How can you look after your mental health – Introduction
Mental health affects everyone. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. Taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical health. This post ‘How can you look after your mental health’ will provide tips and strategies across 8 key areas to support you:
- Diet
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Stress Management
- Social Connection
- Self-Care
- Therapy
- Medication
By making small changes across these aspects of your life, you can make a big difference in improving your mental health and overall wellbeing. Let’s explore each area in more depth.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about coping with panic attacks and anxiety in the workplace. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor if you experience recurrent ill mental health. Your employer may also have resources to support employees’ mental health and wellbeing.
Diet
What we eat has a direct impact on how we feel mentally and emotionally. An unhealthy diet high in processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats can negatively affect mental health. Meanwhile, a nutritious diet focused on whole foods nourishes both the body and mind.
Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats provides important nutrients that support brain health and regulate mood. Here are some tips for developing a mentally healthy diet:
- Eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from foods like salmon, sardines, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Omega-3s help fight inflammation and support brain function.
- Choose complex carbs like whole grains, beans, lentils, and starchy vegetables. They digest more slowly, preventing energy crashes.
- Limit added sugar, which can lead to mood swings and energy crashes.
- Eat protein with each meal to balance blood sugar and maintain focus. Good options include eggs, lean meats, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Increase consumption of probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha to support gut health, which is connected to mental health.
- Stay hydrated by drinking enough water throughout the day. Dehydration can negatively affect mood and energy.
Some examples of specific mentally healthy foods to incorporate into your diet include avocados, blueberries, leafy greens, salmon, chickpeas, almonds, and dark chocolate. Making an effort to regularly eat nutritious whole foods provides the nutrients your brain and body need to support optimal mental health.
How can you look after your mental health – Exercise
Getting regular exercise is one of the most effective things you can do to improve your mental health. Research has consistently shown that exercise has cognitive, emotional, and physiological benefits that can help with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, and more.
The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
Studies show that regular exercise can:
- Boost mood by increasing endorphins and serotonin levels in the brain
- Reduce stress and anxiety by lowering cortisol levels
- Improve sleep quality
- Enhance self-esteem and body image
- Provide distraction from worries and repetitive negative thoughts
- Sharpen focus, concentration, and memory
In some cases, exercise can be just as effective as medication and therapy for relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety. It’s both an immediate mood lifter and has long-term benefits for mental health.
Recommended Types of Exercise
Any type of exercise you enjoy and will stick to is great for mental health. Here are some top recommendations:
- Aerobic exercise: Get your heart pumping with cardio like running, swimming, cycling, or high-intensity interval training. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week.
- Strength training: Lifting weights and bodyweight exercises build muscle and boost self-confidence. 2-3 sessions per week is ideal.
- Yoga: Combining physical poses, breathing, and meditation, yoga reduces stress and anxiety. Try taking a class or doing 15-20 minutes per day.
- Walking: This simple activity gets you outdoors and moving. Walking 30-60 minutes 3-5 times per week provides mental health benefits.
- Sports: Pick-up basketball, football, tennis or any recreational sport you enjoy promotes socialising and reduces depression.
- Dancing: Zumba, hip hop, salsa, and other styles of dance are great mood boosters and stress relievers.
The key is choosing activities you find fun, accessible, and sustainable. Mixing up cardio, strength training, flexibility, and recreation is ideal. But any movement is better than none – even light exercise like stretching provides some benefits.
Starting an Exercise Routine
If you don’t exercise regularly, getting started can seem daunting. Here are some tips for beginning and sticking to a routine:
- Start small: Commit to 10-15 minutes of walking or simple bodyweight exercises 2-3 times per week. Build up from there.
- Schedule it: Block out time in your calendar and treat exercise like an important appointment.
- Find an accountability buddy: Exercising with a friend keeps you motivated. Or join a class to meet people.
- Focus on enjoyment: Pick activities you genuinely like doing – you’ll be more likely to continue.
- Track progress: Using a fitness tracker or app provides feedback and encouragement.
- Make it convenient: Have workout clothes and equipment ready to go at home for days you can’t get to the gym. Or incorporate exercise into your daily commute by biking or walking to work if possible.
- Be patient and persistent: It takes 4-6 weeks to form a new habit. Stick with your routine through ups and downs.
The mental health benefits of exercise are too powerful to ignore. Start where you can today, and keep working to build regular physical activity into your daily life. Your mind and body will thank you.
