Self-care Tips For Better Mental Health

Globally there’s over 300 million people of all ages suffering from depression, and it’s becoming more important than ever to practice self-care.

It’s safe to say that we all lead pretty stressful lives. From trying to find a healthy work-life balance to dealing with a plethora of personal issues – it’s easy to feel low and worn out. And while we all put massive pressure on ourselves to maintain our physical health, the same can’t be said for our mental health.

If you don’t know where to start then we’re here to help you get started on your journey to self-care.

It’s okay to be selfish

Before you can hope to jump on the self-care train, you must first understand that in doing so, you may be perceived as being selfish and that’s okay. Putting yourself first is often necessary because no one else is going to look after you better than you are.

If you need some time for yourself and it means saying no to a friend or canceling on plans, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just be honest and confident in yourself and your loved ones should understand that a Harry Potter marathon is what you need today.

Have a date with yourself

There is no shame in doing things by ourselves. As a society, we put a lot of pressure on being social and it can result in many unseen movies, unvisited restaurants and unfulfilled wishes.

Don’t let other people’s disinterest stop you from doing things you really love. Need an example? I once went to a James Bay gig all by myself because I really wanted to see him and it was awesome. At first, I was afraid that people would think I was weird, but I soon let that fear go and just enjoyed myself. You can do the same!

Get outside

Now for the sciencey stuff. Practicing self-care means prioritizing the things that you love, however, there are steps you can take to help yourself feel better and putting your coat on is just one of them.

Heading outside has been shown to decrease tension, anger, depression and anxiety while also boosting your mental health and self-esteem – great!

Have an early night

Sleep does wonders for the body. It helps us recover from physical exercise, increase productivity and reduce cortisol. It’s basically the wonder medicine that many of us aren’t taking.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that American adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. The reality? Around 35% of Americans currently sleep less than seven hours a night and the effects can be devastating.

To prevent this, get an early night in every now and then. Cuddle up in a blanket, catch up on your Netflix programmes and hit the pillow a couple of hours earlier than normal. Your body will thank you.