MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND that achieving good physical health depends in large part upon leading a healthy lifestyle. For instance, we know that getting proper nutrition and exercising regularly are essential to maintaining good cardiovascular health and avoiding problems such as diabetes. But what many fail to recognize is that, just as with preventing heart disease and other chronic ailments, there are proactive steps we can take to promote our mental and emotional well-being. Here are eight of them:
1) Master the art of saying “no”
Lack of appropriate balance, for example between our work and family lives or between other competing life obligations, is a major source of stress that drains away joy and can all too easily spiral into feelings of resentment, anxiety or depression, job burnout, and other intensely negative emotions. It’s important to identify your own limits with respect to career, family, and social obligations and to learn ways to decline any requests that will strain those limits.
2) Eat right and exercise
Though our culture tends to compartmentalize physical and mental health, there really is no disconnect between the body and mind. Like any other organ or system in the body, the brain needs proper nutrition in order to function properly, so what you eat is bound to have a major impact on your emotions and thought processes.
As far as exercise is concerned, they don’t call it “mental floss” for nothing. Vigorous exercise not only serves as a healthy relief valve for stress, but it also releases endorphins, the body’s natural mood-boosting hormones. And you don’t need to train like an Olympian to garner the mental health benefits of exercise, either. A brisk walk for 30 minutes a day will suffice.
Of course, eating right and exercising will also help stave off a host of other chronic health conditions that often lead to mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
3) Get a good night’s sleep
Getting sufficient sleep on a regular basis offers a wide range of mental/emotional benefits, including improving focus, memory, and creativity; reducing stress; and lowering the risk of depression. Strive for seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
4) Stay socially connected
Human beings are social creatures, and spending too much time alone runs counter to good mental health. The longer we spend in isolation, the greater the risk of developing depression, and people who are depressed often avoid social interaction and activities they once enjoyed, so the problem becomes self-perpetuating.
If loneliness is becoming an issue for you, there are several ways to reconnect socially (as COVID restrictions allow, of course). Examples include:
• Schedule more get-togethers with family and friends. You don’t have to wait for the holidays. A special home cooked meal or movie night is a good enough excuse.
• Take a class at your local community college.
• Join a hobby-related club (e.g., a gardening or aquarium society).
• Volunteer at a local soup kitchen, food pantry, etc. Putting the focus on others’ needs is a great way to alleviate loneliness and boost your sense of self-worth.
• Adopt a dog or cat. Not only are pets wonderful companions that provide unconditional love, but they can also help their owners connect with other people. Walking a dog, for instance, takes you outside and into the company of other dog lovers while providing an opportunity for healthy exercise.
• Take advantage of Zoom, FaceTime, or other video chat applications to stay connected with others when you can’t leave home.
5) Challenge your mind
Adult education classes, museum visits, puzzles and “brain games,” books, art projects, and any other activities that encourage novel thinking or demand creativity are great ways to wake up new areas of the brain and help protect against mental decline.
6) Avoid intoxicants
There’s something of a “chicken-and-egg” relationship between drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues. On the one hand, people with mental illness often use intoxicants to self-medicate when they experience symptoms. On the other hand, certain intoxicants can actually cause serious mental health problems or exacerbate existing ones. So, the temporary relief intoxicants might provide from stress, depression, anxiety, or other negative emotions just isn’t worth the potential long-term mental-health consequences.
7) Learn relaxation techniques
When it comes to stress relief, a much better alternative to using intoxicants is learning some simple relaxation techniques that you can easily incorporate into your day, such as praying or meditating, practicing yoga, performing deep-breathing exercises, listening to soothing music, watching a funny movie, etc.
8) Get help if you need it!
It’s important to understand that many complex factors influence our mental and emotional health and that some people may experience mental illness despite making positive lifestyle choices. If you’re grappling with persistent negative emotions or disruptive thoughts, particularly if you’re experiencing any self-destructive impulses, don’t hesitate to see a mental health professional. The earlier mental illness is recognized and treated, the better the outcome.
