Keeping your mental health healthy
Mental Health is not just about distress, through simple life changes you can move towards a happier life
Sometimes our distress is too great for these changes to make us better, if that’s the case please book an appointment with me using the below button.
How can I keep my mental health healthy?
This is a question that is rarely asked in society! Instead, we just push ourselves until the point of not being able to go on. Mental health is still mainly viewed as something that has gone wrong, but just like physical health we need to be looking after our mental health even when we feel healthy. Healthy mental health can be reached using some of the tips below. And remember if it is feeling like too much then accessing support can help you get back on track.
01
Self Care
Self care is a phrase that is used a lot but what is it? It isn’t just about doing what you want, instead it is being mindful about carving time out for what you need. Note that what you want vs what you need may not always be the same thing!
Some examples of self-care could be meditation, reading, taking a bath, spending time with your partner/children/family/friends, watching your favourite TV show, etc.
Self care looks different for everyone, but what is key is that you are doing something that meets your needs and makes space for yourself in your life.
02
Exercise
Exercising regularly is not just great for your physical health! Exercise releases hormones that can make you feel happier. Using our bodies can also make us feel sleepier by the end of the day, making it easier to get a good night’s sleep.
Finally, feeling fitter can make us feel happier and stronger, though this can become a source of distress if we are too preoccupied with unrealistic fitness or weight goals. Body image is an issue that affects a lot of people and if looking in the mirror causes you distress or unhappiness then please contact me.
03
Eating right
Some of the symptoms of anxiety or depression can really make eating feel like an effort. We may be feeling nausea or a complete lack of hunger, and it can be easy for this to lead to low energy. Other people may feel the urge to eat more than they usually would or eat more fatty or sugary foods than usual. Such actions can also affect our energy levels, as well as leaving us feeling annoyed at ourselves for overindulgence. Having a healthy and balanced diet, that includes some treats, is key to having healthy mental health.
If you feel your compulsive eating is getting out of control or your anxiety symptoms are really affecting your appetite, book a session with me to work through the underlying difficulties that are causing this behaviour.
04
Sleeping enough
It may seem obvious but sleeping enough and sleeping well is key to keeping healthy, both physically and mentally. Stress and anxiety can get in the way of a good night’s sleep. Certain practices can help, for example meditation, body scanning and simply tensing each part of your body and then fully relaxing.
Nightmares are a big obstacle for trying to get a good night’s sleep. If you find nightmares are a continuous issue please contact me and we can develop a plan to try and stop the nightmares occuring.
05
Be Kind to yourself
The most important part of looking after your mental health is being kind to yourself. This can be a very strange concept in a society that often demands a lot from us and makes us feel selfish for focusing on ourselves. Self care is a form of being kind to yourself but we can go further. Being kind to yourself is about accepting mistakes, recognising that we are human and that we are continuosly growing. That inner voice that is often our worst critic is very common but being able to recognise it and say ‘I don’t agree with you’ is very powerful (and difficult). It takes practice to do this and believe it, but being able to recognise when our inner critic is berating us is the first step to being kinder to yourself. If your inner voice is growing out of control please contact me and we can work on developing that self compassion that might feel so alien.
Looking after your mental health is like looking after a garden. We need to have space and time to look after it, prune what needs to be pruned and care for what needs to be cared for. Without constant attention our gardens can become unruly- start giving your mental health the attention it needs so it can also grow!
I am available for talks about healthy mental health.
If you’re interested please contact me on the professional talks page.