In the last few years, we have realized the impact of mental health in our lives. Men especially are coming to grips that “toughing it out” is not the healthy way to work through issues. Poor mental health affects how we socialize, our psychological state, and how we care for our physical selves. Many of us rather find quick fixes to sedate us like drugs, alcohol and other unhealthy distractions rather than deal with real issues in life. With that in mind, here are 3 ways to improve your mental health.
Stress Manamgement
Stress is an unavoidable part of human existence. It shows up in many forms and sometimes unexpectedly. Learning how to process and mitigate the effects of it is the best way to maintain control over how it affects you. Stress, in reality, teaches us how to adapt and if we process it from that point of view, we put ourselves in a position to handle versus being handled by it. One technique is called the “relaxation response”, a physiological and psychological response to a stressful event. In practicing how to initiate this response during a crisis, we can get the neurological benefits at the moment rather than waiting for it to pass.
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Get Physical
Science has proven repeatedly that the stronger and healthier your physical body, the better the effects it has on your mindset, mood, and sense of self-confidence. The activity of physically challenging ourselves increases concentration, improves memory and promotes the growth of new brain cells. Additionally, feeling physically strong increases our own sense of attractiveness which improves self-value. A stronger body can also promote emotional stability.
Sleep
Getting 7-8 hours of proper sleep on a regular basis has proven to be the scientific sweet spot. It allows us to maintain good mental and physical health. A good night’s rest helps our heal our brain. In the first stage, you are in light sleep, which prepares you for deeper processes that includes physical body repair, immune system boosting, and bone restoration. The main stage is REM (Rapid Eye Movement) which is when vivid dreaming (processes emotional issues we struggle with subconsciously), memory consolidation, and brain development. Going through all stages is important to keep us operating at optimal levels.
Be consistent with these tips to keep your mental health a priority and your style of life elevated.
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Feature image photo by Andrew Neel
