What is Mental Health?

You've probably heard the term "mental health" before but you may not know exactly what it means or what it is. Let's take a closer look at what mental health actually is and some things you can do to preserve and bolster your own mental fortitude.

Mental Health Defined

Simply put, mental health is a term used to describe an individual's social, psychological, and emotional well-being. It is something that affects how we think, feel, and act on a day-to-day basis.

With poor mental health, everything in your life can take a downturn. Your professional career can start to wilt, your social life can become non-existent, and your personal ambition can dwindle.

Not only can these problems occur, but it can also lead to a number of various mental health disorders.

Mental Health Disorders

Problems like depression, anxiety, and more can all occur in an individual who doesn't have a good grasp on their mental health. Unfortunately, these issues can then spiral out of control and turn into other problems like insomnia or addiction. And while there are sleep experts and drug and alcohol rehabs in place to help solve these issues, the best thing you can do is recognize the signs and avoid them entirely.

Some common early warning signs of mental health problems or mental health disorders include:

• Sleeping too much or too little
• Feeling helpless
• Smoking or using drugs or alcohol too often
• Thinking of harming yourself or others
• Fatigue or no energy

These are just a few of the common signs, everyone's situation is different.

While this all may look a little bad, there is some good new: poor mental health doesn't have to be your situation. You can take time today to be able to recognize these signs of poor mental health and familiarize yourself with positive habits and coping mechanisms that will not only help you avoid these issues but actively put you in a better situation.

Let's take a look at some of the benefits of positive mental health

Benefits of Strong Mental Health

It's amazing how having a strong mental can lead to not only improved mental functioning but can even help with your physical health and your day-to-day life.

While there are some obvious positives that come from improving your mental health, things like reduced risk of depression, reduced day-to-day anxiety, and more. There are some things that can be overlooked. For example, some helpful benefits of strong mental health can include:

• Clearer thinking
• Heightened inner peace
• Calmness
• Improved self-esteem
• Improved personal relationships

These are just a few of the great things that can come from taking charge of your mental health and making it a priority. But how do you do this?

How do you improve your mental health? Glad you asked.

How to Improve Your Mental Health

One of the best things you can do for your mental health is probably something you've heard a lot: diet and exercise. But there's a reason you keep hearing this!

Improving your diet to make it more nutrient- and vitamin-rich and reducing your reliance on unhealthy foods and drinks can do wonders for your state of mind. Likewise, making sure you are active throughout the day, getting the blood flowing, and even increasing your time outdoors to get Vitamin D has been linked to reduced depression, and other great health benefits. These things can go a long way and it is vital to keep these in mind.

Some other lesser known ways to improve your mental health include:

• Reduce your alcohol intake
• Make sure you're getting enough sleep
• Drink more water throughout the day
• Donate to charity or volunteer your time

All of these things can do wonders for your mental health and will have you feeling so much better at the end of the day. It is important to take time and ensure that your mental health is a priority moving forward.