The Many Mental Health Benefits of Self-Care
Guest Post by Nicole Rubin
Mental health is your psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Your mental health affects how you think, feel, act, and relate to others. It is not only about mental illness, it also affects your quality of life and overall health.
Self-care involves indulging in things that improve your mental and physical health. It is crucial for your mental health because it lowers your chances of illness, assists you in stress management, and increases your energy levels. Even the most minor acts of self-care can improve your life. Below are self-care practices that will help improve your mental health.
Regular Exercises
Your mind and body have a unique connection. Research suggests that regular exercise boosts your levels of serotonin. As a result, your mood and energy can improve significantly. Typically, experts recommend a 30-minute workout — but any exercise is better than none.
When you exercise, you also improve your mental health by increasing your cognitive functions and self-esteem. There's also some evidence that group-based exercise reduces social withdrawal.
If you decide to purchase any exercise equipment to help with your exercise routine — an exercise bike is a great idea, for example — spend some time looking up reviews. This is an excellent way to not only look for great deals but to ensure the product you choose to purchase won’t fall apart on your within a few months.
Healthy Eating
Good nutrition is not about dieting and shunning the foods you love. Strict dieting may work against self-care and good nutrition. Safe care through healthy eating involves giving your body the raw materials it requires physically and mentally for healthy living.
Nutrition is essential in the creation of hormones that control your moods. When your body cells are deprived of the required fuel, you become depressed, irritated, stressed, and anxious. Giving yourself healthy food with the nutrition you need is the best self-care.
Good Financial Management
Financial concerns can negatively affect your life in many ways in San Rafael, CA. Around 72% of Americans are reported to have money stresses, with a further 22% being in extreme stress due to financial woes. Stress, anxiety, and panic jeopardize your mental health and can cause isolation and depression.
Because of this, sound financial management is a form of self-care. You can achieve this by assessing your finances, developing a savings plan, having investments, and refinancing your home. When you refinance your home, you reduce the equity on the house, allowing you to free up cash, and reducing mortgage payments. This will give you more financial freedom due to fewer expenses.
Seeking Mental Help When You Are Depressed
Depression is a common mental health condition that can interfere with your daily life by making you feel negative about many people and things around you. The good news is you can get help, feel better, and emerge from a depressed state of mind.
One way to deal with depression is by visiting a mental health professional. For example, a professional in San Rafaelmay recommend antidepressants that allow norepinephrine and serotonin to stay in your blood, thus elevating your mood. Still, antidepressants are not for everyone and your doctor will consider many factors. Therapy can also help, either alongside antidepressants or on its own.
Improve Your Mental Health Today
There you have it — the mental health benefits of self-care. Follow the tips mentioned above, and you can make a lot of improvements to your mental health. For a more thorough explanation by experts, visit A/V Stim to access additional information on how to improve your mental health today.