Where do you live? Sydney? London? Penrith? or California? Even though you may live miles apart in different continents, mental health struggles are faced by all. Every human being experiences burnout or wishes for some time away from daily struggles to find inner peace at some point in their lives. Right?
Since no one can see you actually struggle with mental health problems until you cannot get out of bed, they can offer little help. If you let people in, you will be surprised how many people are willing to help. And not just to ensure your mental health improves, but also to help you care for your overall health.
Indeed, experiencing mental distress can cause your overall health to suffer. But it should not! Irrespective of how overwhelmed your brain gets, do not let it make your body suffer. Here are the best ways to stay fit and healthy even with an ongoing battle against mental health.
Tips to follow to stay healthy when fighting against mental health challenges
Focus on nutrition.
What you eat impacts your mental as well as physical health. So, if you focus on eating a balanced diet, it will keep you physically fit while also stabilizing your mood and improving energy levels. This means eating whole foods like lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Ensure you limit consumption of sugar and processed food, as it can lead to energy crashes and mood swings. Stay hydrated and eat omega-3-rich food, best for health.
Talk to a professional.
Does the busy life sometimes get to you? Do you start avoiding the bare minimum for yourself when dealing with mental health? Well, you should consider seeing a specialist. If you are based in Australia, Penrith Counselling & Relationship Counselling can help you deal with your mental health challenges.
They can help you figure out the root cause of your problems and take steps to improve them. Furthermore, they keep you accountable for your physical health goals. It is a win-win! Not only do you feel lighter sharing your woes and getting the best advice, but you also have an accountable buddy.
Do not give up on exercise.
Physical activity is a natural antidepressant. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins—feel-good hormones that boost your mood and reduce stress.
So make sure you continue with any exercise you like and love regularly, no matter how bad your mood is.
The goal is to keep moving to keep your physical health in check while also helping your mental health. Yoga, Pilates, cardio exercise, or even walking is perfect. Do be sure to include some strength training, too.
Limit toxic influences.
When dealing with mental health challenges, it is best to limit or completely let go of toxic influences. It can be difficult to find the patterns of toxicity in your life. But a reputed professional can help you out.
Toxic influences can be your toxic patterns, like people-pleasing or emotional unavailability. It can be a friend, family member, or even a partner. Toxic influences also include a job affecting your mental and physical health negatively, or it can simply be overconsumption of negative news. Whatever the case is, recognize it and take steps.
Self-compassion is important.
Mental health struggles are challenging. But if you keep self-criticizing, it will only make things worse. Therefore, you need to practice self-compassion no matter how challenging it is for building inner strength and resilience.
For this, you can acknowledge the efforts you make by celebrating even the smallest of victories.
Do not indulge in negative self-talk; it will happen, but you need strong positive affirmations to counter it. One of the best ways to show yourself grace and compassion is by being grateful. Expressing gratitude always helps you raise your positive vibrations and heal.
Final Thoughts
When you are struggling with your mental health, it is necessary that you take care of your well-being. For this, you need to prioritize your nutrition, stress management, support, sleep, and exercise.
Furthermore, you need to remember that seeking help is not a sign of weakness. Give yourself grace and be self-compassionate, as it will help guide you towards healing. Your mental health journey will always have many challenges.
All you have to do is be consistent with your self-care and your life will slowly become better. It is a long journey indeed, so keep taking one step at a time, and you will come out stronger.
