Six Ways to Strengthen Your Mental Health
How we feel, think and behave is part of our mental health and wellness. Although the term mental health may refer to an illness or disorder, it can also mean how we enjoy life and attain a balance between our outer activities and our inner thoughts. By looking at your overall health every day (physical and mental) you can go a long way in ensuring that you are focused on your whole body’s health. We hope these tips from Lakeview Center will assist in strengthening your mental health:
1. Pay attention to how you’re feeling physically. This goes hand-in-hand with your mental health.
2. Obtain plenty of daily rest. The average person needs at least seven hours of sleep.
3. Eat a well-balanced diet of healthy foods – keep as many processed foods off your plate as you can. Make sure your plate is a variety of color, too, from fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats or protein.
4. Have a plan in place for managing stress. What works best for you? Common ways many folks help keep stress at bay is spending a few minutes in silence breathing deeply or going for a short walk.
5. Journal your feelings and your food each day. Notice how food makes you feel and your energy levels. This can play a big role in mental well-being.
6. Know your numbers. What is your normal range of blood pressure, cholesterol and heart rate? When you know your baseline, you can pay extra attention to increases or decreases in your numbers that may need to be monitored or checked immediately. Have an annual wellness exam to stay on top of what’s right for you.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we can all do our part to boost our mental well-being. Share the above tips with your loved ones and keep them posted in front of you for yourself. Visit eLakeviewCenter.org for further resources and services related to mental health and wellness.
