3 Ways to Improve Your Mental Health

Updated on November 9, 2020

Mental health is a topic that has long been misunderstood, but that fact is changing in recent years. The well being of the mind is finally being taken seriously, but the average person still doesn’t have a great grasp on what can impact mental health, either for good or for ill. There are numerous day to day factors that can be causing your mental health to decline, but these tips can help you preserve your brain health.

CBD

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a potent medical solution in certain cases, and it is a much more socially acceptable alternative to medical marijuana. CBD can be used to treat numerous medical issues, often sources of chronic pain such as migraines, but it can also be used to combat mental illness. CBD cigarettes or gummies, for example, can help to reduce anxiety and alleviate depression, and this advancement has given many the tools they need to stop self medicating with marijuana in favor of a more concentrated dose of the good stuff with none of the mind altering narcotic. This is especially useful when you consider that the illegal status of marijuana in many parts of the world can contribute to an increase in anxiety when one seeks to use it to combat that same sense of dread. CBD is truly a great revelation of modern medicine, because it has finally given people dealing with chronic pain and mental illness a far less controversial alternative to a tried and true remedy that has historically been less than reputable.

Yoga

Yoga represents the middle ground between the physical body and the mind, and that makes it one of the best ways to manage your mental health. One all too common factor that contributes to mental illness is a general lack of activity pervading modern culture. By engaging in yoga, you can give your body the exercise it desperately needs, and the resulting endorphins can help to balance your mood. Perhaps even more beneficial is the mindfulness practice that yoga promotes. Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your body, your mind, and the interplay between the two. For example, being aware of how your heart rate increases when you’re anxious can help you take the necessary steps to reduce that anxiety. Yoga helps to teach and reinforce mindfulness and can help you improve your mental health from the holistic perspective of taking the body and the mind as one cohesive whole.

Self Care

Self care is a relatively recent development in the broader cultural understanding of mental health, and it’s therefore one that is often misunderstood. Self care is often attributed to things like indulging in fast food, for example, that are bad for you but can elevate your mood. There is some truth to this, but it can also be more detrimental than helpful very easily. However, self care is a valid tool for maintaining your mental health if you employ it correctly. Instead of indulging in bad habits as a form of self medication, you can instead set yourself up for success. For example, if you’re feeling overly anxious and want to forego a social event, you may feel some social pressure from friends. In this case, avoiding that event regardless of the opinions of others can be monumentally therapeutic. On the other hand, feelings of depression can also make you want to engage in isolating behavior, and this impulse should be rejected. Depression is an illness characterized by the desire to isolate, so engaging in social activities when you don’t want to is more helpful.

Taking care of your mind can be complicated, because knowledge about mental health is scarce for the average person. However, it can be more simple than you think and follow predictable rules. These tips can help you maintain or improve your mental health by making more informed life choices on a daily basis.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.