Taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical health. The good news: they are closely related, so exercise, sleep, and nutrition have positive effects on both the body and the psyche. Follow these five good habits, and your life will be harmonious.
Habit one: get enough sleep
Our brain is not able to perceive information continuously; it needs time to process and assimilate it. Recent studies have shown that during sleep, the brain is cleared of metabolic waste accumulated during the day. This is necessary for us to feel cheerful and attentive during the day.
Accept the fact that you have 16 hours a day to do, and don’t try to add a couple of hours of sleep. Being lethargic, foggy, and increasing your risk of diabetes, dementia, obesity, and heart disease caused by chronic sleep deprivation is a dubious optimization.
Here are some tips to make your stay at night enjoyable and enjoyable.
- Sleep 7-9 hours a day at the same time
- Do not try to sleep off on weekends; scientists have proven that trying to compensate for sleep deficit only harms health
- If you work while seated from morning to evening, go for a run or walk in the evening
- Reduce the amount of screen time before bed. For entertainment or intellectual activity, it is better to choose a book
- Replace coffee or alcohol before bed with herbal tea
Read also: How To Make Your Brain Work At Any Age: Five Surefire Ways
Habit two: eat balanced
Our brain takes up only 2% of the body weight but consumes 20% of the body’s energy. To function, it needs a lot of resources, which we get along with food. Food has a direct impact on our brain, and therefore on our mood.
Scientists have recently begun researching the effects of nutrition on mental health, and here are a few guidelines that exist today.
- The diet should meet the body’s needs for vitamins, minerals, and calories
- Eat whole grains, fish with omega-3 fatty acids (herring, mackerel, salmon, sardine), nuts, pumpkin and flaxseeds, blueberries, currants, broccoli, tomatoes
- Reduce your processed foods intake: those that have been canned, thermally processed, and prepared for long-term storage before consumption. These include semi-finished products, canned food, sausages, snacks, baked goods
- Cut out sugar. Glucose is needed for brain functions such as thinking, memory, and learning. But the foods we eat every day contain far more sugar than we need. Its excess leads to a gradual deterioration in memory and cognitive functions
Habit three: being physically active
As stated above, exercise improves sleep, but physical activity’s mental health benefits are not limited to that. People who exercise regularly have been shown to have less stress. Sports improve memory and concentration, normalize body weight, and improve self-esteem. And not only thanks to sports! Gardening, cleaning the house, or walking home from work works just as well.
Habit four: being friends
If you have a few friends with whom you regularly meet and communicate, you are already doing your mental health a huge favor. If not, it’s time to build that relationship. This is not about adding a thousand unfamiliar people on social networks as friends. Build a relationship in which mutual trust and support reigns, where you are accepted in good and bad circumstances. These relationships give you a sense of happiness, meaning, and confidence – and these are the defense towers of your mental health.
Habit five: choosing meaningful things
Everyone understands the concept of “meaningful affairs” in his own way. For some, it is work, for others – a hobby, for others – volunteering. The list goes on, but all of these activities have one thing in common: they are fun, inspiring, and give meaning to life.
Also read: Five Good Habits To Improve Brain Function
Remember when you happily woke up in the morning – energetic, expecting something special. It could be a trip to new places, a concert of your favorite artist, or a trip with friends to the movies. Or remember the state when the occupation absorbed you, you were like in a stream, did not feel tired or the passage of time. For example, reading a book, drawing, or playing football. These are your meaningful affairs. Make time for yourself and those things in your life, especially when you feel like the world around you is starting to lose color due to stress, routine, or negative thoughts.
Adapted and translated by Wiki Avenue Staff
Sources: Today Lifestyle
