Mental health has become a big concern for the authorities these days. Millions of Britons are grappling with various kinds of mental ailments like depression, anxiety, PSTD, low self-esteem, panic disorders, and psychological problems arising out of addiction and substance abuse.

Mental health problems hamper the overall health and wellbeing of the individual and lower his quality of life also. Thankfully, there are viable ways of improving your mental health. Try these efficient and easy ways of improving your mental health today and see the difference in the quality of your life.

Run For a Natural High For Your Brain

Running is great for your heart and overall health, right? People run to stay fit and to lose the calories needed to achieve the desired fat loss goals. But did you know that running is a good exercise not just for your physical but also mental health?

• Running in the morning gives you your daily dose of sunshine that helps your body to produce the necessary vitamin D.
• It reduces stress and clears your mind
• Running is a great cardiovascular exercise which is also good for the health of your brain as it helps in the generation of new cells in the brain

If you are feeling down, running is a good way to lift your spirits.

Yoga is Good For Your Mental Health

Yoga, the ancient Indian practice of breathing techniques and asanas, is wonderful for your body as well as mind. While the asanas or the poses have obvious benefits for your body, the breathing exercises called pranayama can reduce the high-stress levels inside your mind.  Many yoga poses induce flexibility in the limbs and joints and also help in clearing toxins from the body. It is this reason why  Mental health experts say that any form of physical activity like running, yoga, or meditation can be taken up by individuals suffering from different mental ailments to start feeling better quickly. Patients with mental ailments like depression and anxiety have reported a reduction in the intensity of their symptoms after indulging in physical activities like swimming and cycling.

Laugh Away your Mental Blues

There is so much stress in the lives of individuals these days that they hardly get time to enjoy and relax their minds. Instead of watching news and debate programs where your mind gets bombarded with sad and violent news items, it is always a good idea to watch sitcoms and comedy movies to tickle your mind. Laughter yoga is another way to trick your mind into believing you are happy and free from worries. Teachers of laughter yoga believe that laughing without a reason is a wonderful method of stress management. They say you know you are laughing foolishly but your brain doesn’t know the reason behind your actions. It starts to generate feel-good hormones that help in fighting stress and related mental health problems.

Increase Your Self Esteem

People suffering from mental ailments also experience feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, and guilt. These individuals do not have a high value of themselves and they start to self criticize at the drop of a hat. Develop some hobbies and indulge in activities you love to do. Treat yourself kindly and your brain gets the message that you are a valuable person in your eyes. Playing with a pet, spending time with babies, talking to employees nicely in your business, or carrying out gardening are some activities that have positive effects on your brain. You start to feel happier and lighter after spending time doing activities that make you feel happy.

Give Good Foods and Beverages to Your Body

A healthy mind lives inside a healthy body they say, and they are not wrong. Most of the people reporting mental ailments are also the people who are guilty of smoking, drinking heavily, and consuming drugs. If you take good care of your body by eating nutritious meals, drinking plenty of water, and doing exercises regularly, you will find that you develop high immunity towards mental ailments. Get rid of the following habits immediately if you are desirous of obtaining good mental health.

• Drinking
• Smoking
• Tobacco chewing
• Consuming caffeine-based products

And yes, do not forget to get a sound sleep for at least 6-7 hours daily if you want to have good mental health. Researchers have proved that people sleeping less and sleeping at odd hours of the day are more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who sleep tightly for 6-8 hours daily.

Changing the Way you Feel, Behave, and React

How we feel is a direct result of how we react and behave to others and situations in our lives. If you become irritable and start to yell at others in situations where people continue to work in a happy mood, the problem, and also the solution for your mental health problems lies with you. This is where a cognitive behavioural therapist comes into the picture. It is a way of telling the patient how his beliefs and thoughts are affecting the way he reacts, and how he can change his life by making slight changes in his thought system and the way he responds to others and situations.

Keep Good Company

No matter how busy you are, take some time to spend with your friends. Studies have proven that people spending time with the people of their age group enjoy good health and live longer than people who remain aloof and keep complaining about life and practically everything including the government, the weather, and even the inflation. Is this the reason why people belonging to joint families and those having wonderful social connections enjoy good mental health? Plan vacations regularly and seek out activities where there are chances of meeting new people.

Maintaining good mental health is as important as good physical health and fitness. Despite increasing numbers of anxiety, depression, and other related mental health ailments, it is in your hands to improve your mental health condition. By taking good care of your body and changing the way you react and behave to others, you can play a big role in improving the condition of your mental health