9 SIMPLE TIPS TO TAKE CARE OF
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Autumn has arrived, the days are getting shorter, and as more and more yellow leaves fall from the trees, we realize just how hard it is to maintain balance on the scale of our mental health. Our energy shifts into a winter time power saving mode, and the darker days bring along the swamp of seasonal depression, where it’s easy to sink if we don’t consciously choose a different path in the autumn forest.
Countless methods are circulating around the world to boost our mental health. Well-proven and supported practices include regular exercise and sufficient sleep, but over the years, many simple self-care tips have also emerged, backed by science.
In this digital, emotionally overstrained world—where we tend to get lost in the grayness of everyday life—here are 9 simple tips to nurture your mental health:
1. Spend More Time in Nature
This item on the list is the ambassador of the saying, “simple yet effective”! Naturally, who hasn’t heard of the healing power of nature? It’s known to help reduce stress, improve mood, and contribute to overall health, but how many of us know the scientific explanation behind it?
Well, a study found that the complex patterns found in nature—like mountain ranges, tree canopies, flowers, waves, or other natural designs—induce more alpha waves in the brain, which are primarily linked to relaxation.
Another perspective highlights that since we Homo sapiens evolved in nature, it’s only natural that we find solace in the great outdoors rather than in our urban, stress-inducing, human-made environment.
Experts say you can still benefit from nature’s positive effects even if you can’t be near it: open a window for some fresh air, bring calming natural scents into your home, or just head to the park for a short walk.
2. Listen to the Birds
According to a study published in the journal Science a few years ago, people felt happier in the company of birds. Both their sight and song have a positive impact on us. Even the melodic chirping can uplift our mood, though the effect is most powerful when experienced in nature, allowing us to enjoy the benefits together with the previous point.
3. Orderliness is Key!
While tidying up won’t cure diagnosed depression, it can still create a significant change in our mental health. According to Joseph Ferrari, a psychology professor at DePaul University who has written extensively on the subject, “you’ll feel less exhaustion, enhance your productivity at the office, and greatly improve the quality of your life if you can learn how to declutter and become organized”.
4. Cut Back on Ultra-Processed Foods
We’ve always known that frozen pizza or fast food isn’t great for our physical health. But who would have thought that it also affects our mental health, even contributing to existing anxiety?
A study proved that people whose diets consist largely of ultra-processed foods—such as sodas, candies, deli meats, energy bars, and fruit-flavored yogurts—are 44% more likely to develop depression and have a 48% higher chance of anxiety.
5. Eat More of These Instead
On the flip side, you can also support your mental health through your diet. Although few foods impact our mental state directly (thank you, dark chocolate and bananas), you can boost the levels of happy hormones—like serotonin—by nourishing your body with foods rich in vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, proteins, and carbohydrates. Many people know that serotonin is closely linked to our mood and happiness, but few realize that 95% of this hormone is found in the gut, not the brain. It’s no wonder that what we eat has such a strong effect on our mental state.
6. Boost Your Happy Hormones!
Fortunately, there are ways other than eating to release the body’s four happy hormones: dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. These hormones flood our system through various interactions, and depending on the action and its quality, they can have long-lasting positive effects.
You can increase dopamine levels by completing tasks, taking a long-desired warm shower, or engaging in a physical activity you enjoy. Serotonin is produced in greater amounts when you spend time in the sunlight, exercise, or meditate. Even acts of self-care and independence can give your serotonin a big boost.
Endorphins is known as “nature’s painkillers”. Do you know the feeling when – despite the pain and discomfort – you push through a workout practice? Well, you can thank endorphins for that. Besides exercise, music or a good movie can also raise endorphin levels. Another well-known method is laughter. Interestingly, even mimicking laughter releases endorphins in our body. How is this possible? Laughing activates deep muscles that are rarely used, leading to the release of endorphins. Want a bit of endorphin? Here’s a joke for you:
– Knock, knock.
– Who’s there?
– Woo.
– Woo who?
– Glad you’re excited, too! (Even pretending to laugh is enough :) )
Oxytocin can be called the “social hormone,” as it’s tied to various forms of connection. A handshake, a hug, or even a good conversation can raise oxytocin levels. Dog owners are especially lucky, as playing with their pets also produces stress-reducing oxytocin.
7. Plan a Trip
Sure, we all guessed that traveling positively impacts mental health. But did you know that just planning a trip has a positive effect on our emotional well-being? Apparently, the mere thought of an upcoming adventure can significantly improve our mental state.
So, start packing, choose a flight and a destination, even if it’s just in your imagination for now. I, for one, am already lounging on the Bahamas. I will worry about the money later.
8. Hop on a Bike!
Any form of exercise is beneficial, but National Geographic claims that biking is the real deal. Their research shows that kids who bike at least once a week report feeling better mentally. Studies are ongoing to understand why biking specifically is so effective, but researchers suspect it has something to do with engaging multiple executive-function skills, like maintaining your balance, moving different body parts or navigating between obstacles.
9. Try Light Therapy
Experts suggest that talking to a psychologist or picking up a new hobby can also help manage seasonal depression, but they’re placing their bets on light therapy as well.
Why is light so beneficial? Researchers are still working on the theory, but the most likely explanation is that the darker days disrupt our circadian rhythm. According to Wikipedia, “circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that appears in the biochemical, physiological, or behavioral processes of living beings.”
Bonus Tip: Find a Hobby
Stamp collecting? Building model spaceships? Gardening? It almost doesn’t matter—just do it! According to a study mentioned in an article, participants with hobbies showed significantly fewer symptoms of depression, better health, greater happiness, and higher life satisfaction compared to those without a hobby.
2024.11.04.
Sources: