Tips To Maintain Your Mental Health

So you got your mental health to a good place, now what? Instead of just quitting all of the tools you have learned to manage your mental illness, keep practicing. Everyday. Exercise your tools daily and continue to develop more. There is no such thing as too many tools! If you’re beginning to struggle with ways to maintain your mental health I have a few simple, yet impactful activities to help bring you back to the center.

Get plenty of sleep. This seems like an obvious one, but sleep is essential for learning and productivity. Sleep acts as a charger for our brain and body (fill your cup). If neglected, you suffer. Pretty simple.

Enjoy the little things. Cliche’ I know, but true. Find a moment each day to stop and enjoy something small. The feel of the sun on your face, the smell of your favorite coffee, or simply taking a walk on your lunch break.

Exercise. It’s no secret that we feel better after a good workout. There is a reason for that. Exercise contributes to overall cardiovascular health and improved cardiovascular health leads to better emotional stability. If you feel that exercise is not for you, try a stress ball or another type of stress reliever. As we know, stress affects our health, and a simple way to relieve some of that tension is to squeeze it away!

Random act of kindness. I’m not sure about you, but when I am having a difficult day, it helps me to make someone smile. This helps with self-esteem. Helping others can give a sense of empowerment and social connectivity.

Deep breathing exercises and yoga. Now I am not talking about Hot Vinyasa. If that works for you, great. I’m talking about Slow-Flow yoga and deep breathing exercises. Yoga is a great tool for reducing stress and anxiety. Deep breathing allows your body to relax by lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate effectively allowing your mind and body to recharge.

Pet a dog. Maybe this should have been first! There are few things that trump petting a dog. They are such great companions and more often than not, understand how we are feeling before we do.

East breakfast. I’m bad at this one. A lack of nutrition leads to lower brain function or brain fog. After all, breakfast is exactly what it sounds like. Your body has been fasting since you fell asleep and needs fuel to start functioning properly once you’re awake. Eating a diet with foods high in omega-3 fatty acids helps to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia, depression, ADHD, and other mental disorders.