At some level, your mind is all you have. It forms the basis for all that awaits you in life.

Your mental health has an enormous influence on the quality of your life. If your thoughts are consumed with anxiety, depression and stress-inducing thought patterns, living happily becomes challenging.

Addressing mental health issues can be complex, but holistic strategies such as sleep, exercise and diet can provide some much-needed relief. Combine enough of these strategies and you’ll soon feel an unswerving force pushing towards a happier life!

This article will present various strategies, as well as their scientific bases, that have been employed for optimal weight loss. However, let us first establish a definition.

Mental Health The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her full abilities, can effectively cope with daily stresses of life, works productively and fruitfully, and contributes to his or her community.”

Simply stated, good mental health means being satisfied, confident, productive, resilient and beneficial to others – qualities we strive for every day.

Conversely, poor mental health can be defined by anxiety, depression and excessive stress – or some combination thereof. Let’s quickly discuss each.

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mood disorders, affecting 15% of individuals at some point during their lives. If someone suffers from generalized anxiety disorder, constant fear and worry take over their lives day-after-day.

Depression is often accompanied by feelings of unhappiness and decreased interest in activities that were once enjoyable, which are the hallmarks of depression. Depression and anxiety often co-occur. They are considered “comorbid”.

Stress. Unfortunately, we all feel it from time to time, but sometimes its adaptive properties can come into play. A little stress may help jolt your brain into action when there’s a pressing deadline to meet, while prolonged anxiety will erode away at your wellbeing and lead to decreased productivity and wellbeing.

Humans weren’t built to constantly be on, which is why we evolved in small tribes that spent ample time resting.

Yes, when mammoths passed by our ancestors’ bodies would get an initial surge of cortisol so they could take action quickly; but more often than not they simply relaxed.

COVID-19 and Mental Health The COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the adverse consequences of collective stress. This stress manifested itself in many forms:

Health-related stress (will I get sick?) Job-related stress (will I lose my job?) Social disconnection stress (how will I see my loved ones?) Uncertainty stress (what is going to happen?) are all forms of strain on an individual.
Stress has eased as we emerge from its worst effects, yet psychological damage remains undeniable. According to WHO figures, global anxiety and depression rates have increased by 25% since the pandemic.

Make this statistic your motivation. Now more than ever, mental health needs our full consideration.

What Are 5 Strategies To Increase Natural Mental Health Improvement?

By now you may be asking, “How can I improve my mental health?” This section will offer the answer; but first a word of warning:

No single lifestyle modification can address every mental health problem; sometimes we require pharmaceuticals, therapy or other forms of medical interventions in order to achieve desired benefits. Consult a mental health professional for guidance.

With that in mind, let’s examine five strategies to promote psychological well-being.

Lockdowns were so difficult because of the isolation they created. Our happiness and physical health are directly tied to the quality of our social networks.

Relationships can also provide a protection from stress. One study discovered that breast cancer patients who received more social support experienced lower cortisol levels, while head trauma patients who joined support groups in hospitals were less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

Strengthen the relationships that matter most in life and seek support during difficult times (for an extra boost, join the Carb Manager community or the Official Carb Manager Facebook Group. Your life will become easier).

2.Meditate
Can meditation improve mental health, and, if so, which type is ideal?

Recent research has primarily examined mindfulness meditation’s ability to alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms among various populations, and mindfulness offers an ideal starting point.

Mindfulness meditation involves maintaining an objective awareness of thoughts, emotions, sensations and perceptions as they arise. For a mindfulness practice like Waking Up app or reading Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana are great places to start learning this form of self-compassion.

3: Exercise Experienced mental health professionals often prescribe exercise as an effective mood enhancer.

Exercise may help improve mood by:

Enhancing cerebral blood flow, stimulating excitatory chemicals such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, and producing happy pain-killers like endorphins and opioids; as well as raising body temperature. Finally, playing pickleball gives the underrated pleasure of beating that annoying guy while distracting you from daily worries.
As another way of relieving financial strain, check out how exercising on a budget without joining a gym membership can be done without breaking the bank.

Sleep is absolutely crucial for maintaining optimal mental health, including mood. Without restful restful nights of slumber you won’t be at your best!

Researchers conducted a 2019 study where people used mobile apps to track their sleep and moods for six weeks. Researchers observed that sleep quality had more of an impact than mood could on next day mood, significantly more so.

Focusing on improving sleep for better mood, not vice versa.

5: Eat to Reduce Inflammation

Many scientists now believe that inflammation (rather than serotonin) is the root of depression. According to research involving injecting people with Salmonella vaccine to induce immune responses, those who received the shot experienced greater negative mood than the control group.

Diet is an excellent way to reduce inflammation and maintain positive mental wellbeing.

Start by eliminating foods like sugar and vegetable oils from your modern diet that could trigger inflammation; remember: the Standard American Diet (SAD) will make you miserable.

Reducing inflammation begins by eating a diet rich in proteins such as meat, fish, eggs, fruits, nuts and vegetables (with an emphasis on omega-3 rich fish like fatty salmon) that offers balance and variety of nutrition. Eating whole foods (like on a Keto diet) also aids with weight management – and maintaining a healthy weight reduces inflammation significantly.

An Holistic Approach to Mental Health
Your mind is your most precious asset, so taking steps to nurture its wellbeing is paramount. By seeking authentic relationships, meditating regularly, exercising regularly, sleeping well and eating healthily you’ll help maintain mental stability throughout life’s changes.

Your mental wellbeing will improve as soon as you take steps to strengthen it, so take at least one strategy and set a micro goal to enhance it now.