Taking care of your mental health can be one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It can affect every aspect of your life in positive and negative ways, and helping yourself can mean implementing small lifestyle changes that improve your mental health.
Cleaning Up Around the House
Think of your living space as an extension of your own personal well-being. If you’re letting it become messy and cluttered, that can have negative effects on you. Whether you find that the whole house has is cluttered or that the mess is concentrated in one or two locations, take the time to clean up. It will give you a sense of making progress and, by the end, open up your home, making it feel less claustrophobic and suffocating.
Changing the Lights
Think about switching out any old bulbs for newer LED lights. They have a number of health benefits, and chief among them is soothing, cool lighting that doesn’t cause strain on the eyes. Your light sources can affect you in ways you don’t realize, so make sure they’re the best for you.
Improving Sleep Habits
The sleep you get tonight will affect the way you feel tomorrow. How much sleep you get and the quality of that sleep determine how refreshed and active you feel in the morning. The worse your sleep is, the more your mental health will suffer. Devise a sleep schedule that will allow you to get the full eight hours you need, and stick to it. The human body normally can’t function properly on four or five hours of sleep. Turn up the AC as you sleep; colder air naturally helps us drift off to sleep more quickly. And try to refrain from looking at computer or phone screens an hour before bed.
Taking Quick 10-Minute Walks
The act of exercising releases endorphins into the bloodstream; endorphins are the chemicals responsible for making you feel good and giving you energy. Exercising also aids your physical health, which in turn can increase your mental health.
If you don’t have time for a full exercise routine, going outside for a 10-minute walk will be enough to get the blood pumping. Have a rotation of walk cycles to make sure your body is benefitting from the exercise; start by walking slowly for a few minutes to warm up your body. Then, follow that up by walking at a faster pace for the next few minutes, and end by walking slowly again.
It All Adds Up
Whether it’s going out for walks or getting to sleep earlier, lifestyle changes can improve your mental health. They will all add up over time and result in a higher quality of life.
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