How to Improve Your Mental Well-Being in 2015

New Year’s resolutions are often related to losing weight or otherwise improving one’s physical health. It’s easy to focus too much on our bodies and not enough on what is going on in our minds, the dominion of mental health.

“Mental health is an integral part of health,” says the World Health Organization, “indeed, there is no health without mental health.”

Last month in Medical News Today, Honor Whiteman gave five tips to improve your mental well-being in the new year:

1. Strong nutrition and diet

By eating healthy foods within balanced meals, we can stay physically fit and reduce our susceptibility to major diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Eating diets rich in nutrition from fresh produce and whole grains bolsters mental health as well. The Mental Health Foundation notes that we need brain-food: “Your brain needs a mix of nutrients to stay healthy and function well.”

2. Frequent workouts

Like diet, exercise is critical for both physical and mental health. The federal Health and Human Services Department advises that men and women should get 2 ½ hours of cardiovascular exercise weekly, although that time allotment can be cut in half if the workouts are strenuous.

3. Plenty of rest

We don’t want to disregard our body’s need for sleep. If we get more sleep, our mental health will benefit. Research completed in 2010 at the George Institute on Global Health determined that mental disorders become likelier when a person gets under five hours of sleep nightly.

4. Stress reduction

High stress is extraordinarily common in our society. Stress can arise from our business or personal lives. Either way, it poses a threat to our mental health.

Last February, University of California, Berkeley, researchers published a study that revealed poor stress management can lead to mental health problems.

Yoga and meditation can help lower your stress level. Research featured in PLOS ONE in 2008 noted that the two approaches reduce the amount of stress that is experienced by adjusting the genetic reaction.

5. Stay busy

Working may be stressful at times, but lack of employment can be terrible for mental well-being. If you don’t need to work, you can volunteer or develop a hobby. Volunteering can be especially helpful because caring for others tends to improve mental health.

Getting care for yourself

You may want to improve yourself but have difficulty feeling motivated because of chronic pain. If so, we can help you stop suffering. Get a free consultation today.