How to improve mental health
“Mental health problems don’t define who you are. They are something you experience. You walk in the rain and you feel the rain, but, importantly, you are not the rain.”
— Matt Haig
Mental health is an essential aspect of overall well-being and should be given the same attention and care as physical health.
Mental health is important to have, but it’s also important to develop your own strategies to improve it. Here are 12 ways to improve your mental health, without relying on medication or therapy:
1. Get enough sleep. A lot of mental health problems are caused by lack of sleep. You don’t need to be perfect all the time, but you should get enough hours of sleep on average.
2. Take breaks. When you feel overwhelmed or stressed, take a break from your work and come back to the task at hand.
3. Talk to a friend. It can be really helpful to talk to other people about mental health problems. Not just because they might know better, but because they also might have solutions to a problem that you may have.
4. Read books. When you feel overwhelmed or stressed, it can be really helpful to read books. Not just because they might be helpful, but because they will help you to look at things from a different perspective.
5. Practice meditation. Meditation is a great way to take a break from the outside world and to focus on your personal problem.
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.”
— Dan Millman
6. Play music. When you feel overwhelmed or stressed, play music to help you get through the day.
7. Get organized. If you find that you’re not doing everything you should, try to do something to help you get through the day.
8. Take a break. Sometimes it’s helpful to take a break from the outside world. Play music, read, and take a walk with your dog or cat.
“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
— Buddha
9. Take a course. There’s no doubt that taking a course about mental health can be helpful. But it’s also important to be proactive about your mental health.
10. Reap your mental health by accepting that you may not be feeling well. It’s okay! If you’re feeling overwhelmed, or like you’re not getting the support you want, it’s important to take a step back and reassess your mental health. It’s not always about feeling great, or feeling like you need to take medication. It can be about feeling better for a little while, and knowing how to take care of myself outside of mental health issues.
11. Try to be mindful of how you’re feeling. The things. I’ve found most helpful in managing mental health issues are knowledge of my own body and mind, and trying to stay aware of the signs of stress. These days, I especially try to take a “moody”. I like to know when I’m feeling down, and try to make sure I’m moving forward with issues that are important to me.
12. Try to be more present. This may seem like a hard sell, but it’s important for two reasons. First, because you need to be in the moment, and not letting all of your other activities distract from your mental health. Second, it’s important to be present when you need to be present, in order to get over these issues and move on.