Ways to maintain good mental health
Connect with others.
Your friend gets your joke. Your co-worker offers congratulations. Your spouse hugs you hello. They are all helping you bust stress and boost your wellbeing. In fact, a survey has found that 71 percent of respondents turned to friends or family in times of stress. Humans are social animals. We crave feeling supported, valued and connected. Social connection offers various benefits: increased happiness, better health, longer life. Sometimes connecting takes a heart-to-heart, spill-it-all-out talk. But sometimes it's just a laugh-out-loud e-mail.
Connection happens when you get concrete help, such as having a friend pick your kids up from school; emotional support, like hearing someone say, "I'm really sorry you're having such a tough time"; perspective, like being reminded that even the moodiest teenagers grow up; advice, such as a suggestion to plan a weekly date with your wife; and validation, like learning that other folks love watching telenobelas too.
Do you have enough support? One author called her support network her "pit crew," the people she could rely on to rev her up. Ask yourself if you have at least a few friends or family members who: you feel comfortable to be with, give you a sense you could tell them anything, can help you solve problems, make you feel valued, and take your concerns seriously.
Make friends, enroll in a class that intrigues you, join a hobby club or volunteer group, reach out a lot.
Stay positive.
It's likely that the human species has survived because of our knack for detecting danger. But our worry-filled thoughts can present dangers of their own. Thinking negatively can drag down our moods, our actions and even our health.
Experts say it's worthwhile – and possible – to learn how to think more positively. Researchers have found various benefits of staying positive:
• People who were pessimistic had a nearly 20 percent higher risk of dying over a 30-year period than those who were optimistic;
• People who kept track of their gratitude once a week were more upbeat and had fewer physical complaints than others;
• People who obsessively repeated negative thoughts and behaviors were able to change their unhealthy patterns – and their brain activity actually changed too.
Trying to be optimistic doesn't mean ignoring the uglier sides of life. It just means focusing on the positive as much as possible-and it gets easier with practice.
If you want to pump up your optimism, you might want to write about a positive future, write about your great future life. Writing helps you absorb ideas better than just thinking. Practice gratitude. Noticing and appreciating the positives in our lives offers a great mood boost.
If you want to feel positive, it pays to decrease the downers in your life. With practice, you can resist worrisome thoughts and perhaps even transform your internal critic into more of a cheering squad. Avoid dwelling on downers. Focusing on negatives isn't just unpleasant, it also can make you less effective in tackling tasks you face. Get physically active.
The dusty tennis shoes. The gym membership that mostly exercises your wallet. The jump rope coiled at the back of the closet. Lots of us have proof that it can be tough to stick with exercising. Pump up your resolve by considering that exercise can: prevent heart disease and high blood pressure; lower the risk for stroke, osteoporosis, colon cancer and diabetes; improve sleep; increase physical energy; decrease some kinds of pain; boost the immune system; and help with weight management.
Exercise matters for your mood too. It decreases stress, anger and tension, reduces anxiety and depression, offers a greater sense of wellbeing, relieves pent-up muscle tension, stimulates feel-good hormones, burns off stress hormones, and increases blood flow to the brain.
For overall health maintenance, it is recommended that you have at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (think walking or a leisurely bike ride) five days a week – plus strength training twice a week. Or, at least 20 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (like jogging or a challenging bike ride) three days a week – plus strength training twice a week.
For your boosting mood, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise or a combination of aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening three to five days a week. Some research shows that even lower levels of activity may offer mental health benefits.
Drink water before, during and after a workout. If you wait until you're thirsty, you're already getting dehydrated.
No time for a major workout? Just break your exercise into 10-minute chunks and break up some blah parts of your day too. Walk a bit faster or further in the parking lot when you stop at the store. Race the kids. Shoot some hoops. Remember, you don't have to be good to get fit.
Help others.
If you lug your elderly neighbor's groceries up her steps, clearly it's good for her. But did you know that it's likely good for you too? Research indicates that those who consistently help other people experience less depression, greater calm, fewer pains and better health. They may even live longer.
