5 Proven Ways Of Managing Mental Health

Helpful Tips to Manage Mental Health

According to a report, 19.86% of American adults have a mental illness. Of these, 4.91% suffer from severe mental illness. Unfortunately, over 5.5 million adults experiencing mental illness have no medical insurance. Therefore, more than 50% of these adults don’t seek treatment.

Mental health issues can alienate individuals from their families, friends, and colleagues. The impact can be short-term or long-term, depending on how well you manage the disorders. This article will walk you through 5 proven ways of managing mental health. Keep reading.

Overview: Mental Health Illness

Everyone is susceptible to a mental disorder. Sadly, it’s not a passing stage for many people and can have profound effects that can last a lifetime. It can have devastating effects on your happiness levels or ability to maintain a productive life and relationships.

Mental health illness can affect a child’s education and cause adults to be less productive at work. Senior citizens may feel lonely and isolated due to mental disorders.

Fortunately, there are tips to manage mental health and live a normal life.

1. Increase Your Social Networks

Research suggests that 36% of the adult population has experienced profound loneliness in the US since the global COVID-19 pandemic. Feeling isolated can contribute to poor mental health.

Your social connections are important factors for mental health. If you feel lonely or experiencing a social disorder, you can do something for yourself to help improve your situation.

For example, you can improve your social interactions by visiting the movies or supporting groups through volunteering. Look for ways to bond with other people. If you can’t go out for various reasons, you can connect with people online through social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Besides, you can do things the old way by calling friends or sending letters to friends.

2. Do Physical Workouts

Regular workouts can help with anxiety and ADHD. Workouts improve your memory and sleep and enhances your moods. Luckily, you don’t need to workout yourself out through strenuous exercises to enjoy the full benefits.

For better mental health, you can also do activities that can promote relaxation, such as yoga, breathing exercises, creative activities, and mediation.

Physical exercises trigger the body to release mood-promoting hormones such as endorphins or serotonin. So, they are a good way of minimizing a feeling of isolation or loneliness.

3. Get Enough Sleep

An irregular sleep pattern can promote bad moods and increase the risk of depression. However, you can get some good sleep and improve your mental health.

Studies reveal that changes in lifestyle and work-related stress have impacted sleep negatively. If you stay late at night, you’ll have trouble concentrating during the day, which can affect your productivity at work.

Lack of sleep also increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, and impaired cognitive ability. The risk of developing dementia is higher, especially if you have less than five hours of sleep every night.

Worth noting, poor quality sleep affects several parts of the human brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and reasoning ability.  It also affects the amygdala, which is responsible for fear of response. Subsequently, this triggers high levels of stress and a feeling of anxiety.

How can you improve your quality of sleep?

• Aim to sleep at least 7 hours every night.
• Avoid using your electronic devices such as phones during bedtime.
• Reduce consumption of stimulants, including coffee, energy drinks, and tea, before bedtime.
• Cut down on alcohol use, drugs, and tobacco.
• For severe sleep disorders, therapy can offer a long-lasting solution.

4. Eat a Healthy Diet

A stressful lifestyle accompanied by an unhealthy diet can affect your mental health. Food plays an integral role in your mental health and overall well-being. The good news is that there are several ways to eat a balanced diet without spending a lot of money.

A healthy diet entails;

• Eating a wide variety of food in the right proportions so that your body can get the nutrients it needs. For instance, carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, energy, minerals, fiber, water, and fats.
• Eating at least three meals each day. Don’t forget to include snacks between meals if you experience hunger pangs.
• Eating with family and loved ones if you have the opportunity.
• Eating mindfully by sitting at a table, relaxing, and enjoying the taste of the meal. It helps your body trigger a feeling of fullness and hunger.

You can eat fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lentils, nuts, and beans for better mental health. Avoid foods with high sugar levels, processed foods, low-quality foods, and fast foods. In addition, limit food additives such as processed spices.

Seek Medical Help

Talking to someone about your feelings is the first step in treating mental health illness. There’s no superhuman, and at times, we can get overwhelmed by the happenings around us. Feelings of fear, anxiety, and depression may engulf you.

If things fail to take the right turn, don’t be afraid to seek help. Your loved ones may offer an ear to listen to your distress call.

Additionally, if there’s no one to talk to, you can seek help from local medical facilities that will conduct a compressive review and put you on a treatment plan.

The treatment plan may often cost you a lot of money because of follow-up visits. Also, if you seek treatment for Opioid addiction or substance abuse, therapy involves the administration of medication and organized meetings with the counselor.

In this case, it would be good to arrange for mental health insurance and substance abuse coverage which encompasses treatment and care management. You can find health insurance plans that are tailored to meet the needs of you or your loved ones.

Conclusion

Mental health illness can affect anyone regardless of cultural, age, economic and social background. At least one in every five individuals has mental illness at one point. Fortunately, you can apply the above remedial measures to avert a crisis. Also, seeking help early has proved vital in managing mental health disorders.