Throughout the ups and downs of life, it’s normal to feel stressed or anxious sometimes. The key is to arm ourselves with tactics to protect our health during these tough times. When many people start to feel low, they panic and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. The good news is, there are many simple ways that you can improve your mental health.
1 . Boost endorphins
When you are feeling anxious or blue, what you need is to boost your endorphin levels. There are plenty of ways that you can do this. First up, try some exercise, whether it’s a relaxing yoga session or a vigorous run on the treadmill, any exercise will do to boost endorphins. Besides this, many fun activities raise our endorphin levels, whether it’s eating chocolate, laughter, or sex! Spending time amongst nature is another way to get an endorphin boost, this could be a freshwater swim or a hike in the forest.
2. Acts of kindness
One study in SpringerLink found a connection between altruism and happiness. Acts of kindness towards others helps to improve our mental health and happiness levels. With this in mind, try looking for charity work in your local community or further afield. You could also aim your acts of kindness at those close to you. Whether it’s a surprise flowers delivery for a friend or helping out with their kids, there are many ways to express altruism.
3. Collect inspiration
When we feel anxious, depressed, or stressed, it can be difficult to snap out of it. It’s during these times that we need to turn to inspirational words. It can be a good idea to collect sources of inspiration, so you can look at these whenever you are feeling stressed. These could be positive quotes, articles, books or journal entries.
4. Self care apps
Need a bit of self-care in your life? Not sure where to begin? In this case, it’s a good move to try a self-care app! Shine is a top self-development app; here, you’ll get advice on productivity, positive affirmations, mindfulness, and more. The application sends you motivational messages every day to help you stay on a positive track. There’s also an online community where you can chat with other users about all things self-care! Another fantastic app for self-care is Reflectly. It’s a digital journal and application which uses mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal of Reflectly is to help you find more positivity in each day.
5. Talk it out
Last but not least, one of the easiest ways to boost your mental health is by talking about your emotions. When we keep our feelings inside, we ruminate, we self-criticize and generally start to feel worse. Perhaps you don’t find it easy to talk to friends and family about your mental health? In this case, an online community or therapist could be a better option for you.
6. Deal with Your Physical Health Better Too
Your mental health and your physical health are closely connected, and that’s something you can’t overlook. If you want to stay on top of your mental health, you first need to spend time looking after your body. A healthy diet and activity are obviously key. And if you’ve been dealing with physical pain or other such issues, see a chiropractor or another relevant professional.
It’s essential to seek medical advice from a doctor if you begin to feel overwhelmed with stress or anxiety.
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