Mental health affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others. Mental health is more than the absence of a mental illness—it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness. Read on to find out some steps to take to improve your mental health.
- Look after your physical health
Taking care of your physical health helps improve your mental health and well-being. Be active for at least 30 minutes daily, whether that’s running, walking, yoga, dancing, cycling, or even gardening. By getting enough physical exercise, you can also improve your self esteem and get better sleep.
2. Do activities that you enjoy
Try to make time to do an activity you like on a regular basis. This could be something small, like cooking a meal, ringing a friend or listening to music. Having a regular routine with activities that make you feel happy will help you maintain good mental health.
3. Confide in someone that you trust
Talking to someone you trust – whether a friend, a family member, or a colleague – can help. You may feel better if you are able to openly share what you are going through with someone who cares about you. If you live in an area where face-to-face interactions are limited, you can still stay connected with your loved ones through a video call, phone call or messaging app.
4. Take a minute to yourself
Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment, using techniques like meditation, breathing exercises and yoga. It’s been shown to help people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings. This means that instead of being overwhelmed by your feelings, it becomes easier to manage them.
