconnect to reconnect. Though you’ve probably heard this before, spending time in nature has been scientifically proven to increase happiness and relaxation. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce stress, quiet your mind, and enjoy the beauty of life — especially when you feel like you’re in a slump. The other benefit of spending time outside is that it’s completely customizable based on your interests and what is available to you. If you live in the countryside or in the mountains, you could go on long walks and hikes. If you’re a city person who doesn’t have access to these things, try parks around you, or get into community gardening! When you’re out, pay attention to the sounds and smells around you. Crush some pine needles in your palm and smell them, play with rocks, and listen to seagulls on the beach. Try a meditation or leaving your phone on Do Not Disturb mode to unplug for a few hours.
Talk It Out!
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, talking is one of the best ways to get things off your chest. Whether it’s talking to a professional therapist or your best friend, speaking up about your struggles is a great way to navigate your problems and figure out actionable solutions. Even if you’re not in a position where you want to work something out—you just want to vent—what better way to do that than discussing with your closest circle? Conversations with people you trust and love will ground you back in what matters and release burdens you’ve been holding onto alone. If you’re struggling with something specific, you can join a support group that meets to talk about it in a supportive and encouraging environment. If no such support group exists, why not start one and make a difference in your community while working on your own mental health?
Make Your Sleep Meaningful
Sleeping isn’t just something you have to do — getting good sleep is crucial to your health. Sleeping should be a practice that you invest time and energy into to improve your life and health. For so many, sleep is one of the first things that suffer during a difficult mental health episode. Apart from getting enough sleep, try and cultivate a good bedtime routine. This might include setting aside time to listen to relaxing music or a podcast while you do skincare, reading for an hour in bed, or meditating to help you calm down before you sleep. You should also set aside your phone because the blue light and never-ending notifications will disturb your peace and make it harder to fall asleep.
Pay Attention To Food & Exercise
Our bodies and minds are deeply connected, and one will always affect the other. Food and exercise are two groups that you should always keep in mind when you feel like your mental health hasn’t been at its best. Move your body frequently and choose to do exercises you love. This doesn’t mean you have to do intense HIIT workouts daily (unless you love those). You should find ways to sweat it out that bring you joy, whether it’s dancing, walking, jogging, lifting weights, or doing yoga.
You probably already know that foods that are high in sugar, fat, and caffeine lead to a temporary boost before causing a crash in energy. As such, they should be consumed in moderation and with a balanced diet. At the same time, if you’ve had a long day and your favorite treat is a rich chocolate donut, eat it happily! Just make sure you don’t substitute that for dinner. Eat enough, eat often, and eat with the people you love to bond and spend quality time with them. This will do wonders for your mental and physical health.
Create Fun & New Experiences
Another way to improve your mental health is to create new experiences for yourself. When we feel bogged down by the monotony of daily life, it’s easy to get bored, sad, or lazy. To try and combat this, include new and exciting experiences in your life. Travel somewhere you’ve never been before, go ice skating, participate in festivals, visit a museum, and try to push yourself outside your comfort zone. Apart from the joy it’ll bring to your life, it’s also a great way to engage with the world around you and meet new people. Alternatively, you can take your family or best friends to enjoy their company along with the beautiful sights. Planning such events also gives you something exciting for the future to look forward to, which might make your daily life less of a chore.
Remember that you know your life and mind the best, so what works for someone else might not work for you. Treat improving your mental health as a process. It will never suddenly be “cured” or “fixed” because we’re human and not products. Life changes, mental health changes, and our attitude must as well. Good luck, and remember to reach out to a loved one if you need help.
Always in your corner,
The Content Queens
