Today we want to talk about 5 things you can do to improve your mental health every single day. Getting control of your mental health can seem like a daunting task—especially when you’re in a rut. But improving your mental health doesn’t have to be intimidating.
#1 Meditation
Meditation has been shown to help diminish anxiety, stress, and depression. It helps people get a hold of negative thoughts and put their lives into perspective. Meditation also relaxes the body and relieves tension.
This can be extremely helpful for those who suffer from low self-esteem, depressive thoughts, and body image issues.
Simple Mental Health Tip: If you’re new to meditation, or find being alone with your thoughts uncomfortable, try a guided meditation on YouTube or the Headspace app.
#2 Exercise
Getting your body in motion—particularly through cardio or aerobic activities, can have a powerful effect on your mental health. One study showed that running for 15 minutes a day (or walking an hour a day) reduced the risk of major depression in participants by 26%.
Physical activity not only gets your body working, but it also boosts your brain—creating new synapses, elevating mood, and even helping improve memory.
Exercising also releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. Once you get past the initial hesitation of getting out there and breaking a sweat, your body and mind will actually start to feel a lot better.
Simple Mental Health Tip: Exercise doesn’t have to be vigorous to have a positive effect on mental health. Even a walk around your backyard will energize your body, release endorphins, and help elevate your mood. The idea isn’t to become the world’s next Olympian—just don’t let yourself become stagnant.
#3 Try CBD
CBD-Infos-com / Pixabay
If you’re intimidated by the idea of prescription medication, and you’re looking for a natural alternative to mental health treatments, give CBD a try. The endocannabinoids in CBD attach to receptors in the brain responsible for bodily regulation. This includes pain, mood, and stress control.
If you want a quick and affordable way to relax throughout the day, try CBD vape pens for stress reduction.
Simple Mental Health Tip: Many people use smoking or vaping nicotine to calm their stress and anxiety. However, nicotine can actually increase these negative feelings. Nicotine also inhibits sleep and can cause the body to feel wired and shaky. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative that mimics the feeling of smoking, try CBD.
#4 Therapy
This one may seem like a no brainer, but many people don’t fully understand the benefits of therapy, or how it’s easier than ever to get started.
Therapy comes in all different forms depending on what you’re looking for. Classic talk therapy is good for those going through a difficult time. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a more in-depth approach that can help get to the root of a problem and shift a person’s mindset and promote healthier habits. Group, couples, and family therapy can help issues involving more than just one person.
Luckily, you can opt for online therapy, which is convenient and cost-effective. There is a snowballing number of third-party companies that remotely connect users with reliable therapists.
Online therapy takes less time, and you don’t need to travel to meet with your psychologist. It’s comfortable, especially for people who are always on the go.
And when it comes to online therapy, there is text therapy vs. online video therapy. With text therapy, you can send messages- anytime, any day- to your therapist via a third-party platform. This form of communication is suitable and appealing to the young generation. Some platforms guarantee a prompt response, while others have a schedule for replying to texts.
The online video therapy is scheduled in advance. Video therapy is conducted with a therapist directly or via a third-party platform. You can communicate with your therapist as much as possible, the same way you would with the in-person session.
The list goes on, but it is important to do your research about therapy and find what works for you.
Simple Mental Health Tip: Now, therapy is more accessible than ever before. Online therapy from Talkspace is becoming increasingly popular and, due to COVID-19 related social distancing measures, now is the perfect time to opt for a virtual alternative.
#5. Clean Your Space
When depression and anxiety hit, it’s normal to lose some motivation to take care of the space around you. Cleaning up your home or bedroom and creating a comfortable living space for yourself is a great way to get your body in motion, distract yourself from negative thoughts, and feel a little better.
If you don’t want to leave the house, it can be good to make the house a better place to be, especially if you suffer from social anxiety, agoraphobia, or OCD. Cleaning up your space will help you feel in control of your life and surroundings.
Cleaning up your home also provides people with a sense of satisfaction—if you’re suffering from low self-esteem, feelings of failure and worthlessness, or even a sense of restlessness, try completing this easy task for a quick mental health boost.
Simple Mental Health Tip: Cleaning up doesn’t have to encapsulate your entire home. Start with one room and see how you feel. Don’t take on anything that’s going to make you feel overwhelmed.
It’s the Little Things
Improving your mental health won’t happen overnight—and that’s perfectly fine. The most important part of the journey to better mental health is simply doing your best. If you can only manage one of these things per day, you’re already doing a great job.
Don’t be afraid to try—because trying is the first step to making things better.
Read more lifestyle articles at ClichéMag.com
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