Mental health, we tend to deal with it only when it is impaired. It can be caused by stress, anxiety, social pressure or even a disturbing element. What if we finally cared about our mental well-being, just like our physical health? Here are 14 ways to take care of it every day.
Go out for the air
It is not always easy to take the time to get out of the air when you are caught up in the various daily tasks. But staying locked up can increase anxiety levels and sleep disturbances. Recent studies have shown that spending time in the woods improves mood and mental health. The important thing is to move, to get out of your home, to change your air, even a few minutes a day. Who doesn't instantly feel calmer watching the crashing waves or smelling the fresh mountain air?
Just adding a lunchtime walk to your day or going for a weekend hike will help you feel better.
Play sports
Even though it may be difficult to wake up for the morning run or make it to a workout class, there is no better therapy than a good workout. Sports activity promotes secretion of endorphins by the body. Nicknamed "hormones of happiness or love", they thus participate in well-being. Sport increases the self-esteem level, which also helps in improving mental health. Also, physical exertion will help you sleep like a baby at night.
Get enough sleep
Speaking of sleep, there's no faster way to feel unsteady than not getting enough. try sleep eight hours a night. This will prevent you from feeling more easily on the verge of emotional crisis and will help you promote optimal recovery to face your day. In fact, that eighth hour of sleep is not only important for focus and mood, it is also the key to a strong immune system.
Keep an active social life
Admittedly, skipping an outing for a Netflix plaid-slumber party is often tempting. Because that is also mental health, knowing how to take time one-on-one with oneself. But it should be occasional so that you can enjoy it even more. People with an active social life are less likely to feel depressed. And then admit that when you come out of your book club full of energy and good humor or your restaurant with friends refreshed like never before, a feeling of happiness invades you. Even a simple phone call to your best friend can change your day!
Practice deep breathing
Breathing, something we all do without thinking but which probably should be given more thought. The deep breathing can do a lot of good, such as slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure.
Get away from screens
Isn't it a little disturbing how many hours a day we spend staring at all kinds of screens? Eyes riveted in front of the computer at the office, the time spent on social networks upon waking up and in the evening before going to bed, the evening watching Netflix … In short, screens are omnipresent in our lives and this has harmful consequences on our physical and psychological health. So set yourself limits so as not to abuse them.
Disconnect from social networks
Social networks shouldn't dictate your actions. Ask yourself how Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook shape your worldview. Is a photo worth taking if it goes unpublished? Is an experience worth having if it is not displayed publicly? If it shifts your values, forces you to compare your life to that of others, causes depression and anxiety, all the while wasting you a ton of time, a digital detox is in order. That doesn't mean you have to delete everything overnight, but limiting its use could be life-changing.
Listen to music
The power of music is often overlooked as a tool for mental health. Still, it can relieve pain, improve your quality of sleep, and reduce stress. Everyone has seen how much a good song can change or boost our mood in a matter of minutes. So, pull out your headphones, earphones or speakers and start your best playlist.
Read
And we're not talking about your news feed on Insta. Take the time to enjoy a good book and escape to another world for a while. Develop sensitivity, empathy, fighting stress, being able to put yourself in someone else's shoes … These are some of the great qualities that you can develop by having your nose bent over a book. This is what researchers found in children who read Harry Potter in a study published by the journal Journal of Applied Social Psychology. You know what you have left to do.
Do one thing at a time
Our society addicted to productivity and performance often pushes us to "multitasking"Understand by that, doing several things at the same time. Yet the fact of juggling between several tasks has rather the opposite effect and makes us lose productivity. Try to focus on one thing at a time and do your best: your heart rate will decrease, your tasks will be more enjoyable and you will achieve better results.
Be indulgent with yourself
Stop being so hard on yourself. When negative thoughts come over you, try to replace them with positive affirmations about you. No one is perfect, but it helps you begin a lighter journey that embraces your imperfections and your authentic self. By knowing your good qualities and your faults, you can be more indulgent with yourself.
Think positively
Be careful, we are not telling you to be positive 24 hours a day of course (moreover, the toxic positive also exists), nor to give up that sarcastic side that makes your charm. But if you always imagine the worst and keep seeing the half-empty glass over and over again, it's a safe bet that it's playing into your sanity. Try to break this bad habit. Negativity rarely has any other purpose than to diminish your own joy and hurt your psyche.
Be in the moment
It is perhaps the biggest challenge in life, but also the most important. Don't worry about the future, dwell on past mistakes, think about what's for dinner, or grab your iPhone when you feel a pinch of boredom. There are so many ways to deprive yourself of present time. Breathe deeply, look around, feel the sun on your skin, put your worries aside, listen carefully to others, dance to music – kiss the very second you are.
Do not hesitate to consult a shrink
There is no shame in asking for help when things are wrong. Mourning, a breakup in love, a professional failure, a complex dragged on since childhood … Pushing open the door of a psychiatrist's office can be saving. But take care of your mental health, it is also going to consult even when everything is going well. This allows you to get to know yourself better, to identify your personality, the influence of your background, your experiences, your emotional, family environment … It gives you the keys to better understand your emotions, your reactions and your personality.
See also: 7 very simple tips to be happier