7 Methods to Maintain Your Mental Health

Today marks the 27th annual World Mental Health Day: a day dedicated to the education and awareness of mental illness and overall mental health. With busy work days and hectic schedules, we sometimes may lose sight of how important it is to check in with ourselves. Your mind is a precious space that needs maintenance, care and love. It can be easy to set aside or forget about, but your mental health is crucial in keeping yourself well-functioning and enjoying life. If you find yourself asking, “How do I help keep my mental health in check?” There are plenty of ways to take care of your mental well-being. Here’s 7 easy things you can do to help look after yourself and your mental health.

We can guess you probably don’t do this enough, so go ahead and treat yourself! It’s important to constantly promote self-love, so even if it sounds silly, be nice to yourself. Always use positive words when speaking of yourself, avoid harsh self-criticism and make time for yourself to relax. Research shows that how your view yourself can have great effects on your overall emotions and psyche. Treat yourself to a nice dinner, maybe that dress you’ve been eyeing for months or even just a quick nap you’ve been needing. Treat yourself just as well as you treat those you love because truly, you deserve it!

Getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night is crucial to maintaining good mental health. Deep sleep, also known as REM, contributes to your brain’s emotional health. In order to get yourself into that precious REM sleep, you’ll need the best quality mattress and bedding. With the right bed, getting the best sleep possible will be one less thing to worry about.

This might be a no-brainer, but your mental health is impacted your physical health. Make sure you’re eating foods high in protein, low in sugar and consume plenty of fruits and vegetables. Your mental and physical health depend on one another, so both need to be properly cared for. Remember to make time to exercise, which will not only help you stay physically healthy but also relieve a lot of stress and negative emotions.

Studies show that a harmonious connection between your mind and thoughts can make you calmer and less stressed. Take some time out of your day, about 15 minutes would be ideal, to meditate or pray. Sit calmly and quietly to be alone with your thoughts and emotions. This will allow for self-awareness and self-reflection.

With the average career, many of us naturally fall into a strict routine for our everyday lives. A routine can be great in keeping yourself on track with daily duties, but it can also become tedious. If you have a lot of monotony in your life, it may make you feel like there isn’t much excitement. So to combat this, try something new! Maybe take a new route to work, walk in a new park, workout somewhere different, try a new lunch or dinner order, or sleep in one day. A schedule without any kind of room for the occasional switch-up can put your brain in a slump, so try to make changes every now and then to keep the excitement high and your mental state healthy.

In promoting good mental health you’ll want to surround yourself with positive energy. Spend time with people who make you happy, be with family and friends, or even just check in with yourself and how you’re feeling day-to-day. Create positive energy for yourself by writing down what you’re grateful for when waking up, or what you’re looking forward to during the day. It’s easier than you think to keep this kind of energy around you.

It’s always okay to seek help when needed. In fact, we highly encourage it. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but rather one of strength. Take control of your mind and life. Sometimes our own efforts may not be enough, and there is nothing wrong with that. There are always countless resources available to you if you need them. World Mental Health Day should serve as a reminder to practice habits that help our mental well-being everyday. Remember to always look out for yourself, and encourage others to do the same.