4 Valuable Habits To Help Improve Your Mental Health

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In more recent years we have seen many more informed conversations regarding mental health. Mental health refers to the state of wellness that stems from your psychological well-being. This state can determine how you feel, and also how you behave whether it is positive or negative.

Dealing with negative emotions can feel like a constant battle especially when you are at your lowest point. Adopting elevating habits and behaviours has been scientifically proven to improve your mental health, but sticking with them and making them habitual is the key to staying in a great place within yourself.

The following tips have been proven to not only benefit your mental health but also your physical health and well-being:

Get More Sunlight Exposure

If you find yourself waking up in an anxious state of mind, you should consider getting sunlight within the first 30 minutes. If you are within a season and a timeframe when waking up to which the sun is out, you should step outside and take some time to embrace the sunlight. 

Getting sunlight has proven benefits of reducing the morning’s production of the stress hormones cortisol and improving serotonin levels which are related to mood regulation. In addition to this, a lack of vitamin D has also been linked to depression and anxiety. Getting your daily dose of vitamin D from sunlight will be a huge beneficial factor when it comes to recovering from such neural diseases.

Stay Active 

Staying active through exercise is proven to be just as effective for your mental health as well as your physical health. Exercise is known to be a precursor for the release of good-mood regulating hormones such as endorphins. The hormones that are released are known to lower stress levels, keep your mind focused on tasks, prevent ruminating thoughts, and also are known to help improve your memory. 

You can do exercise in any form you feel is most comfortable. For example, you might spend 30 minutes a day going for a walk in nature, or you might brave the gym in a comfortable womens tracksuit and complete a weighted exercise routine. Whichever you choose to get a sweat on, keep in mind the overall purpose of why you are completing it. You may not see the benefits beforehand but you will feel them once completed. 

Perfect Your Sleep

A lack of sleep can affect your mental cognition and how you think. If you have a poor sleep schedule you should start considering the steps to take toward perfecting your sleep schedule. Your body and brain use sleep for rejuvenation and for maintaining your bodily functions, and if you are not allowing your brain at least 8 hours of sleep a night you will be in a sleep deficit. 

If you struggle with sleep, you should make sure you are off all phones, TVs, and devices no more than 2 hours before you intend to sleep. You might also consider starting practices to help instigate your sleeping such as doing meditation or reading a book before bed. Both of these habits are great for easing you into relaxation, ready for a good night’s sleep. 

Keep Social

When you are in a bad mental place, meeting with friends may be the last thing you want to do. You should never feel alone when you are in a bad place, but you also shouldn’t overwhelm yourself. Make sure you have at least one friend that you can confide in when you are feeling low, and also make an effort to push yourself to get involved with social activities. Being social is one of the basics of human needs as much as people tend to neglect the fact. Start surrounding yourself with people that want to uplift you and energise you.