Mental Health is the talk of the town today. School and college students, teachers, office workers, house-makers, businessmen – all are becoming aware of the importance of mental health in their life. People are taking what we now call ‘mental health breaks’ to prioritize their peace of mind. In that case, mental health professionals have a tough and encouraging job to do.
In this article, we try to outline some of the things that anyone can do to live a life of positive mental health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) saysthis about mental health: “Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. Mental health is a basic human right.”
But the question is how can we live with positive mental health? Here as few things to do for keeping a positive mental health.
- Be in good physical health
Physical health is a key component contributing to positive mental health. An optimum body leads to an optimum mind. The following can be done to ensure a positive mental health.
➢ Eat nutritious meals
➢ Avoid smoking and drinking
➢ Drink plenty of water
➢ Exercise
➢ Get enough sleep
- Meditation
Meditation is a mind and body practice where you learn to focus on attention and awareness. It is an advanced form of practicing mindfulness. There are various types of meditation that one can do. The most common ones involve focusing on your breathing or a specific object.
Nowadays, there are multiple mobile apps that can guide you in your meditation journey. Make sure to use such online resources.
- Practising gratitude
We have many difficulties to face in life. But no matter how many and how intense these problems are, there are always things to be grateful for.
Gratitude means being thankful for the good things in your life. We can be grateful for both small and big things. Gratitude is the workout of the positive muscles of the brain. We can practice this by writing in a journal or by being conscious about the good things in life from time to time.
- Developing healthy coping mechanisms
Coping mechanisms are ways to deal with stressful situations in our life. There are both healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Unhealthy coping mechanisms include escapist habits like smoking, drinking, doing drugs etc. These habits also have a negative effect on our mental health and relationships. On the other hand, we can adopt positive coping mechanisms such as meditation, talking to friends and family, going for a trip or writing a diary, which are far better ways to handle our daily and long-term stress.
- Developing meaningful relationships
Humans are social creatures, and it’s important to have strong, healthy relationships with others. Research shows the support we receive from relationships can decrease risks of decline in cognition, depression and anxiety. Being social animals, we need to connect to other people in positive ways and form meaningful relationships with them. It saves us from being lonely in our vulnerable times and times of need. It also saves us from being susceptible to many forms of mental illnesses like depression, anxiety etc.
It becomes imperative that we maintain healthy, positive and enduring mental health in today’s world. We hope you found this article helpful!
