9 Things You Can Do Right Now to Transform Your Mental Health
Many people think that transforming one’s health is something that takes years of dedication. However, there are actually actions you can take immediately to improve it. You don’t have to treat it like a monolithic project that will never come to fruition.
The key is to understand that all you have control over is the present. Once you start putting one foot in front of the other, it is surprising how often things just work out.
Here’s what to do:
Practice Deep Breathing
The first place to start is with deep breathing. It is highly effective and hardly requires any effort to start seeing benefits.
Deep breathing is essentially a way to reprogram your nervous system. People living with anxiety find it highly effective because it can turn panic into normal psychology pretty quickly.
All you need to do is breathe into your stomach for five seconds, hold for five seconds, and then slowly breathe out. Once you’ve repeated these six to ten times, you find that your whole physiology has changed. What was stressing you out before no longer seems to be a problem. Eventually, you feel much calmer and have reduced stress, which massively improves your focus.
Move Your Body
A second thing you might want to do is move your body. Even a small amount of movement can have a tremendous impact on how you feel and how your body works.
Many people spend their days sitting in chairs, not moving much. This state might seem restful, but when paired with a poor diet, it leads to all sorts of chronic conditions.
You don’t have to do much movement. Getting up right now and walking for 10 minutes is probably all you need. You could also try dancing or stretching. Just do something that feels like fun to you.
Once you start exercising, your body will release feel-good hormones. These immediately help you feel better, enabling you to take on the challenges of the day.
Journal More Often
Journaling more often is another thing you can do to improve your mental health. Writing things down helps to externalize them, preventing you from identifying with them so much.
Only do this, though, under the supervision of a therapist. Sometimes, writing too much can actually worsen symptoms and reduce your mental health further, so be careful.
Go To a Safe Environment
If you’re in a challenging situation, going to a safe environment can have a profound impact on your mental health. Just changing your location and going somewhere that really makes you feel supported and loved can make all the difference.
Sometimes, this is something as simple as moving to a different city and starting again. If you can find friends in this new location who will build you up and make you feel great, that can be a wonderful thing.
If you have addiction issues, the same principle applies. You need to go to a rehab clinic where you’re safe and can get the treatment you need. Getting away from your existing environment helps to break bad habits and enables you to start on a new life, even if it is challenging for the first couple of weeks or so.
Connect With Someone You Trust
If you can connect with someone you trust, that can also have a profoundly positive impact on your mental health. Being around the right people is a great way to get oxytocin flowing and adjust your emotions for the better.
Even if it is a quick call or text, it can make all the difference. Knowing you’re not alone is powerful medicine and something that can go a long way.
Reduce Screen Time
Screen time is generally bad for people’s mental health, especially if you’re on social media. Therefore, you might want to look into various ways to limit it. If you can cut down on it, you may find that your mood improves.
The best thing to do is to get out into nature and just experience the world for what it is. Hardly anyone comes back after a month of camping, miserable and low on energy. Instead, the natural environment builds people up and makes them feel whole again. You might experience this yourself if you decide to go out and test it for yourself. Sleeping under canvas and eating food cooked on a fire is an enlightening experience and makes you feel like you’ve finally gone home. You’re not stuck in the city with all its pressures and nonsense.
Eat Mindfully
Eating mindfully is also something you might want to try to improve your mental health. Some people feel low simply because the food they’re eating is causing inflammation in the brain.
Instead of eating eggs and bacon for breakfast in the morning, focus on things quinoa, fruit, and nuts. Or for dinner, eat a light tomato and basil soup instead of opting for something heavy and meaty.
Once you start eating mindfully, track your progress. See if it makes a difference for how you feel and the experience of life that you have. Track this every day so you know you’re always making progress.
Try Meditation
Next, you’ll want to try meditation. Many people find this helpful because it allows them to clear out their minds and create more space.
Meditation doesn’t need to go on for hours. You’re not a nun in a monastery. Instead, you can often derive significant benefits within a few minutes, especially if you commit to practicing every day.
Declutter
Finally, decluttering your environment can have a significant and positive impact on your mental health. You may find that you begin to feel better almost immediately.
Start by working one room at a time over several days. Put everything in its proper place to ensure you’re organized and don’t have anything going on in the background that could potentially distract you.
So, there you have it: some of the actions you can take right now to improve your mental health and get the life you want. Pexels – CC0 License
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