Simple tips to improve your mental health

Your mental health describes the status of your psychological and emotional well-being. It has a big influence on your relationship with yourself and with others on a day-to-day basis.

Having good mental health means you’re well-being is high, you’re feeling good and you’re capable to deal with the normal stresses of life.

Your mental health is just as important as your body. It’s important to take care of both your mental and physical health and to treat your body and mind with respect and kindness.

Here is a list of tips to help you improve your mental health:

1. Be kind to yourself

Be kind to yourself and make sure that you treat yourself to something good and which brings you pleasure. Sometimes this also means going the easy route and not unnecessarily making things difficult for you or to overcomplicate things.

2. Get enough sleep

Sleep has a big impact on your physical and mental health. It’s important that you get a good night’s sleep which includes having a healthy nighttime routine.

3. Seek social connections

As we get older, making social connections often becomes more difficult and our feeling of loneliness increases, especially if you work from home. Therefore it’s very important that you actively seek social connections offline and online. It doesn’t have to be something huge. It can also just mean going to the bar to enjoy your coffee instead of drinking it at home so as to have a small interaction with the barista.

4. Eat healthy

Food makes your body and mind function properly. Make sure that you eat regularly and that you take the right and healthy nutrients to you. Avoid fatty and sugary food and opt for food that provides long-lasting nutrients.

5. Value yourself

Treat yourself with respect and love. Avoid too much self-criticism and don’t constantly beat yourself up. Be kind and loving and forgive yourself.

6. Exercise

The health of your body has a big influence on your mental health. Make sure that you get enough movement and that you exercise frequently.

7. Find purpose and meaning

As human beings, we naturally seek a purpose in life and want to do something meaningful. Try to find the things that give you that sense of purpose and meaning and make enough time to engage in those activities.

8. Avoid toxic people

As life happens you come in contact with a lot of people. Remind yourself that you can always choose which kind of people you let into your inner circle and which ones you prefer to keep out. Not all people make us feel well and it is perfectly normal to avoid them and to focus on the people that fuel us and lift us up.

9. Build healthy routines

Not every day feels the same and you’re often confronted with tough days and difficult periods that you need to overcome. In difficult times you can rely on our healthy habits that you installed when you felt good and inspired. Build those routines and hold on to them when you’re facing a difficult time.

10. Try out new things

Try to try out new things. It’s often easier said than done but you have to try. New things can help you to bring back some excitement on days when you feel down. They can also be a source of opportunity in finding new stimuli. Focus on the little things, such as trying out a new recipe, a new book genre, or a new hobby.

11. Do something nice for others

Being kind to others and doing something nice has also a positive effect on yourself. It can lift your spirits and make you feel good about yourself. It can be little gestures such as holding the door for someone or gifting a smile to the people you encounter during your day.

12. Break up the monotony

Boredom and monotony can often have a negative influence on our mental health. However, sometimes we don’t feel comfortable with the risk of a new thing. The good thing is that instead of trying a new thing, you can shake things up by rotating the things you already know and feel comfortable with. It can be little things such as rotating the things you eat for breakfast or the route on your walk or commute.

13. Go outside

Sometimes all it takes is a walk in nature to lift your mood. Walking in nature and breathing fresh air have a positive effect on your mental health. Make sure to find ways to be outside at least once per day, especially in winter when it’s dark and cold.

14. Learn to manage stress

There are things in life you can’t avoid, but you can always choose how you react to them. Sometimes, stressful times are unavoidable but there are many helpful ways to manage stress so as to overcome those challenging times.

15. Quiet your mind

Your mind is a powerful tool and sometimes those negative thoughts seem to be creeping in more than you would love to. Find ways to distract and quiet your mind by engaging in meditation or creative activities which keep your mind occupied with something else.