Daily Practices for a Better Mental Health

I want to start by saying that I'm no expert on the subject and just want to share my own experience, as I reflect on World Mental Health Day, it is important to prioritise our psychological well-being and support those around us who might be struggling.

In our fast-paced world, maintaining good mental health is often overlooked. An as I said before, I'm no expert on this, this is just how I deal with it, having gone through a big loss in my life recently, these are some things in my daily routine that have significantly helped to keep my well-being.

Establish a Regular Exercise Routine

I have found that physical activity isn't just for your body; it's a powerful mood booster, and from what I've read I know it releases endorphins (natural "feel-good" chemicals), help me reduce stress and anxiety, improve my sleep quality (to an extent).

Sometimes I take it to the extreme and these past few weeks I've been training for over 10hrs a week, but even 15-30 minutes of daily movement, whether it's walking, yoga, or more intense workouts, can make a difference.

Nurture Meaningful Connections

In difficult moments I tend to isolate myself and avoid people, I just don't like to be seen when I'm struggling, but this time I have tried to keep connected with friend and family (in my own ways), I have also kept showing up to group activities with my triathlon team and the most difficult part has been (but I keep trying)to be present during interactions. But being close to the people I care has made a huge difference.

Practice Mindful Learning

I have found that when I'm learning, something happens to me and I can't think about other things at the same time, so I have found that staying curious and open to new experiences, embracing challenges as opportunities for development and learning has been a really great way to keep my mind and emotions in a good place.

Prioritise Professional Support

While my self discovered strategies have been amazing, professional help is irreplaceable, regular therapy has provided me with a lot of tools and perspectives, helps me process complex emotions and experiences.

Optimise Your Sleep Habits

Quality sleep is fundamental to mental health, I aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night, it is difficult, but I try to keep my phone away when I wake up in the middle of the night or way to early. I'm still trying to improve this.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

What I eat affects how you feel, in the past few weeks I have changed a bit my diet and has given me a lot of energy and also has improved how I feel throughout the day.

Conclusion

The people that are close to me know that I'm always positive and with a good attitude towards life, but nothing is perfect and we all feel down sometimes, so I think it is always good to think about mental health as a journey, where you need to keep taking small steps, be consistent, and being patient with yourself. Pay attention to what works best for you and most importantly, remember that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. By taking care of your mental health daily, you're investing in your overall well-being and quality of life.