Our physical health tends to be something we are unable to forget about. Not only can we feel the effects immediately when we aren’t well or we’re not doing the right thing in terms of our health, but we can see it when we look in the mirror. Gaining or losing a lot of weight quickly, dark circles under the eyes, dull looking hair, acne, and generally looking pale or tired are all signs that we need to do more to look after ourselves.
Our mental health is another matter. When this goes uncared for, the signs are not so obvious, at least not to the outside world. There isn’t a sign telling us that we’re suffering from depression or anxiety, for example, and it takes a realization on our behalf plus a more in-depth look at our symptoms to really make any kind of diagnosis. Yet taking as much care of our mental health as we do our physical health is crucial if we are going to live full lives – here are some ways to do it:
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise isn’t just important for physical health, which is what you might think of at first (although, of course, this is part of the reason for exercising for about 30 minutes every day if you possibly can); it’s also important when it comes to keeping your mental health in a more positive state.
Exercise is good for your mental health because of the endorphins it allows the human body to release. In particular, the body releases serotonin when we exercise. The fact that this is called the ‘happy hormone’ should tell you a lot; when there is enough of it in the body, we feel happier, brighter, and more able to cope with whatever is coming in life. As a bonus, serotonin reduces the amount of cortisol in our bodies. Cortisol is called the ‘stress hormone’ and too much of it is definitely bad for our mental health.
Eat a Balanced Diet
No matter what you put into your body, whether that’s in terms of food, drink, or drugs, it is going to have some effect. Ideally, you want that effect to be a positive one. Not only will eating well and staying away from too much alcohol and drugs, in general, make you physically healthier, it will also do good things for your mental health, so following a good diet is crucial.
This doesn’t mean constantly being on a diet – that is something entirely different, and something you should consult an expert on before beginning. Equally, if you have any kind of eating disorder you should seek help from edentreatment.com before you embark on any huge lifestyle change.
However, if it is possible and if you are able to do it safely, switching what you eat from processed foods and foods high in sugar and fat to healthier foods which contain more vitamins and minerals, is certainly going to have a positive effect on your mental health.
Seek Help
One of the best ways you get to take care of your mental health is to seek help when you need it. This may sound simple, but for those who are struggling to remain positive and who have to battle the symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and so much more each day, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
This is why seeking help is both a big step and a crucial one. Once you have been able to do this, everything can change for the better and you’ll be on the road to a better state of mind.
