10 Science Backed Habits That Improve Your Mental Health

The quality of your lifestyle reflects the quality of your mental health.

A balanced mental pillar makes you enthusiastic, lively, and mentally resilient. While having a gloomy outlook on life, complaining, and being negative almost all the time are the characteristics of a person with a disbalanced mental pillar.

A good mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time. It does mean being positive and seeing the bright side of life even in the midst of difficulties. It means using the mind for your benefit, not being used by your mind.

People with a healthy mental state often show a healthy self esteem, confidence, compassion, love, a sense of purpose, and mental resilience.

They are not without problems, but their exceptional ability to handle problems really well is what makes them mentally strong.

They are not born this way too, just like bodybuilders are not born with big muscles. Mentally strong people have come to improve the state of their mental health because of the habits they incorporate in their lifestyle and do on a regular basis.

According to basic human psychology and various scientific researches, these 10 habits affect and improve the state of your mental health.

10 Habits That Improve Mental Health:

1. Have a regular exercise.

The connection between the mind and body had long been established.

A physical exercise has been proven to stimulate the release of the feel good hormones in the brain.

Regular exercise improves your memory, sharpens your thinking skills, enhances focus and concentration, and most importantly, reduces stress.

2. Practice meditation or yoga.

Numerous studies already validated the effect of meditation in coping with stress.

Meditation is the best tool to declutter your mind while yoga is a way of connecting to your body by focus and concentration on your breath .

These two practices might be technically different, but in reality they are complimentary to each other.

3. Get a quality sleep.

Daniel Freeman, a professor of clinical psychology at Oxford, says that a habit of good quality sleep, which is recommended to be 7 to 9 hours, may tackle a wide range of psychological and emotional problems.

A good night sleep is necessary for your brain health. It recharges your mental energy and enhances clarity.

However, everything over 9 hours is oversleeping and it gives unwanted results. You should keep it between 7 and 9 for the best results.

4. Say no to multitasking.

According to psychology, the brain cannot do two things at once unless the other requires no concentration, like listening to music while driving or walking.

Multitasking is said to deplete the brain’s energy reserves and to create stress.

These two issues are counterproductive for a good mental health. Focusing on a single task is the best option.

5. Stay mindful.

Being mindful is staying in the present moment without judging your thoughts about anything.

It’s as simple as this, but it brings enormous benefits to the state of your mental health.

Being mindful, at least for 5 minutes per day, enhances your brain plasticity and helps it to establish new neural connections easier.

6. Create a daily stress free period.

Creating a balance between work and personal life decreases the chances of stress accumulation and burn out.

You must see to it that you don’t bring home anything that transpires at work and doesn’t focus on your personal life while at work.

Create a stress free period in your day after you get back from work. This way, your mind stays focused on work and relaxed at home.

7. Don’t procrastinate.

Procrastination is literally not good for your mental health. It keeps your mind busy by avoiding something.

The more you avoid doing something right away, the more it sticks in your mind.

Try to do things right away to eliminate unnecessary stress.

8. Take a break from technology.

While the proliferation of technology gives you unlimited access to various information, it has been found to be one among the top 6 concentration killers.

You’re not only losing your concentration while trying to respond to an email or text, but you’re having too many things in your mind too, which is not good for your mental health.

Taking a break from technology, at least once a week, allows your brain to rest from the deluge of information you get every single day. Do technology detox once per week.

9. Eat a healthy diet.

Studies reveal that giving your body enough supply of amino acids, essential fats, complex carbs, vitamins, and minerals improves your mood and overall sense of wellbeing.

As what others say, you are what you eat. Consuming junk foods just make you feel junk while consuming raw, organic foods make you feel lighter and energized.

A good physical health greatly supports a healthy mind. Eat more veggies and fruits, nuts, stick to organic and natural products.

10. Have someone to talk to.

As a human being, not feeling good all the time is inevitable and perfectly normal. When you’re having some blues, try to talk it out to someone.

You’re a human being who is wired to be a social creature. Just having someone to talk to eases your burdens. Whenever you feel bad open up and share your emotions with them.

And even if you’re not feeling bad, talking to somebody on a regular basis stimulates your mind. It will not only make you feel good but will keep your mind healthy too.