Sleeping well, exercising regularly and spending time in nature are all invaluable for mental wellbeing, yet many believe these practices require significant time and energy commitments.
Psychologists and therapists agree that consistent routines are vital for maintaining mental wellbeing. Here are 10 easy habits that could make a difference: 1. Write down three things each morning that make you thankful;
1. Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep is essential to both physical and mental wellbeing; during sleep the brain and body recharge their systems and take care of important processes like cell restoration.
Maintain a regular sleeping schedule; this helps your body regulate its mood more effectively.
Use time spent with pets as a natural way to reduce stress. Even petting an animal, like your pup or the family cat, can lower blood pressure and make you happier. Laughter is another excellent mood enhancer; find reasons every day to smile.
2. Exercise Regularly
Physical activity releases feel-good chemicals into your brain that can boost mood and relieve anxiety. While physical activity doesn’t need to be something you do daily like gym-going or working out until your sweat pours off of you, incorporating exercise into daily life is crucial.
Schedule your workouts when you have the most energy, such as before work or lunchtime before mid-afternoon fatigue sets in. Try walking, dancing to music or taking a leisurely bike ride as activities for optimal fitness.
Keep in mind, however, that while these healthy habits may help relieve symptoms of mental illness they cannot replace professional treatment. Contact us now to discover more of what we have to offer!
3. Practice Self-Compassion
Researchers have discovered that self-compassion is linked with greater happiness, deeper relationships, and increased resilience. Self-compassion involves responding to your misfortunes with compassion and understanding – treating your struggles like part of our human experience rather than something worth dwelling upon alone.
Duke suggests practicing self-compassion by identifying an area in your life where you tend to judge yourself harshly, and writing yourself a letter explaining what your closest friend would say were they in your position. Over time, this exercise will help build self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness – the three components essential for self-compassion.
4. Take Time for Yourself
Spending time alone can be an excellent way to rejuvenate and unwind, but if it leaves you feeling anxious or overwhelmed, additional social interaction may be required.
Practice mindfulness daily as another means of improving mental health and wellbeing. Just learning something new or taking an alternative route home could give your mind a much-needed boost!
Be sure to set aside time just for you, and notify those around you so they won’t intrude upon that space.
5. Practice Gratitude
Practice gratitude can help you experience more positive emotions and enhance your quality of life – including better relationships, increased resilience to adversity and better restful nights’ sleep.
Practice gratitude through writing in a daily journal about what you are thankful for, choosing depth over breadth (description specific people or things for which one feels grateful). Gratitude also has been proven to reduce stress levels, heart rate and breathing rate – this is why Moskowitz and her research team teach such skills to those experiencing mental health challenges.
6. Spend Time in Nature
Spending just two hours every week outdoors, whether that is forest bathing, ecotherapy, mindfulness in nature or green time can significantly boost health and well-being. Even city dwellers or those working indoors can reap its rewards by visiting parks or gardens nearby.
Going for a walk through a park, sitting beside a lake or gazing upon cloud formations can do wonders to improve your mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Being outdoors also increases focus while diminishing rumination.
7. Practice Self-Care
Self-care involves taking measures to nourish yourself on all fronts: physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally. This could include engaging in healthy habits such as regular movement, eating nutritious foods and getting ample restful sleep as well as engaging in mind-body practices such as meditation or mindfulness exercises.
Wellness also means cultivating social connections and setting boundaries to avoid burnout. A support system can be vital when setting wellness goals; whether that’s through a group, personal coach, or any other means – having someone there as your cheerleader makes all the difference on your wellness journey – find yours now!
8. Engage in Hobbies You Enjoy
Investment in hobbies that you find enjoyable is vital to mental health and wellbeing. Hobbies can help reduce stress while simultaneously developing cognitive skills. Furthermore, hobbies may help you acquire new abilities that could prove useful at work or elsewhere in life.
Studies have demonstrated the health, happiness, and overall life satisfaction benefits associated with hobbies. Hobbies also provide an effective means of keeping in touch with social connections – be they reading, drawing or knitting or participating in sports such as playing football or rugby or creating music with digital composition software such as Garage Band; painting with acrylics on canvasses or cooking.
9. Stay Connected with Your Friends and Family
Relationships matter, and having close friendships is just as beneficial to your health as eating well and exercising regularly1.1
Strong support systems reduce your likelihood of contracting or dying from serious illnesses by 50%.
Stay in contact with old friends while making an effort to meet new ones. Connect by attending local social events, joining a book or hiking club, volunteering together or even keeping in contact via weekly phone calls, text messages and even e-mail messages.
10. Practice Self-Care
Keep in mind that small, consistent self-care habits can have a major impact on your mental health. From journaling and reading regularly to creating a tranquil space in the home, engaging in self-care practices will help increase mood levels and strengthen overall mental wellbeing.
Consider it like the oxygen mask advice given on airplanes: without taking care of yourself first, it will be impossible to effectively aid those around you. Practice self-care each and every day by connecting with family and friends, limiting digital distractions, and eating nutritious meals.
