Best Practices to Improve your Mental Health

Noam Shpancer, a Ph.D. scholar says a very beautiful quote,  “Mental health is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.”

Mental well-being is about how well we can feel, think, and act in ways and live a more enjoyable life. Mental health is consisting of your emotional and psychological and social well-being. It influences how we behave, manage stress, and make choices. These days mental illness is common among millions of people. Stress became part of our day to day life.

“Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her  potential, can cope with the normal stress of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can make a contribution to her or his community.”-WHO

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorder listed 300 mental disorders.  Some of the main mental disorders include Anxiety Disorders, Depression disorder, Personality disorder, Mood disorders, Eating disorders, and Bipolar disorders.

There are many ways you can achieve good mental health, some of them are:

1. Know your emotions and talk about them

Knowing your true emotions and accepting responsibility for how you feel is the foremost step. Many times mood triggers arise due to unknown reasons, for eg, many of us start getting angry just because of the need for food. So the point here is that real causes of mood swings are mostly hidden.

After realizing your emotions connect with positive loving people you care about.

“One good conversation can shift the direction of change forever.”-Linda Lambert.

2. Exercise Daily

You have heard of this many times before that exercise helps a lot in boosting mood, self-esteem and reducing stress and anxiety. It’s true because exercises affect our brain directly as it increases blood circulation in our brain. But many of us don’t like exercising and gymming so these people can switch to dancing, running, sports activities and breathing exercises.

“Nothing will work unless you do”-John Wooden.

3. Meditate Frequently

Meditation isn’t about transforming you into a better person but it’s simply a mindful practice. Meditating regularly can help you build calmness, psychological balance, and physical relaxation, and help you coping with illness and enhancing overall health and well being. If you are not a mediating person you can simply go for a nature break or simply focus on your breath. Some basic meditation practices for beginners are 

1) Breathing: Sit in a comfortable position and focus on your breath for a few minutes.

2) Visualization: Close your eyes relax and imagine a peaceful place, engage all your senses to hear the crunching leaves, smell the damp soil, feel the breeze.

“Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.”- Ajahn Brahm

4. Eat a Healthy Meal

“We are, quite literally, what we eat.” -Says Roxanne Sukon. Balanced Food diet is crucial for physical as well as for mind growth. Food that is rich in nutrients is not only helpful in preventing and treating mental illness but also guides your emotions. 

“A healthy outside starts from the inside”-Robert Urich.

5. Do something you are good at

The human body has hyperphysical powers to heal itself. All we need is to believe in ourselves. The best way to heal your mood is to do work, you are good at or you are creative about. Giving time to your creativity will surely boost your mood and let you with contentment. Or you can simply do something you loved to do as a kid.

“Art saved me. It got me through my depression and self-loathing, back to a place of innocence.”-Jeanette Winterson.

6. Laughing Therapy

Laughing decreases pain may help your heart and lungs promote muscle relaxation and reduce anxiety.

Laughter is the best medicine it connects you to a moment of pure happiness and joy. positive emotions can decrease stress and build emotional strength. so laugh a lot and more frequently.

“A smile starts on the lips, a grin spreads to the eyes, a chuckle comes from the belly; but a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, overflows, and bubbles all around.” — Carolyn Birmingham.

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