We often hear about physical health and a zillion tips on how to improve it. But, ever wondered what mental health is and why it is important?

Mental health is the emotional, psychological and social well–being of an individual. Good mental health is a state of mind where an individual can realize his / her potential, cope with stress, work productively and contribute to the community. In a fast-paced life, it is easy to get overwhelmed by stress, however, stress won’t resolve any problem but may make it worse. Hence, mental health becomes very important.

So, what can you do to make your mind fitter?

Here are some easy and basic tips that you can follow to take care of your Mental Health :

•  Indulge In What Makes You Happy

Love art? Grab those colours and a drawing book to get going! Love playing cricket? Love trekking? Just get going! Schedule some time out from your routine to do what makes you happy as long as it doesn’t have any negative impact on your overall health. Indulging in what makes you happy will not only make you feel good but also boost productivity at work.

• Journaling

Writing can be therapeutic. It’s a great way to pen down all the bottled emotions and navigate through the complex ones. One way of writing is “Journaling”. Out of all the journaling styles, gratitude journaling is one of the best.

A gratitude journal is a diary where one writes about all the things he/she is grateful for. This helps create positive emotions and overall positive mental health. It’s a no-cost tool that helps with mental clarity and building positivity.

• Spending Time with Positive People

  
  

How does it feel when you hear something positive as against negative about yourself or life in general? The same goes for spending time with those who are positive. Even if you are unable to meet them, a phone call with such people can also make you feel better! And, if you are having a difficult time coping with situations or things, it will help you to gain a positive perspective to deal with them.

• Exercise

  
  

Exercise is a powerful tool to release stress-relieving and mood-boosting endorphins. It helps in combating stress, anxiety, and depression. Small changes in your daily routine such as taking stairs, walking to the grocery store instead of going by vehicle, and moving more instead of sitting for long hours can also help to a certain extent. Try to inculcate the habit of exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes in whichever form you would enjoy – be it aerobics, strength training, or yoga!

• Eating Right

What you eat can deeply impact how you feel and think. The gut-brain connection isn’t just a buzzword, it’s real and well-established, too. A happy gut can supports a better mood, more energy and mental clarity. Simple steps to support your gut- is personalised nutrition which includes having colourful seasonal produce, focusing more on the fibre, including fermented foods, avoiding junk and eating mindfully.

• Getting a good night’s sleep

  
  

Sleep deprivation can impact your overall mood, productivity and mental health. If you are experiencing difficulties in sleeping, you can make slight changes in your lifestyle such as following your sleep cycle i.e. sleeping at a fixed time and waking up at a fixed time until the body gets used to the schedule, avoiding alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs, curbing caffeine intake, relaxing body and mind, not to engage in mental activities such as working or by curbing phone usage before going to bed, etc.

• Self – talk

  
  

Good self–talk is healthy food to a fitter mind and soul. If we talk constantly negatively about ourselves and others to ourselves, it negatively impacts how we perceive the world and ourselves. It hampers our actions, relationships, day-to-day living, achievements, etc. When we talk positively using affirmations to ourselves, it boosts our self–esteem, confidence, good mood, and strength to combat stress. Train your mind to speak positively about yourself such as ‘I am confident.’, ‘I love myself.’, ‘I am a winner and I will achieve success.’ etc.

• Take a Break

  
  

When everything starts to feel very stressful and hectic, take a break! Do anything that eases your mind and body. Taking a break does not always have to be expensive nor does some event that has to be planned out beforehand. Going out on a trip feels like an amazing break. However, when you do not have much time in hand and experiencing burnout, take a small break to relax anything like meditation, doodling, going out for a stroll, etc. Once done, get back and start over.