Speaking of overall well-being, mental health is just as important as physical wellness. In fact, these two are connected. Why shouldn’t they? They speak the same language. After all, your mental condition influences bodily functions, such as your blood pressure and your resting heart rate. These are just a few examples of how your mentalstate affects your physical being.
Besides, you’re in no shape to impose any diet and lifestyle changes if you’re not doing so well emotionally and mentally. Here are 5 simple rules you can live by to keep your mind healthy:
1. Meditation
Even a brief regular meditation is sufficient to offset mental decline brought by aging, a 2015 study found. What’s five minutes of sitting or lying with the purpose of soothing your mind? It’s not a lot of time, but the effects medication can potentially generate are significant for one’s mental health. By doing this on a regular basis, your stress levels will take a plunge and your brain will have the chance to take a break from all the worries. In the end, you’ll train yourself to be more resilient, prepared to face any challenges that’ll come your way.
2. Social life
You’re a social creature, which means that you need to interact with others in order to feel a sense of belongingness that’s vital for sustaining mental health. Social interactions are hard for many people with their busy lives and personal troubles, but establishing emotional connection with people is important. In fact, it’s kind of a mean to survive.
Studies suggest that social links are one of the greatest determinants of people’s long-term health. Moreover, a Harvard research determined that the quality of your relationships, may it be social or romantic, has more substantial impact on your future health than genetic and lifestyle aspects, which are often believed to be the greatest determinant of health.
The same research also found that support from people in your network can help shield the body and the brain in order to thwart mental deterioration.
3. Set an objective
Having an objective in life or a goal keeps your mind focused and inspired at the same time. There’s also what is called “constructive discontentment” to make life exhilarating as it fuels you to work harder to achieve your goals. It doesn’t necessarily constitute to huge ambitions and greed. Small goals, once obtained due to hard work, are something that’ll make you feel great.
4. Sense of gratitude
While you have goals that keep you busy and motivated to keep moving, don’t forget to pause a single moment each day to appreciate what you have. Feeling crappy and not in the mood to feel gratitude? There are a lot of things in this world to be thankful about. You just need to pay attention. Besides, the only way you’re able to maintain a solid relationship with people is by appreciating their roles in your life.
5. Go easy on technology
We’re so modern we can’t last a day without phones. In fact, recent studies show how social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pose harm to people’s mental health. Social media platforms, despite having social gains, are also associated with great levels of anxiety, depression, bullying, and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
Plus, the more you’re hooked to your device, the less likely you’re able to get a restful sleep. And good quality sleep is crucial for a healthy mind.
