Eleven lifestyle changes that will boost your mental health

If you are struggling with poor mental health or mental health issues then you need to consider changing aspects of your life, developing better habits, and just living healthier and simpler in general. The following 11 lifestyle changes can help you boost your mental health and can help ward off future mental health problems.

1. Emphasize the importance of sleep:

Sleep is closely linked to your mental health. If you are struggling with some aspect of your life, then you should review your sleep patterns. It is important to dedicate time to getting enough high-quality sleep each night. Go to bed early, wake up early, and avoid fatty foods, caffeine, and alcohol before bed to improve the quality of your sleep time.

2. Dedicate more time to exercise:

Exercise is extremely important in order to maintain good mental health. It gets your blood flowing, balances hormones, and can help remove toxins from your body. If you aren’t a fan of getting outside for a run or playing a team sport, then there are many ways in which you can exercise at home. One of the best of these is by installing a pull-up bar at home. Doing this will allow you to perform sets of pull ups throughout the day. Alternatively, you could use the bar for a workout when you wake up or before bed.

3. Write, write, write!

Writing is an extremely good way to scare away your demons. If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or some similar mental illness, writing could be a great first step towards regaining optimal mental health. Getting your thoughts onto paper can help you deal with them and can help you face your fears, rather than always pushing them under the carpet.

4. Educate yourself:

If you are aware that you have a mental illness of some form, then you should do whatever you can to understand it. Read journal articles, talk to your doctor, and engage in other educational activities to increase your knowledge and ability to deal with your disease.

5. Try helping others:

Sometimes a simple thing like volunteering for a good cause or helping people who are more disadvantaged than you can do wonders for your mental health. If you are feeling a little down on your luck then try and help someone else with something - you will be amazed at the difference it can make!

6. Eat better!

This may seem self-explanatory, but for many people it isn’t. Highly processed and unhealthy foods contain a huge amount of unhealthy toxins which can affect your mental health. Cut back on these and increase your consumption of fruit, vegetables, and oily fish and watch your mental health improve!

7. Work on developing relationships:

Although this may be the last thing someone suffering from depression or anxiety wants to do, relationships are an important part of human life. Developing friendships and close relationships with others can help you solve your mental issues and feel better about yourself.

8. Spend more time with nature:

Next time you feel down and out, get out of the city and go for a walk, spend a day on the beach, or walk along your nearest river. Many mental illnesses, including depression, are linked to a lack of fresh air, sunlight, exercise or all the three. Forget about all of life’s worries and simply soak up the sun and enjoy yourself. You will feel the benefits of being outside almost immediately (as long as you choose a nice day!).

9. Brighten up your home:

Living in a perpetually dull environment would be enough to dampen anyone’s spirits. If your home is a little dull and/or boring, consider adding bright colors, lively pictures, and enlightening scents to it. You will be amazed at how much your spirits will be lifted by simply improving your surrounds!

10. Learn to garden:

Gardening is an extremely relaxing, rewarding activity. It allows you to spend quality time outside, under the sun. Most people are able to forget about the worries of life when gardening, de-stressing and generally feeling better about themselves. If you are suffering from mental health problems because you are overstressed all the time, then a relaxing activity like gardening could be just the thing you need!

11. Adopt a new hobby:

Take up a new sport, learn to paint, go skydiving - it doesn’t matter what it, adopting a new hobby will undoubtedly improve your mental health. It will give you something to look forward to, something to take your mind off anything that is bothering you, and will simply help you relax and escape from the rigors of everyday life.