5 Ways You Can Take Control Of Your Mental Health

Mental health is a topic that remains shrouded in mystery due to centuries of misunderstanding and stigmatizing mental illness. However, awareness of mental health and mental health has never been higher, and the conversation continues to progress. These days, there are many known methods of maintaining mental health; here are just a few.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are a popular way to promote a peaceful state of mind, and that’s often the salve that soothes poor mental health. This is especially true of anxiety that can make it hard to relax, and that translates into tension that can make your muscles stiff and sore. Young Living Essential Oils can be diffused into the air you breathe in order to calm you, and diffuser bracelets allow you to take it in via direct prolonged contact with the skin. They also tend to smell great, to beat all. Be careful when using essential oils, because they aren’t always hypoallergenic. Having an allergic reaction, even a mild one, can really put a damper on your goal of improving your mood.

A Spa Day

The spa is perhaps the epitome of relaxation, but that relaxation comes at a cost. The kind of luxury offered by a spa is costly, but it can be well worth it for those who can afford it. Spas often offer a variety of methods of relaxing your body and mind. Essentially, a trip to the spa is a means of paying to be taken care of by professionals that are trained to provide a variety of luxurious services. For example, you can get a much needed massage to loosen up the muscles that have become tight with stress and tension. Another classic option is the sauna. Saunas allow you to sweat out toxins, and that can purify the body in a tangible way. Spas also offer you the chance to get top tier grooming like facials and mani-pedis.

Mental Stimulation

Keeping your mind active and engaged is key to mental health. While modern people may feel inundated with media, much of that media consumption is pretty passive. Likewise, your job can be engaging for a brief training period, but the job can become unbearably tedious once it becomes second nature. A good remedy for this is taking up a hobby. Hobbies come in all shapes and sizes, so there’s certainly a hobby for you. Creative hobbies allow you to develop skills and express yourself, while art analysis is purely mental. In either case, hobbies give your brain something to do. It’s important to note that the bottom line is mental stimulation, and your hobby doesn’t even have to be particularly valuable or important, though those hobbies that are perhaps even more beneficial.

Exercise

While it may seem at odds with matters of the mind, regular exercise is vital for maintaining your mental health. The body and mind can be perceived as separate entities, but your mind dwells within the brain, a physical organ. Your body and mind are inexorably interconnected, hence the physiological responses to anxiety and depression. Likewise, the state of your body invariably has a profound effect on your mood. Your body and mind are in agreement that your body needs to move regularly, and even simply taking a walk can improve a low mood. This is because your body rewards exercise with endorphins that make you feel happier. In short, listen to your body in order to appease your mind.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is perhaps the most important means of maintaining mental health. This is because being mindful of your mind and body can tip you off as to how various factors affect your mind, allowing you to address concerns early. For those who live with mental illness, this is even more important. For example, an elevated heart rate, high blood pressure, and quick, shallow breathing often precede a panic attack, so being aware of this can allow you to calm down, take some deep breaths, and avert disaster.

Mental health may seem infinitely complex, but the mechanics of it are fairly simple in essence. By being aware of your body and your thoughts, you’re already halfway there.