Putting Your Mental Health First: A Guide to a Healthy Mind

There has been a lot of emphasis on taking care of our physical health, but more and more medical professionals are acknowledging that mental health is just as important. Unfortunately, looking after our mental health is not always easy in the modern world, and the events of 2020 have brought this issue to the surface.

We need to make time to look after ourselves, because the longer we neglect ourselves, the more likely it is that we and our families and friends will suffer. This guide outlines some of the best ways that you can put your mental health first in 2021.

Keep in touch with friends

Isolation has been one of the most common problems in 2020, but it is always important to maintain a social connection with the people who care for us. Talking to people who make us feel good about ourselves can boost our self-esteem and help us to get a sense of perspective on our problems.

Switch off your phone

We spend a lot of time in front of screens whether we are using smart phones, tablets, or laptops. This can be a problem for our mental health in many ways as it prevents us from connecting with others in person, encourages us to be sedentary, keeps us inside away from the sunlight and fresh air, and the screens emit blue light which can interrupt our circadian rhythm.

Start to reduce how much time you spend on your phone or tablet, either by a couple of hours each day or challenging yourself to have one screen-free day per week.

Nourish your body

Our physical and mental health are intertwined, and a poor diet can have a direct impact on our mood. Lots of people (no matter their size) are malnourished, either because they are restricting their diets, avoiding food groups, or relying on convenience foods.

Healthy eating has become entrenched in diet culture, or something we do reluctantly, but nourishing the body with a variety of nutritious food and drink should be top of everybody’s self-care agenda. It is absolutely possible to eat dishes which are delicious and give our bodies and minds the energy we need to perform at our best.

Consider CBD supplements for health

CBD or cannabidiol is extracted from cannabis, but it does not bring about the psychoactive high as that is caused by another ingredient called THC. CBD, however, has been found to reduce stress and anxiety and can be taken as a capsule, edible sweets, vapour, and much more. Vape CBD World offers a wide range of CBD products.

Celebrate your body with exercise

Like the foods we eat, exercise has become something we use to correct perceived ‘flaws’ in our appearance or to burn calories. Exercise should be something that we do to celebrate what we are capable of and to enjoy ourselves. If you do not enjoy exercise, then it might be time to try something new so that you can stop associating exercise with punishment.

Exercise can also improve our mood through the release of endorphins and improve our sleep routine. Even better, try exercising outdoors as this has the added benefits of sunlight and fresh air, both of which are good for our physical and mental health.