10 Tips to Help You Stay Mentally and Emotionally Sane

Considering the pace of modern life, it is no wonder that most of us develop some kind of mental disorder during our lifetime. Benign as it may seem, you should act immediately in an effort to stay sane, both mentally and emotionally. Here are the top 10 practices to adopt to preserve your mental health.

The importance of sleep

Any athlete, especially a bodybuilder, will tell you that eating healthy food and exercising account for only one-third of muscle mass. The rest is attributed to sleep, as this is the time when muscles grow.

At the same time, getting enough good-quality sleep does wonders for your mental health. When you are well-rested, you can cope with any problem, as you are composed.

In order to regulate your sleep cycle, it would be best if you woke up and went to bed at the same time every day. This shouldn’t differ during the week and the weekend, or you might experience social jet lag.

Treat yourself well

You feel emotionally attached to a puppy in the street, so why wouldn’t you learn to love yourself? Unless you are compassionate to yourself, you cannot really expect to stay sane.

When things are not going well or you make a mistake, don’t be hard on yourself. Motivation and ambition are OK but only if they are accompanied by love towards oneself.

Adopt a healthier diet

A common myth has it that only a 100% healthy diet is what humans require. However, in most cases, you just have to adopt a healthier diet, not become a vegan (altering your diet overnight).

There are numerous mental health advantages of eating healthy but the change shouldn’t be sudden. Otherwise, you might endanger your mental wellbeing by forcing yourself to eat broccoli and drink nothing but water.

Learning to take a deep breath

If you having trouble with panic attacks, you have to learn to stop what you are doing and take a deep breath. It might seem odd but breathing slowly has a calming effect on your nervous system, helping prevent a fit.

While inhaling, try to expand your rib cage, chest, and lungs, as much as possible and then slowly breathe out. Now repeat this procedure several times. Better?

Stay physically active

The reason why modern man is susceptible to mental and emotional issues is because we lead sedentary lives. Physical activity is one of the best tools to combat mental health problems. However, joining a gym can prove difficult if you are dealing with depression, resulting in a drop in motivation.

Luckily, there are facilities such as Soul Train group fitness gymnasium where you will exercise alongside other people. Once you develop a social bond with other gym-goers, it will be easier to motivate yourself to exercise regularly.

Maintain social contacts

Speaking of group training, hanging out with other people and maintaining social contact is essential if you wish to stay sane.

In the time of hardship, you will get a unique opportunity to see who your true friends are. These folks will stay by your side and will act as provisional therapists, hearing you out when you need it the most.

Get a pet

You needn’t be an animal person to have a bet when your mental health is at stake. Namely, animals are known to have a therapeutic effect on humans, helping them heal both mentally and physically.

In this sense, pet therapy can help prevent mental and emotional problems, so getting a cat, goldfish, or a dog might prove to be a lifesaver.

Reduce screen time

Just like animals calm us down, computer screens make us agitated. They emit blue light which is not natural, thus straining our nervous system.

If you look at your mobile phone or laptop before bed, you will find it hard to fall asleep. Continue this practice for months on end and you might end up with chronic insomnia. It is important to reduce screen time, especially in the evening, if you wish to have a healthy sleep cycle.

Teach yourself how to relax

Pauses and relaxations seem to be unwanted concepts in the world of business. However, you need to learn to truly relax if you want to reach the retirement age mentally healthy.

In the workplace, try to find different methods of de-stressing that work for you. For some, that constitutes a brisk walk after lunch, while others swear by their anti-stress ball.

Small steps will get you there

If you have notices that your mental health has been deteriorating for some time now, don’t expect it to improve overnight. When it comes to combating stress, anxiety, and depression, small steps are the surest way to mental and emotional health.

There is no reason to feel shame if you are starting to bulk under pressure in your head. This is a perfectly normal reaction to elevated stress levels but luckily, there are at least 10 ways in which you can stay emotionally and mentally healthy.

Mike is an Australian business consulting specialist. He’s working with companies that outsource their IT maintenance. He often writes about technology, business and marketing and is a regular contributor on several sites.