There has been a long, historical focus on physical health, which is extremely important, but our society hasn’t put the same emphasis on mental health.
The physical health industry is huge, bombarding us with advertisements for diets, gyms, and medications for weight loss, why not mental health? Read below for some compelling reasons why you might want to take your mental health into your own hands.
- “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.” –Forrest Gump. If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve experienced the life curveballs thrown your way when you least expect it. Whether an accident, the loss of a loved one, divorce, or a job loss, they all take a toll on your mental health. When life throws you obstacles, having people in your corner to talk to creates a sense that you are not alone, and you have the support you need.
- Mind and body health are interconnected, when one suffers, the other bears the effects. When someone suffers from depression, anxiety, and stress, there is a direct correlation to heart attacks and strokes. You may experience sleep disturbances due to mental health issues which again leads to digestion imbalances, another example of how your physical health is related to your mental health.
- When you fail to nurture your mental health, productivity suffers. Those who suffer from depression often struggle with lethargy, are less productive, and shy away from physical activity which creates a vicious cycle of being unwell.
- Unhealthy habits are often associated with poor mental health. Self-soothing and self-medicating habits like smoking, drinking, or drug use go hand in hand with mental health instability.
- Studies support that people who live happy and healthy lives, including mental health, tend to live longer than their counterparts that suffer from mental health issues.
Health is a balance between mental and physical health. Here are some things you can do to stay physically and mentally healthy to ensure your overall wellbeing:
- Maintain a practice of gratitude- each day, whether you journal or have a practice of positive affirmations, keep track of your accomplishments and how you can overcome the everyday challenges in life.
- The habit and ritual of drinking coffee or tea every morning is directly linked to lower percentages of depression.
- Creating a change of scenery for yourself every once in a while by getting away, provides you something to look forward to which gives us an overall feeling of happiness for up to 8 weeks.
- If you are left feeling stuck in life, focus on what you are good at for a boost of self-confidence and then tackle the harder stuff.
- Sleep is one of the key factors for good mental health. Sleep hack- the optimal temperature for sleeping is between 60-67 degrees, so open a window or sleep with a fan on.
- Laugh early and often as studies prove that laughter reduces anxiety and increases the dopamine hormone, necessary for feeling good.
- Unplug from social media now and then.
- Go ahead and eat the dark chocolate without the guilt, you are doing it for your mental health!
- Yawn, studies have shown that yawning helps cool the brain and improves mental alertness and mental efficiency
- Dance like no one is watching. Dancing reduces the level of the stress hormone cortisol and increases dopamine, the ‘feel-good hormone.
For all these reasons and more, your mental health should be a priority. If you struggle with poor mental health, Compassionate Psychiatric Services has a variety of alternative therapies that can help. Call today to discuss what mental health treatment is best for you.