How can you look after your mental health – Sleep
Sleep plays a critical role in mental health. Getting enough quality sleep helps regulate emotions, boost mood, improve focus and concentration, and lessen stress and anxiety. Without adequate sleep, your mental health can suffer.
When it comes to sleep, both the duration and quality matter for your mental wellbeing. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. To improve your sleep quality:
- Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
- Develop a relaxing pre-bed routine like taking a bath, reading, or light stretches. This cues your body that it’s time for sleep.
- Limit screen time for 1-2 hours before bed. The blue light from screens makes it harder to fall and stay asleep.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask if needed. Earplugs or white noise can block disruptive sounds.
- Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine close to bedtime as they interfere with sleep.
- Reserve your bed for sleep and sex only. Watching TV and using electronics in bed makes it harder to wind down.
- If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and try a relaxing activity until you feel sleepy.
Making sleep a priority does wonders for your mental health. Aim for about 8 hours per night, adjust if your body needs a little more or less. Good sleep hygiene habits make all the difference in optimising sleep quantity and quality.
Stress Management
Chronic stress can have harmful effects on mental health. When we experience constant stressors and demands, it activates the body’s stress response, flooding it with cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, elevated cortisol levels impair brain function and can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
To counteract chronic stress, it’s important to actively manage and reduce stress. Effective stress management techniques include:
- Meditation: Meditating for even a few minutes a day has been shown to lower cortisol levels and anxiety. Try closing your eyes, focusing on your breath, and bringing your awareness to the present moment. Apps like Headspace and Calm provide guided meditations.
- Deep breathing: When you feel stressed, take 5-10 deep breaths. Inhale slowly through your nose, feeling your belly expand. Exhale slowly through pursed lips. Deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing the stress response.
- Nature walks: Taking a walk outdoors has calming effects. Being in nature lowers cortisol, blood pressure, and heart rate. Try to spend at least 20-30 minutes outside in green space each day.
- Exercise: Cardio, strength training, and yoga can help manage stress and boost endorphins. Aim for 30-60 minutes of exercise per day.
- Progressive muscle relaxation: Systematically tensing and relaxing muscle groups reduces anxiety. Try free guided instructions online.
By incorporating stress management habits and techniques into your daily routine, you can protect your mental health from the impacts of chronic stress. Reducing stress levels also provides a sense of control and improves overall wellbeing.
How can you look after your mental health – Stay Socially Connected
Maintaining strong social connections and relationships can have a major positive impact on mental health. Research shows that people with greater social support tend to have better psychological well-being and lower rates of anxiety and depression. Social connections help provide a sense of belonging and self-worth that is vital for mental health.
There are several ways to build social connections that support mental wellness:
- Make an effort to regularly keep in touch and spend time with family and close friends. Share experiences, talk openly, and offer emotional support to one another.
- Get involved with groups and communities that align with your interests and values. This could include a book club, recreational sports team, volunteer organisation, or meetup group.
- Be a good listener when others confide in you. Offer understanding, validation, empathy, and encouragement without judgment.
- If you start to feel lonely or isolated, take initiative and reach out to loved ones proactively. Let people know you value their company.
- Try to deepen existing relationships by sharing more intimately, being vulnerable, and developing mutual trust and care.
- If you have strained relationships, focus on resolving conflicts, rebuilding trust, and reconnecting authentically. Seek counseling if needed.
- Consider adopting a pet. Caring for an animal can provide companionship and have mental health benefits.
Building strong social connections requires effort but pays off immensely for mental wellbeing. Nurturing relationships helps fulfill the fundamental human need for belonging.
Self-Care
Taking care of your mental health requires more than just seeing a therapist or taking medication. Self-care – taking time to nurture your body, mind, and spirit – is essential. When we are stressed or struggling, it’s easy to neglect our basic needs. But regularly practicing self-care can dramatically improve mood and reduce anxiety.
Self-care looks different for everyone. The key is choosing activities that help you recharge. Simple pleasures like taking a bubble bath, getting a massage, or working on a hobby you enjoy can lower stress. Other examples include:
- Reading a good book
- Exercising
- Spending time in nature
- Listening to music
- Doing yoga
- Meditating
- Cooking a nourishing meal
- Spending time with pets
- Lighting candles
- Sitting in the sun
- Practicing deep breathing
Rather than seeing self-care as an occasional treat, make it part of your daily routine. For instance, set aside 10 minutes in the morning and evening for deep breathing, stretching, or journaling. Schedule activities during the week that replenish you, like getting coffee with a friend or taking an art class. When self-care is built into your regular habits, you’ll feel more resilient in managing stress and symptoms of mental illness. Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you explore different self-care practices. Discovering activities that soften your heart and lift your spirit is worth the investment.
