Most of us think of mental health as ‘up there’ in your head and separate from your physical health. Or like a mood switch that gets flipped on and off. But the truth is, if you want to improve mental health, it’s necessary to consider your overall health. Anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges are often linked to physical health issues. They can impact your heart and gut health, hormones, immune system and ability to catch a good night’s sleep.
If you’ve been feeling mentally exhausted, irritable or on edge, it could be a sign that you need to look deeper at your physical health. The good news is that small daily habits can improve mental health in profound ways and also boost your physical health.
Let’s go through some links between mental health and physical health and ways to improve mental health. Here’s what we’ll share:
Finding the root cause of your mental health issues
AND
How to improve mental health with everyday habits
Looking for concrete ways to improve mental health beyond exercise and meditation? By the end of this article, you’ll know the best ways to improve mental health and be able to share them with your friends and family!
The Root Cause of Mental Health Issues
Before looking at ways to improve mental health, let’s look at the backstory. Mental health challenges rarely appear out of nowhere. Since the ‘chemical imbalance’ theory has been debunked, it’s important to look for a root cause when it comes to mental health struggles.
Factors like chronic stress can increase cortisol, raise blood pressure, increase inflammation, disrupt gut health and cause a hormone imbalance.
Poor gut health and hormonal imbalances have been linked to:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Brain fog and cognitive issues
- Mood swings and irritability
- Sensitivity to stress
The first step when setting out to improve mental health, should always be to dig a little deeper and rule out more serious health issues.
7 Habits to Improve Mental Health
Reducing stress levels is key if you want to improve mental health so let’s talk about some ways to get your cortisol levels under control.
When you’re having a busy day, what you need are some easy and practical habits that you can implement on a daily basis.
1. Start Your Day With Light
Starting your day with some morning sun and gentle movement can have a positive impact on mood and improve mental health.
Pairing some natural light first thing in the morning with gentle movement for 10-15 minutes can support your circadian rhythm, vitamin D synthesis and boost energy. You can try gentle stretching, mobility exercises or even some yoga.
This simple start to the day can improve mental health by reducing stress and sets you up for a positive day.
How to try it:
- Step outside for 10 minutes after waking up
- Combine it with some shoulder rolls, gentle twists and calf stretches
- Use these mindful moments to focus on your breath and surroundings
2. Mindful Cooking or Food Prep
Food isn’t just fuel, it’s a form of self-care and self-love and can help to improve mental health. Mindful cooking can turn the experience into a therapeutic experience and improve mental health by stimulating the senses and paying attention to the colors, textures and aromas.
Little tips:
- Put your favorite music or a podcast on and let yourself truly enjoy the process
- Try out new spices, herbs or ingredients and get creative
- Pick out a new dish from a cookbook and focus on nourishing your body and mind!
3. Micro Breaks
Do your days feel long and tiring? There’s a big connection between movement and mental health and how exercise can improve mental health. Short and intentional breaks every 1-2 hours can help you reset and refocus your energy.
Even if you can’t fit in a full workout, moving your body every couple of hours helps circulation, reduces mental fatigue and can actively improve mental health.
Ideas for micro breaks:
- A five minute walk around the block or office
- Some gentle yoga or stretching at your desk
- Getting up to play with your pet (if you have one) or watering your plants
4. Journaling and Reflection
We’ve all heard that journaling can be helpful when it comes to ways to improve mental health. Here’s how to get creative with it!
Daily reflection can improve mental clarity, reduce anxiety and improve mental health by giving your mind a safe outlet. But what if journaling everyday starts to feel like a chore? We’ve come up with some ways to maximize the mental health benefits while keeping it simple.
Try different journaling styles:
- Bullet journalism with prompts like:
- One thing I’m grateful for today…
- One thing I learned today…
- One small or big win from today is…
- One sentence journaling – keep it simple by summarizing your day, mood or highlight with one sentence
- Instead of a full page, write your thoughts or something you’re grateful for on a sticky note and review them all at the end of the month!
5. Stay Hydrated
Have you ever had such a busy day that you forgot to drink water consistently? Hydration can influence your mood, energy and focus and help improve mental health.
Irritability, poor concentration and a lack of energy have all been linked to dehydration so let’s talk about how to hydrate.
Hydration 101:
- Start your day with a glass of water and a pinch of sea salt or electrolyte mix
- Swap out a glass of water with some coconut water which is full of electrolytes and tastes delicious!
- Snack on cucumbers, celery and watermelon to get your hydration from mineral rich foods
6. Creative Expression
This may sound a little cliché but creativity is good for the soul and helpful if you want to improve mental health.
Being creative doesn’t have a set of rules so you’re free to paint, sculpt, garden, dance to your favorite tunes or even bake up a cake in the kitchen. The only important thing is that you set aside time each day to let your creativity flow.
Here’s how:
- Dedicate 15 minutes each day to doing something creative (more if you’re baking a cake)
- Focus on enjoyment, not perfection
- Combine your creative time with other tasks like mindful cooking or journaling
7. Digital Sunset
In a world full of constant emails and notifications, this is your chance to turn it all off for a little while each day.
A digital sunset – or turning your devices off for an hour before bed can help improve mental health by supporting your nervous system to wind down and get ready for a restful sleep.
It also helps to reduce overstimulation, lowers anxiety and gives your brain space to relax and reset after a busy day. It’s a practical way to improve mental health and can help you feel refreshed in the mornings.
Suggestions:
- Place your phone or devices inside a small decorative box so that you’re not tempted to look at them
- Start this habit at the same time each night so you can look forward to it
- Keep a book nearby for some offline relaxing
Improve Mental Health in Oak Park
Boosting mental health is not about perfection, it’s about consistency. By incorporating some of these daily habits, you can improve mental health and create a routine that supports both your body and mind.
Improving mental health can take time and sometimes, support along the way can make a big difference. Synergy Integrative Health and Wellness can guide you through a healing journey for your mind, body and spirit.
Speaking with our mental health expert and registered dietitian nutritionist can help you find the root cause of your mental health challenges and support you through gentle lifestyle and nutritional improvements. Book in a consultation to improve mental health this Mental Health Awareness month!