Practices to care for your mental health
Apr 18, 2022
How often do you consider your mental health care? When you think about health, you probably think about eating your vegetables, exercising and getting enough sleep. But what can you do to boost your mental health?
Our physical and mental health is more interconnected than many people think. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to take a whole-person approach to mental health care,鈥� says , director of Mission and Spiritual Care with 网曝门事件 Health Roseville. 鈥淵our physical, emotional, spiritual and social health all affect your mental health. When you take care of all these, you increase happiness and overall well-being.鈥�
For your best mental health, consider these simple practices:
- Learn how to love yourself. 鈥淎 big piece of mental health is learning to be compassionate with yourself,鈥� Speyer says. 鈥淎void beating yourself up or criticizing yourself.鈥� Create space in your day for the hobbies or projects that you enjoy. It could be crossword puzzles, gardening, dance lessons 鈥� anything that increases your overall sense of relaxation and joy. Prioritize taking time off, both by taking breaks throughout each work day and by using your well-earned PTO!
- Take care of your body. Research has time and again shown a strong connection between physical and mental health. Follow the basics as much as you can: balanced nutrition, hydration, exercise and sleep. 鈥淭aking care of your physical health is also a significant factor in reducing your risk of depression,鈥� Speyer notes.
- Consistently engage in life-giving relationships. Whether it鈥檚 your family or your friends who are like family, regularly connecting with people you love is crucial. Be intentional about making time to connect with others in your neighborhood, at work or in your church.
- Practice gratitude and giving. Volunteer your time or energy to someone else. It can be as simple as dropping off a hot meal to an elderly neighbor or simply sharing your time. Research also shows that gratitude changes the brain to increase our mental wellness. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 even always have to express your gratitude,鈥� Speyer points out, 鈥渁dopting an attitude of gratitude goes a long way.鈥�
- Manage stress with healthy coping techniques. Exercising, getting outside, playing with your pet and journaling are all healthy coping tools for lowering your stress. 鈥淗umor is also an important part of stress management,鈥� says Speyer. 鈥淟earn to laugh at yourself and see the humor in life. We don鈥檛 need to take ourselves so seriously!鈥�
- Practice calming the brain. We live in a society that tends to be busy all the time. For many, this 鈥済o, go, go鈥� culture significantly increases anxiety. Practicing meditation, mindfulness, prayer or breathing exercises can all improve our mental state and outlook on life. It鈥檚 crucial to regularly disconnect from all screens, including your phone, computer and television.
- Set realistic goals and boundaries. Working to improve yourself can be healthy, but it鈥檚 also important to be realistic and kind to yourself. In the same way, setting boundaries in our relationships, especially the challenging ones, is a positive way to improve self-esteem and mental health.
- Practice forgiveness. Let go of your resentments towards others 鈥� and towards yourself. 鈥淪o much research shows that forgiveness is crucial,鈥� Speyer shares. 鈥淚t leads to better psychological wellbeing, healthier relationships, decreased anxiety and less stress. And it improves your overall sense of self.鈥�
- Avoid substances. Minimize alcohol and drug use as much as possible. Although self-medicating may feel better in the moment, most people recognize that it often aggravates the problem and may increase your addiction risk. Reducing or eliminating substance use can go a long way in improving mental health.
- Get help when you need it. 鈥淎sking for help is a sign of strength,鈥� Speyer says. 鈥淓veryone hits a wall at some point and needs someone to come alongside them to bring solutions or offer an objective point of view.鈥� Many forms of mental health treatment can be highly effective, including talk therapy and medication.
If you鈥檙e feeling 鈥渟tuck鈥� with your mental health, it may be time to seek extra support from a professional. To connect with a mental health professional, find a provider near you.
