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4 Lifestyle tips to preserve your mental health

It would be fair to say that mental health has become more understood over the last few years. Once it may have been brushed off, but now it is taken extremely seriously.

Gone are the days when an employer laughed off the situation; now, there are schemes in place to ensure that their employees are protected. Or, gone are the days where the media barely gave it a mention; mental health is something that rightfully pops up in the news every single day.

Because of all this attention, a range of vitamins has sprouted on the market to target all aspects of the body. There’s a vitamin for almost every letter of the alphabet, and many swear by their effectiveness. 

Many people drink a multitude of vitamins to support their physical well-being. But along with this, it’s best also to take a brain health supplement to ensure mental clarity, enhance cognitive function, and increase alertness.

While the amount of professional help has increased no-end, you can also give yourself the best possible chance of getting on top of any potential issues before they begin. Admittedly, this won’t be possible for everyone, but there are ways that you can try and preserve your mental health – and that’s what the rest of today’s post is going to focus on.

Keep on top of your sleep pattern

Sleep is a crucial part of the day, and it’s mostly overlooked by society. While it may be seen as a luxury, and you may read anecdotes of some rich and famous “surviving on 4 hours sleep per night”, it’s not a healthy solution. A lack of sleep has been found to increase the chances of mental health issues, and it can be such an easy area to tackle.

The general rule is that you should aim to get between 7-9 hours every night. There are some physiological differences between men and women, but most people will find that 7.5 hours is optimum.

A part of this is having a bedtime routine and ideally turning off your tech about 1.5 hours before you go to sleep. It’ll help you to wind down and get you ready for sleep.

If you rely on coffee to stay awake during the day, it’s best to refrain from taking a cup so close to bedtime. This will prevent you from falling asleep quickly.  

Additionally, create a relaxing bedtime routine to have the best chance of getting a whole night of restful sleep. It’s as simple as making your bedroom cool, dark, quiet, and cozy. If it helps that you diffuse a scent of lavender oil to relax you and keep you calm, then go for it.

Make keeping up your social life a priority

Particularly with more of us working from home, some might suggest that it’s more difficult to maintain a healthy social life. However, this is something that you must prioritize.

It’s very easy, again in the current world we live in, to become isolated in your own bubble. By maintaining social interaction, even if it’s just a weekly meetup with friends, you’ll promote umpteen emotions associated with better mental health.

Socialization promotes emotional connection, which reduces the feeling of loneliness directly associated with depression and anxiety. And the feelings of happiness seeing familiar faces can boost dopamine levels in your body. Dopamine is the feel-good hormone crucial in maintaining brain health.

Try and exercise consistently

Exercise can help combat depression, as well as anxiety and stress. It can be as simple as walking or running a tiny amount every morning. Or, you can be an exercise junkie – and make it a core part of your life. Exercise is believed to promote the growth of new brain cells and enhance brain plasticity. This helps reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Regardless of your approach, it will help your mental health. Whether it’s through the direct endorphin boost or if it’s through the indirect benefits to sleep that exercise can have, you’ll feel all the better for it.

Make an effort to reduce your alcohol intake

Finally, let’s talk about alcohol. It gets a bad reputation for a whole host of reasons, but let’s just talk about the mental side.

Alcohol is a depressant. While it might provide you that woozy euphoria immediately, these feelings are going to turn on their head over time. We’re not talking about a hangover, but more the mental lows that can linger in your body in the days after drinking.

We’re absolutely not suggesting that you give up on the booze entirely – that’s a different conversation. However, make sure you keep tabs on your intake and avoid regular binges, as this is one of the most proven ways that your mental health can suffer.

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