5 Great and Simple Tips to Boost Your Mental Health

5 Great and Simple Tips to Boost Your Mental Health 

Mental health is a vital aspect of our overall well-being that often goes overlooked. Neglecting your mental health can lead to significant negative impacts on your life, including anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take today in order to boost both your mental health and well-being. Read on to learn more from the professionals at Nadcell Mindcare. 

1. Get Adequate Sleep

Sleep is vital when it comes to your physical health and also plays a crucial role in mental health. According to a study conducted in 2021 on over 270,000 American adults, people who slept 6 hours or less per night were twice as likely to experience mental distress compared to those who average more than 6 hours of sufficient sleep. 

It is also not just about the quantity, but the quality of your sleep. Interrupted sleep has been shown to contribute to mental health issues. To ensure you get adequate sleep, you may want to adopt the following habits:

• Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.
• Turn your bedroom into a dark, relaxing, quiet and clutter-free space
• Have the bedroom temperature about 65°F or 18.3°C.
• Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks after late in the afternoon. 
• Avoid heavy meals when it’s near bedtime
• Cut back on smoking
• Avoid drinking alcohol close to bedtime and stay hydrated
• Exercise on a regular basis, for at least 30 minutes per day. 

It is important to note that it can be hard to adopt these habits if you have a sleep disorder and so, do not hesitate to consult a sleep specialist. If you think your sleeping issues stem from a sleeping condition, the professional will be able to give advice and suggest tried and tested treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia. 

Also bear in mind that mental health concerns can also result in disrupted sleep. This means that adopting the above-mentioned habits may not be a permanent solution and you should consider hiring a therapist if you do not notice much improvement. 

2. Create and Nurture Strong Relationships

As social creatures, strong relationships have a positive impact on our mental health. Friendships, in particular, offer various benefits such as easing feelings of loneliness, providing emotional support, and adding meaning to life. To cultivate positive connections and nurture friendships, there are several options available. 

One approach is to stay in touch regularly by sending a quick text or funny meme. Another option is to schedule morning walks or breakfasts, call for a short chat during lunch breaks, or plan biweekly or monthly dinner dates. Catching up and joking around in person is also crucial. In fact, a study done in 2018 revealed that this can create closer bonds beyond the number of hours spent together. 

The key is to make time for your friends and show genuine interest in their lives. This helps to foster strong relationships, creating a sense of belonging and support that is essential for your mental well-being.

3. Spend Less Time on Social Media

Spending too much time on social media only exposes you to the lives of others which makes you compare yourself to them. This can promote feelings of low self-worth, leading to cases of anxiety and even depression. 

Try the following to help you cut back on social media:

• Learn how to build a healthier relationship with social media platforms
• Make a list of more meaningful things to do to replace your social media time
• Delete the apps or turn off the notifications
• Keep your phone where you can easily reach it when working, sleeping, or even spending quality time with friends

4. Be Physically Active

Moving your body for even as little as 30 minutes can have a wide array of health benefits such as: 

• Boosting mood
• Stress alleviation
• Improved sleep quality
• Better management of anxiety and depression symptoms

Being physically active can be something different for each person, and it does not have to entail hitting the gym. Instead, you can make it more enjoyable by choosing activities that are fun and match your preferences. Examples include: 

• Throwing a dance party
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Joining a walking or running club
• Trying seated exercises
• A walk along the beach or a weekend family hike
• Gardening work in your backyard

Simply put, you do not have to engage in vigorous exercises in order to boost your mental health. 

5. Eat Healthily

What you eat can have a significant impact on your mental wellness. As such, you’ll want to ensure you stick to healthy meals that include mood-boosting nutrients. Examples include bananas, berries, whole grains, beans, and fatty fish. 

You’ll also want to avoid or limit the intake of certain foods like refined carbs, added sugars, caffeine, and alcohol as they are linked with increasing anxiety. 

Lastly, you’ll want to ensure you are well-hydrated throughout the day. When you drink plenty of water, you allow the body and brain to use the nutrients consumed in an optimal manner.

Guest Article.