How Small Changes Can Improve Mental Health
By Genevieve Cunningham
If you really had to stop and think about it, how would you rate your own mental health? A lot of people fail to give their mental health the thought it deserves. Unless there's a problem, we don't think about it. But the truth is that if we thought about mental health before a problem showed up, we may be able to prevent many problems from happening in the first place. Does this mean to head to your therapist? That's certainly an option if you want to use it, but you can also make an impact on your mental health with tiny little changes to your daily habits. If you're ready to protect your mental health moving forward, take a look at these little changes and their impact on your health and well-being.
The Change: Routines
Routines can be made around important parts of the day. Morning routines include your wake-up, work prep, and personal time. Bedtime routines include winding down and actual sleep. Workout routines include getting ready, stretching, and the actual routine. The more routines we create, the more grounded and secure we feel.
The Impact
Routines are so important for mental health. Our brains like to order. They like the calming effect that routines can bring. They like the sense of security. If you want to improve mental health, create routines that you enjoy, and your mental health will likely improve in big ways.
The Change: Exercise
Exercise is important for every aspect of your health. You can join a gym, find a walking trail, or do workouts in the comfort of your own home. But moving your body on a regular basis is one of the best things that you can do for your overall well-being.
The Impact
When it comes to mental health, exercise is huge! Since our bodies can't focus on mental stress and physical health at the same time, exercise allows the mental stress to melt away. You might start your workout feeling distressed, and end it feeling calm and collected. Make exercise a daily habit, and both physical and mental health will improve.
The Change: Technology Restrictions
Technology is a good thing, but like all good things, it's better in moderation. Setting technology restrictions might limit the hours you spend on your phone, cut off your TV at a certain time, or restrict your time on social media. It's certainly a hard habit to master, but the effects are worth it in the long run.
The Impact
When we cut back on technology use, we're more likely to move our bodies. But that's not the only benefit. Technology is stressful, especially if that technology use includes social media. Cutting back can decrease the constant comparisons that we make to others, shift our interactions to more personal and face-to-face, and improve our own personal self-perception. Give up a little technology, and you may gain back an overwhelming amount of self-esteem and confidence.
It can be really hard to take care of your own mental health. Sometimes we can't see the problem. Sometimes we don't recognize when we need help. And sometimes we don't have the resources. But we can definitely take these proactive measures right now! Use these tips to get started, and you'll be moving toward better mental health in no time.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Chapel Hill, N.C.