Five ways to enhance your mood and mental health
Lifestyle changes can help people with mental health conditions. For example, exercise, sleep, diet, and social support can all affect your mood. You might also want to consider taking supplements, including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and B vitamins.
Small changes can lead to big results. Make sure your changes are small enough to fit into your daily routine. You should also focus on making one change at a time. Start by making one change every day until you’ve made 5 changes.
Improve your diet and start moving
Wholefoods such as leafies, legumes, whoegrains, lean meats, and seafood provide nutrients that are important to brain function. These foods include magnesium, folate, Zinc and essential fatty acids. Food rich in polyphenols such as berries, tea and dark chocolate, also play an important part in brain function.
Fitness activities are important for health. Walking is a great way to get your heart pumping. Swimming is an excellent workout. Lifting weights helps you tone up. Playing sports keeps you fit. Housework is a great way to stay healthy.
Exercise helps you feel better about yourself and your life. You should try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Try to do this by walking or running for at least 10 minutes. This will help you feel more energetic and positive.
Reduce your vices
Alcohol and drugs are bad for your health. You should avoid them if you want to stay healthy. Light alcohol consumption doesn’t do anything to help prevent depression.
Stopping smoking is also an important part of the process. Nicotine-addicted people are always at the mercy of a craving cycle. This makes quitting smoking hard because the brain chemistry doesn’t adjust fast enough. However, the brain does get used to being without nicotine, and this helps reduce cravings. Quitting smoking is linked to better mood and less anxiety.
Prioritise rest and sleep
Sleep hygiene techniques include regulating caffeine use, limiting exposure, and getting up at a similar time each day. People who are naturally an early riser may be better suited to wake up earlier than those who prefer to stay up later.
Don’t force yourself to fall asleep. If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, try focusing your mind on something else. Reducing light exposure before bedtime will help you fall asleep faster.
Hobbies help people relax by giving them something to do. Physical activity helps people relax as well. Hobbies can be very helpful for people who need to relax.
Get a dose of nature
Sunlight is great for our bodies, but we should always use sunscreen when going out in the sun. We should avoid being exposed to sunlight during peak hours (10am – 4pm). People with fair skin should get about 15 minutes of direct sunlight per day, while people with dark skin should get 10 minutes of direct sunlight per week.
You should limit yourself to using technology when you need to. Spending too much time on technology can cause depression. Go out into nature to get away from technology.
Having pets is very beneficial to our health. Petting an animal can help you feel better. Animal assisted therapy can be helpful too.
