Optimize Your Mental Health
Get up and move! Physical exercise is incredibly important in preventing and managing mental health concerns. We know that exercise produces endorphins – natural opiates that improve our mood and make us feel good. Take advantage of that science and go for a walk or pick up a tennis racquet to improve your mood!
Pay attention to your food composition. Yes, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight will help your mental health. However, be mindful of how you get there. Consuming foods created in a lab – heavily processed and modified – can impact mood and anxiety levels. Focus on eating natural, whole goods – plant-based healthy greens, nuts and lean proteins, as well as healthy fats like avocado! Avoid those momentary feel-good-fixes and aim for a long-term healthy diet to get the best results for your whole mind and body.
Be present! You’re not a human-doing, you’re a human-being. So be present in the moment and live each moment as it happens. Mindfulness takes practice – it’s not easy to stop multi-tasking, or to focus only one task or event at a time. Journaling can help you develop your mindfulness skill set. Expressive writing can help you put negative thoughts and feelings and anything else going through your head, onto a piece of paper and gain some mental distance from these experiences.
Sleep on it. So many Americans don’t get enough good sleep on a regular basis. Poor sleep habits can wreak havoc on your brain and circadian rhythms and even alter brain function! Arm yourself with tools to improve your sleep hygiene; a regular bedtime, room darkening blinds, and limit screen-time and caffeine before bed. Taking a few steps to improve your sleep habits and pattern can produce big results in your ability to function during the day.
