Improving your Mental well-being can feel daunting or overwhelming. It can be especially hard to know where to start when you’re already not feeling like yourself. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are simple and accessible strategies that can help you regain a sense of balance and well-being in your life. These practical techniques can help you make strides toward improving your Mental Health. 

Treat Your Mental Health Like You Would Your Physical Health

Taking care of your mental Health doesn’t need to be complicated or overly challenging. Don’t treat your brain as though it isn’t also another organ in your body. There are simple treatments that can help you feel more like yourself again. Just like you would explore treatment options if you had a pulled muscle or chronic back pain, you can approach treating your mental health similarly. 

Mental illness symptoms occur because of a chemical imbalance in the brain. Taking medications like wellbutrin or zoloft target that chemical imbalance and work to correct it, which can lessen symptoms. Take with a healthcare professional to determine the right treatment for you. There are plenty of mental health services and professionals that make treatment accessible and affordable.   

Try Targeted Breathing Exercises 

Mindful breathing techniques are a simple and discreet way to improve your mental health. Our body’s response to stress naturally activates the fight-or-flight state. It’s an evolutionary response that allows us to identify danger and fight or flee it. Now instead of identifying a tiger and helping us flee, our stress response reacts to the co-worker we don’t like. That stress response activation will often increase your heart rate and blood pressure, tense your muscles, and alter your breathing. 

Breathwork techniques help to move the body out of a fight-or-flight state and allow you to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system helps to bring the body back into a balanced and relaxed state. Breathwork techniques that will activate the parasympathetic nervous system don’t have to be complex to be effective. It can be as simple as consciously taking a few deep breaths. 

If your brain needs something to focus on during your breathing exercise, try the box breathing technique. Inhale for a count of four and hold your breath for the same amount of time. Then exhale on a count of four and hold your breath for the same amount of time at the end of the exhalation. 

Move Your Body Mindfully

Movement is a simple way to boost your mood and reset your mindset during the day. Exercise releases the hormone dopamine, otherwise known as the “happy hormone.” Dopamine is released when we engage in behavior or activities that bring us joy. Our brain uses dopamine to reward and reinforce the actions that make us feel good. Even if exercise might not always feel good in the moment, the brain will still release dopamine afterward to reinforce that behavior. 

But you don’t have to do a grueling workout at the gym or go for a long run to get the benefits of dopamine. Moving for your mental health doesn’t need to punish your body. Try starting with something small like a walk around the block or a set of jumping jacks to get the blood flowing. The more movement you can incorporate into your day, the more the positive results will add up.

Make Sleep a Priority 

Good quality sleep is essential if you’re looking to improve any aspect of your health. Studies have shown that when you don’t get enough sleep you’re more likely to have a negative emotional response to stressors. Sleep problems tend to exacerbate any pre-existing mental health issues. That’s one reason why insomnia tends to be more common among people with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and other mental health conditions.  

If you’re chasing quality sleep, there are a few tips and tricks that could help you get a solid night’s sleep. Try to go to bed at around the same time every night and wake up around the same time each morning. If you have a hard time falling asleep, create a bedtime routine. This will cue your brain and body that it’s time to start winding down. Try to avoid caffeine in the afternoon, too. Even if you feel an afternoon slump without your caffeine fix, having coffee in the afternoon is going to eat into your time asleep. 

Stay Hydrated

As inconsequential as it may seem, drinking enough water can have a huge impact on your overall physical and mental health. Optimal water intake allows the body to regulate chemicals in the brain that impact mood. Dehydration can make it harder to pay attention, focus, and make decisions — which can in turn increase feelings of stress or anxiety. It can also create physical symptoms, like headaches and fatigue, that then trigger a stress response in the body. 

Notice that you don’t drink much water during the day? Try adding an electrolyte mix to your water. There are lots of options for electrolyte mixes that don’t have added sugar but still enhance the flavor of your water. Some can even give you an added boost of vitamins and minerals. If you find that you’re just forgetting to drink water or get distracted throughout your day, try setting a reminder. You could even try designating a reusable water bottle for yourself at home or work to keep tabs on how much water you have consumed. 

Don’t discount taking care of your mental health. Incorporating these simple practices can help you make positive strides toward improving your overall well-being. 

Also read: https://survivingspirits.com/how-to-talk-to-your-partner-about-your-mental-health/

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