What is Mental Health?
Often when we talk about mental health it is the detrimental side such a depression, anxiety, and to go further schizophrenia and bipolar disorder which luckily isn't as widespread. yet we all should be aware of the health of our mental state.
Let's look at the definition:
a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.
Or even the lack of a mental disorder.
There are some obvious behavioural signs when our mental health is starting to suffer.
Falling attendance and performance
Substance abuse
Involving yourself in suspicious behaviours or patterns
Major changes in appetite and sleep patterns
Changes in personality and/or attitude
Mood swings such as bad temper or angry outbursts
Lacking in motivation
If you are noticing these changes in yourself or anyone around you then look into mental health, seek help where needed, and make some changes.
Having read this you are sure that this doesn't apply to you or anyone around you, so let's reframe it a different way.
When we look into the health and fitness sphere too are talked about together. Improve your health to improve your fitness and vice versa. As the saying goes you will never out-train a bad diet.
Why don't we look at mental health this way? Look at it as mental fitness?
When you go to sleep at night the body rests but the brain doesn't always follow straight away.
Mind and body connection
It’s no surprise that the more you help your body, the more you help your mind. Physical activity increases the flow of oxygen to your brain. It also increases the number of endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals, in your brain. For this reason, it’s not surprising that people who are in good physical shape also tend to enjoy a higher level of mental agility.
Do you do daily brain exercises to keep up the level of fitness?
Playing games is a great way of exercising as long as they contain logic, reasoning and trivia knowledge. Board games and crosswords are good examples of this.
There are other things we can do too.
Focus on one task at a time - stop multitasking
Read more
Use positive affirmations
Don't get drawn into the conflict of others
Try something new
Take more to relax but in a productive way.
Ultimately
Mental fitness is important to maintaining your brain and your body healthy, especially as you age. There are many types of mental dexterity exercises, and you don’t need to go to the gym to do them. They include active ones, such as learning a new song or playing a game, as well as restful ones, such as relaxation and visualization exercises. Schedule a mental fitness break into your calendar right next to your workout schedule. Your mind and your health are worth it. You are worth it.