Not just aware, but mentally healthy

Good day.

How are you doing?

After a slightly extended fortnight, we are refreshing you with content on health, now that this is Mental Health Awareness Month.

In the words of Nicole Spector, a writer and editor, “Over the past decade, there’s been increased willingness to recognize mental health as an essential part of one’s well-being.”

So, even before we go further, are you mentally fit?

Mental fitness is key to you as an individual because it affects how you think, feel, make decisions, and act by involving your emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Your mental wellness also benefits society because it ultimately affects how we relate to and with others.

In the past, we have written evergreen content on mental health and also on the larger category of health, which you would benefit from reading.

In today’s world, where everyone seems busy and almost entirely preoccupied with their own issues, struggles, and commitments, self-care gains impetus in our lives and should be a priority.

Self-care involves focusing on things that aim at improving your physical and mental health.

In today’s world, where everyone seems busy and almost entirely preoccupied with their own issues, struggles, and commitments, self-care gains impetus in our lives and should be a priority.        

Let’s dive into a few things you can do to ensure you remain fit upstairs:

• Exercise regularly: The idea of exercising does not necessarily mean that you must have a budget for the gym; it means you have a plan for your body. Taking a walk, be it to work or just for fun, would refresh your mind, awaken your creative juices and set you in the right mood for the day. Exercising for at least 30 minutes daily is recommended.
• ?Remain grateful: Practicing gratitude builds your attitude on the right track and enables you to appreciate what nature and people have to offer. It creates in you a sense of appreciation in which, even amid hard times, you’re able to be grateful for the times you’ve enjoyed in the past and stay optimistic for brighter days ahead. It takes away the stress of applying yourself thin to things you cannot change and instead revives your soul to pursue things that are within your reach, with gratefulness.
• Extend some love to someone else: Giving to others has a way of lifting burdens off our shoulders and relieving us when we get back the smile we have put on someone’s face. It also brings a sense of fulfilment and makes us feel important. And remember, what you give to others is what you receive back from, not necessarily them, but others too.
• Make sleep a priority: After a busy day, you definitely need sufficient rest. Lack of sufficient sleep, or getting poor-quality sleep can increase the risk for mental health disorders.

According to the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry,

“While insomnia can be a symptom of psychiatric disorders, like anxiety and depression, it is now recognized that sleep problems can also contribute to the onset and worsening of different mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation.”

• ?Set goals and priorities: Stress, depression, and anxiety are at times caused by failure to achieve wrongly set goals or inappropriate prioritizing. Setting achievable goals and giving yourself time to achieve them is vital for keeping depression at bay and avoiding other forms of psychological turmoil. Goals and priorities also help us to look forward to something and give our energy to what matters.
• Connect, and stay connected: Loneliness increases anxiety, builds stress, and births depression. Always have someone you can talk to, lean on, and share your pains, achievements, challenges, and anything else that you feel like sharing. This would give you a sense of acceptance and courage that your boat will stay afloat no matter the storm. Be in touch with your family and loved ones too, and seek peace and co-existence all along.
• Leverage your strengths: Everyone has his or her weaknesses. However, there’s great beauty and diversity in those imperfections. Focus on your strengths and use them to cover your weak points and build an image of strength and excellence.

There are hundreds of other remedies out there that you can embrace to better your mental health and, by extension, your physical health, which is closely related to your mental one.

As we continue escalating the conversation on mental health throughout this month, please assess the state of your mind, minding that of your neighbor, and also embrace self-care. ?

We would be glad to hear from you in the comments section.

Also, be sure to spread the word on mental health and embrace self-care.

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Bye for now.