A balanced lifestyle is one of the best ways you can look after your mental health and minimize the impacts of stress or other mental health risks. What does a healthy balanced lifestyle mean? This is making sure to maintain balance and regular patterns in some key areas in our lives:
- Sleep. When we sleep well at night experience good health and emotional resilience. On the flip side, sleep problems are more common in people experiencing mental health issues. So part of being aware of your mental health is to take note how well you sleep. Make it a habit to go to sleep early, avoiding caffeine avoid too much use of gadgets like TV and cellphone before bed.
- Diet. A balanced diet means eating from a variety of food groups each day including fresh fruits and vegetables. Cut down in foods that are rich in sugar, salt and saturated fats. Make sure to drink plenty of water.
- Relaxation. Everyone benefits from taking some time out each day. Make sure to find some time each day to something that relaxes you. If you are experiencing signs of anxiety such as racing thoughts, there are various relaxation strategies that can help like meditation, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
- Exercise. Regular exercise is a key factor in maintain your wellbeing in dealing with mental health issues. Regular aerobic exercise can help people sleep better.