Make Mental Fitness Part of Your Daily Routine
You’ve added aerobics and strength exercise. You’re eating your greens. But what are you doing to protect and strengthen your mental health? Your emotions, thoughts, and outlook affect your energy…
You’ve added aerobics and strength exercise. You’re eating your greens. But what are you doing to protect and strengthen your mental health?
Your emotions, thoughts, and outlook affect your energy and productivity and impact your overall health. Having good mental health not only helps you cope with everyday challenges and aggravations, it’s also essential to living the life you want.
Tackle Stress First
Just as you begin a workout program with a warm-up, you can begin your mental health routine by learning to deal with stress.
Stress is a double whammy; it not only affects our emotions and ability to perform, but it also contributes to a host of physical ailments. Stress can lead to stomach pains, headaches, back pain, insomnia, and high blood pressure. It can leave you more vulnerable to infection. It can cause you to overeat or take away your appetite, both of which can lead to a host of other physical issues.
Stress can also lead to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. You may experience fear, anger, sadness, worry, or numbness, or have trouble concentrating and making decisions when stressed.
Ways to Chill Out
Like with extra weight, you can’t magically wave away stress. However, there are ways to deal with stressors that can improve your overall wellbeing and help minimize irritability, as well as stress from grief or other big life changes.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) offers a list of ways to cope with stress. We all manage stress differently; mix and match the techniques to find the right combination that works for you.
- Put down your phone. Taking breaks from news and social media can be helpful, as a constant barrage of negative information can be upsetting.
- Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. You don’t need a yoga mat or instructions to raise your arms and inhale.
- Go outside. Whether you’re walking or simply sitting, spending time outdoors can promote feelings of calm.
- Schedule time for yourself. Give yourself the gift of doing things you enjoy.
- Keep a journal. Recording feelings of gratitude is a major stress reducer.
- Connect with others. Vent and share your feelings with people you trust.
Just as your mental health can impact your physical wellbeing, your daily habits can impact your mental health.
It’s Mind AND Body, Take Care of Them Both
- Adults should aim for a minimum of seven hours of sleep every night.
- Get some exercise; even a little physical activity can make a difference, but it’s recommended to get two and a half hours of physical activity per week.
- Eat fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or no-fat dairy. Bump up your fiber and reduce your intake of unhealthy fats, salt, and added sugars.
- Limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol consumption can contribute to depression and anxiety, as well as memory problems, including dementia. The CDC recommends no more than two drinks per day for men and one for women.
Looking for other ways to manage stress? Mental Health America has created 31 tips that you can start at any time to raise your spirit and increase your coping skills.
Make it a Project
Like step-by-step instructions? Like to check off boxes? There are lots of free or inexpensive printable worksheets for reducing stress, or you can download The Manage Stress Workbook, developed by the Department for Veterans Affairs. It offers tips and worksheets that can help anyone looking for easy and actionable stress-relief habits.
