Mental health issues are as normal as the flu. It is curable with effective measures. We all are capable of solving our mental health issues, we just need to find ways on how to improve mental health.
Mental health issues are nothing to be ashamed of. It is as natural as any other illness. It is absolutely foolish to laugh at mental health issues.
What is mental health?
Mental health is the well-being of our soul which is finding meaning in life.
Why it is important to improve our mental health?
If our body can get sick, why not our soul. The soul is what keeps us alive.
So, it deserves to take time and effort in healing. We should support and be kind to that person or else let him or her be.
If we can’t help someone it is better to let them deal with their problems without passing insensitive judgments. This is so because our mind regulates our body thus whatever we think and perceive reflects on our health, both positively and negatively.
Mental health is a very crucial matter in proceeding with our daily lives. If we are physically unwell, we can still do that. But if we are mentally unwell it becomes really challenging to do even the daily chores.
So, it is important to improve our mental health, in order to be functional and lively in all activities that interest or concern us.
How to improve mental health?
There is although not a rule book to improve your mental health. This is so because like medicine what works for you might not work for others.
So, stating that there are obvious and effective measures to improve mental health problems is not true. The main trick is to realize yourself through the process of attaining serenity of mental health.
There are a couple of things that can be followed, but what works for you is unique to you and that cannot be compared to others.
Each of us is unique and so is our journey of attaining mental health. Here are few measures that you can take up to improve your mental health.
Organize your daily life
Mental health issues are often very minute issues pilling up to be humongous to burden us up with them. In order to avoid that make sure you plan and organize your daily chorus.
Planning your days prior gives you a clear picture of the daily chorus. It also makes you aware of time management which manages your stress too.
If you complete your tasks on time by doing other activities then your mental health won’t be affected. This is so because your mind will be aware of being productive.
It is very important to have a productive day to improve mental health. When we get productive, we feel full of worth which helps in improving our mental health.
Follow your passion
If you are not passionate about what you are doing, then you are bound to feel demotivated while affecting your mental health. It is a red alert that you need to realize and act upon.
Instead of pushing yourself to the extent in what you don’t want to do, you need to push yourself in doing what you want to really accomplish in life. Passion can lead us to achieve heights and this also gives immense pleasure to our soul while improving our mental health.
Stay active
Apart from the daily chores, you need to have time for your physical as well as mental development. Do any form of exercise that helps to keep your body and mind calm and healthy.
This can include dancing, gym, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, running, swimming, cycling, etc. You need to choose your form of exercise and that will alone help you find yourself through that.
You shouldn’t do any form of exercise that doesn’t interest you. This will lead to ultimate boredom and dissatisfaction so find what suits you better.
Stay fit and happy collectively helps in improving mental health.
Maintain a journal
It is nothing like talking to yourself and be aware of your situation. If you are conscious of your situation then nothing is better than that. You can easily recognize your growth.
The journaling will help you pour your heart out. It will help you to connect with yourself. Acknowledge mistakes and express gratitude through your journal.
Trust me if you start loving and understanding yourself you won’t be able to let anyone affect your mental health. When something happens to our physical being, we try and fight to cure ourselves.
Likewise, we will be able to fight our mental being if we learn to love and accept ourselves the way we are.
Take breaks
Once we get up in the morning, we keep on working without rest. Give yourself short breaks to relish the day that you are gifted. Don’t lose yourself in the race.
Taking short breaks help in better functioning of the mind and body.
Enjoy your ME-Time
Do enjoy a certain time when you will be yourself. You can learn, practice, or teach anything that interests you.
You can sing, dance, draw, exercise, do crafting, cook, bake, gardening, etc. that soothes your heart and gives you room to think.
Try to stay in close contact with nature. Have a sunbathe daily for a minimum of half an hour.
If you have a pet do spend time with them. Their love soothes our souls to help us improve our mental health.
Be yourself
This is a vital point in maintaining good mental health. If you don’t have a good relationship with yourself how can you be happy in your mind?
We cannot always have a good relationship with our family, relatives, and friends. But it is important to understand and accept yourself the way you are.
Don’t let anyone let you impose or dictate how you should be. Do what you want to, after enough weighing of all the possibilities of your decision.
Be kind and helpful
Do care for the people in need. This necessarily doesn’t mean outside your house.
You can also help your parents, relatives, or friends in any of their crises. It gives immense calming pleasure to help out in order to improve your mental health.
Have quality conversations
If you are lucky enough to have a close person to talk to about your declining mental health, nothing better than that. They know you enough to guide you better.
More than anything you will feel a calming effect after a heart-to-heart conversation.
Plan Trips
If you are too much pressurized with your mental health issues, then do take short or long trips to your favorite destination. This will help you generate different perspectives when you will meet new people in a new place.
You will feel much happy and rejuvenated.
Sleep cycle
We often neglect sleep, but we don’t realize how important it is to have an adequate amount of sleep. We stay busy all day, so the moment we are in bed we start scrolling through our smartphones for endless hours.
This is surely not good for our health to sacrifice our sleep for smartphone consumptions. We need to have sound sleep for the minimum time range in order to keep our mental health in check.
Not only do we need to sleep well, but we need to sleep on time too. If you sleep at late night or at dawn it doesn’t provide you with enough sound sleep while making you irking and disturbed.
Even if you sleep less make sure you cover it up with adequate power naps. Lack of sleep escalates stress.
Eating habits
This plays a vital role in regulating our coordination of the body. When we get upset or demotivated, we either tend to eat less or much more than needed. We also intake a lot of junk and unhealthy foods when we are stressed or too happy.
So, in order to improve our mental health, we need to eat healthy and fresh foods. This doesn’t mean you need to only have salads. You can have any homemade food.
Yes! you need to regulate your food intake according to your health. Food habits play a vital role in regulating your sleep and mental health.
Regulate your drinking habit
Drink plenty of water daily to stay hydrated. You will be surprised how much it makes a difference.
Make sure you slowly cut down the intake of every soft and hard drink. It severely affects your mental health.
Anything that disrupts your mental and physical stability should be avoided. This is tough, but not impossible too.
Seek profession help
If we are physically unwell we do consult doctors, but if we are mentally unhealthy we take it as a taboo of being mentally unstable.
If you are not keeping well mentally, if you are feeling too much stressed and piled up with emotions do consult a professional who can provide you with neutral advice and guide you to a better state of mind.
Conclusion
The tips to improve mental health is in the process of evolving and discovering yourself through that. If you are a medical student or you are going to join a USMLE step 1 prep course then you should improve your mental health. If you don’t feel connected with yourself in the process, then it is undoubtedly not working for you.
Be what you are, do what you want to, in order to improve yourself and you will realize the trick to regulate your mental health like that of physical health. The answer to how to improve mental health is in the process of improving mental health.