How can you look after your mental health – Talking Therapy
Therapy can be incredibly beneficial for mental health struggles. Having an impartial person to discuss problems with and gain different perspectives can aid in coming to realisations and making positive changes. There are many types of therapy available to suit different needs.
Types of Talking Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on how thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes affect feelings and behaviors. Aims to change negative thought patterns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Utilises CBT techniques along with mindfulness practices. Designed to build emotional regulation skills.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores how unconscious processes, inner conflicts, and emotions from the past affect current thoughts and behaviors. Utilises free association and dream analysis.
- Humanistic Therapy: Focuses on self-actualisation, fulfillment of potential, and personal growth. Aims to help view oneself in a more positive light.
- Group Therapy: Brings together groups with similar struggles. Members provide support and insight to each other. Can build skills, coping mechanisms, and community.
Finding a Therapist
- Ask for recommendations from your GP, friends, or support groups. Look for reviews online.
- Search therapist directories through organisations. You can filter by specialty, issues treated, etc.
- Schedule a consultation to get a feel for the therapist’s approach and personality. Make sure you feel comfortable opening up to them.
- Don’t feel discouraged if the first therapist isn’t the right fit. It may take meeting with a few before finding one you connect with.
- Inquire about costs and insurance. Many offer sliding scale fees based on income.
How can you look after your mental health – Medication
Medication can be an important tool in managing some mental health conditions, especially when combined with other treatments like therapy and lifestyle changes. Medications aim to improve symptoms by altering brain chemistry, but they don’t cure the underlying condition.
While medications can provide relief, they also carry risks and side effects. It’s important to have open and honest conversations with your doctor about whether medication could be helpful for your situation, what types may work best, and what the potential downsides may be. Some questions to discuss:
- What are the benefits and risks of taking this medication?
- How will we monitor whether the medication is working and watch for side effects?
- Are there any lifestyle changes or therapies that could be tried first before starting medication?
- What should I do if I want to stop taking the medication?
Medications affect everyone differently, so give yourself time to evaluate how you respond. Keep your doctor informed about how you’re feeling so you can make adjustments as needed. While pills don’t fix everything, for some conditions they can significantly improve symptoms and make other treatments more effective. But medication works best as part of a multifaceted approach to mental health.
How can you look after your mental health – Conclusion
Taking care of your mental health is an ongoing process that requires commitment and consistency:
- Eating a nutritious diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins provides your body and brain with the fuel they need. Avoid processed foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
- Getting regular exercise not only reduces stress and anxiety, but it releases feel-good endorphins that boost your mood. Aim for 30-60 minutes per day of moderate activity like brisk walking.
- Prioritising high-quality sleep allows your mind to recharge. Adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Developing good sleep habits like avoiding screens before bed can improve sleep.
- Managing stress through techniques like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or talking to a friend can help maintain perspective and resilience. Don’t let stress build up.
- Having strong social connections and a solid support system has a powerful impact on mental health. Nurture your relationships and ask for help when needed.
- Taking time for self-care activities like reading, nature walks, enjoying hobbies, and relaxing baths is vital. Do little things daily just for you.
- If you’re struggling with ongoing symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, or other mental health conditions, seek professional counseling or therapy. There are many effective treatments available.
- For some mental health disorders like depression or anxiety, medication prescribed by a doctor may help manage symptoms. Work closely with your doctor to find the right treatment.
The most important thing is taking small, positive steps each day to support your mental health journey. There will be good days and bad days. Developing sustainable self-care habits allows you to better weather the ups and downs.
For more information and resources, check out the following links:
Mental Health Hotlines in the United Kingom
- Find a local NHS urgent mental health helpline in England HERE (you’ll need to provide your postcode. You may need urgent help for many reasons. The important thing to know is you will not be wasting anyone’s time.
- Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
Mental Health Organisations in the United Kingdom
- MIND Provides education, support and advocacy for people living with mental illness.
- Hub of Hope: UK-wide mental health service database. Lets you search for local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support. You can filter results to find specific kinds of support.
The path to better mental health looks different for everyone. With patience and compassion for yourself, developing a holistic approach tailored to your needs can help you thrive.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general knowledge and educational purposes only. It should not be construed as professional health, legal, or business advice. Readers should always consult with appropriate health professionals, human resource experts, or legal advisors for specific concerns related to mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of publication, Wellbeing In Your Office cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes, updates, or revisions of the aforementioned content.