8 Tips to Instantly Improve Your Mental Health
Are you feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed? These feelings can affect your physical health, as well as your relationships and work performance, but there are many simple things you can do to improve your mental health and keep stress under control.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to improving your mental health, so try out some of these tips for instant improvement!
1) Acceptance
The first step to improving your mental health is accepting where you're at. This doesn't mean that you're happy with everything in your life, but rather that you're not fighting against reality. What is, is. And the sooner you accept that the sooner you can start making changes.
2) Reward Yourself
Whenever you accomplish something, no matter how small, pat yourself on the back—literally. Research shows that physical touch can instantly boost your mood and lower stress levels. So go ahead and hug yourself or tap yourself on the shoulder the next time you hit a milestone.
3) Exercise & Fitness
Exercise is a great way to instantly improve your mental health. It gets your blood flowing and releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. Plus, it can help reduce stress and anxiety. The key is to find an exercise routine that works for you and stick with it.
Don't be afraid to experiment until you find the right workout for you! If running or walking is your thing, do it at least three times per week; if you prefer strength training or yoga, work out at least twice per week.
If you're struggling to carve out time in your day, try waking up 15 minutes earlier than usual and getting some quick cardio in before starting your day, or start moving around during commercials on TV or while waiting for dinner to cook. No matter what type of fitness routine makes sense for you, just get moving!
4) Get Enough Sleep
One of the best things you can do for your mental health is to get enough sleep. Most people need around eight hours of sleep per night. Getting enough sleep can help improve your mood, memory, and concentration. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety. If you’re having trouble sleeping, there are a few things you can try:
Establish a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. Avoid napping during the day or drinking caffeine within six hours of bedtime. Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet to promote better sleep quality.
Make sure that your mattress provides adequate support so that you don't toss and turn all night long. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults who snore use devices like CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines to increase airflow through their noses while they sleep which reduces snoring and improves breathing during the night.
5) Take Time For Yourself
It’s important to take time for yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. This can be anything from taking a hot bath, reading your favorite book, or going for a walk outside. Taking just a few minutes out of your day to relax can make a world of difference in your mental health.
When we feel like we have no control over our lives and our bodies are running on adrenaline and stress hormones, the best thing to do is stop what we're doing and take care of ourselves before it gets worse. That's why many people choose to meditate to find peace within themselves.
6) Help Others, Be Kind To Yourself
Helping others can boost your mood and give you a sense of purpose. But it's important to be kind to yourself, too. Allow yourself time to relax and recharge, do things you enjoy, and don't be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake. You deserve compassion and understanding, just like everyone else.
7) Change Negative Thinking Patterns
Negative thinking patterns are a common trigger for mental health issues. If you find yourself falling into negative thinking, try these tips to change your perspective
1) Write down your thoughts as they come up, and then use I statements when you write them down.
2) Imagine what it would be like if the opposite were true-
3) Remind yourself that this is just one moment in time-
4) Think about all of the things that make you happy. What's important to you? What do you want? What do you love doing? Write these down on paper or carry a reminder with you (ex: I love spending time with my dog).
5) Ask yourself how often does this happen? Is this something that happens once or twice, or all the time?
6) Find someone who can give objective feedback on how likely it is for your negative thought pattern to happen
7) Be gentle with yourself. You're only human!
8) Challenge Negative Thoughts
Do you find yourself constantly thinking negative thoughts? If so, it's time to start challenging those thoughts. After all, your thoughts influence your emotions and your actions. So, if you want to feel better, it's important to start with your thoughts. Here are 8 tips to help you get started.
1) Write down the thought that is bothering you most right now. Then ask yourself what evidence there is for this thought and write down any evidence you can think of on the other side of the paper.
2) Get away from situations or people that trigger negative thoughts
3) When something good happens, pat yourself on the back for being a success!
4) Remember how many times in life things have gone well for you and remind yourself that things will work out eventually.
5) Think about all the skills you have that make you uniquely qualified to deal with whatever challenges arise
6) Try not to see events as an either/or situation. For example, instead of asking Why me? when something bad happens try asking What does this experience teach me?
7) Instead of blaming others for your problems, take responsibility for them and figure out ways you could improve them
8) Permit yourself to be upset by mistakes but also permit yourself to move past them.
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