You don’t have to make grand gestures or huge time commitments to help others. Sure, helping can mean serving meals at a homeless shelter every week. But it also can mean: calling a friend to know how she's doing, serving your spouse breakfast in bed, letting a car in front of you on the highway, smiling at a stranger in the street, holding the elevator door for your co-worker etc.
Vary your acts of generosity to prevent the experience from becoming ho-hum, advises happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, who also found that doing several kindnesses in one day gives the best boost. Beware of taking on too much, though, or you'll risk feeling resentful. When asked a favor, think it over before saying yes.
Do volunteer work. If you like to read, consider volunteering at a school or tutoring program. If you like to work outdoors, try volunteering to clean up a local park. If you speak another language, you can help foreigners you meet. If you play sports, volunteer as a coach with neophyte players.
Get enough sleep.
Sleep may seem like a waste of time. You could instead be answering e-mail, doing the dishes, repairing the deck or decking the halls. But research shows that you're more likely to succeed at your tasks – and enjoy greater wellbeing – if you get some serious shuteye.
Of course, it's not easy to sleep when you're feeling overwhelmed. In fact, many people say they lose sleep because of stress. That's especially unfortunate because sleep combats some of the fallout of stress, and poor sleep has been linked to significant problems, including: greater risk of depression and anxiety, increased risk of heart disease and cancer, impaired memory, reduced immune system functioning, weight gain, and greater likelihood of accidents.
How much sleep is enough? Experts suggest that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Everyone is different, though, and you may need more after a few days of burning the midnight (or two a.m.) oil.
To sleep longer – and better – consider these suggestions:
• Set a regular bedtime. Your body craves consistency, plus you're more likely to get enough sleep if you schedule rest like your other important tasks.
• De-caffeinate yourself. Drinking caffeine to stay awake during the day can keep you up at night. Try resisting the coffee and colas starting six to eight hours before bed.
• De-stress yourself. Relax by taking a hot bath, meditating or envisioning a soothing scene while lying in bed. Turn off daytime worries by finishing any next-day preparations
about an hour before bed.
• Exercise. Working out can improve sleep in lots of ways, including by relieving muscle tension. Don't work out right before bed, though, since exercise may make you more alert. If you like, try gentle upper-body stretches to help transition into sleep.
• Make your bed a sleep haven. No paying bills or writing reports in bed. Also, if you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes you can try some soothing music, but if you remain alert experts recommend getting up until you feel more tired.
Create joy and satisfaction.
Do you have tons of items on your to-do list? Well, add one more. It's time to pencil in a little pleasure.
Chances are, you simply deserve some joy and satisfaction. But if you prefer, you can think about the serious side of fun. Experts say good feelings can boost your ability to bounce back from stress, solve problems, think flexibly and even fight disease.
Studies show that:
• Laughing decreases pain, may help your heart and lungs, promotes muscle relaxation and can reduce anxiety.
• Positive emotions can decrease stress hormones and build emotional strength.
• Leisure activities offer a distraction from problems, a sense of competence and many other benefits. For example, twins who participated in leisure activities were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or dementia than their fellow twins in one study.
Strengthen your funny bone. It's hard to be irritated, worried or glum when you're rolling in laughter. And gentle humor often helps defuse a tense situation.
Pick up some joke books or humorous essays at a bookstore or library. Keep a few handy for a quick pick-meup. Put together a collection of sayings or photos that make you smile, and stick them someplace visible. Keep a humor tape in the car and steer clear of traffic frustration. Watch or listen to comedy via video, podcast or website. Or get a laugh the old-fashioned way – through the comics section.
Try to laugh at some of the hassles in your life if you can. Finding what's a bit absurd or amusing in a challenging situation just might offer relief.
Go ahead, indulge. A massage can relieve muscle tension, stimulate the body's natural painkillers and boost your immune system. It can also help you feel less anxious and more relaxed. Try tai chi or qi gong, which use soothing, flowing motions.
Take a nature break. Watch the blue sky, the lush bushes, a scenic lake. Walking in – or even just looking at – nature calms our nerves and relieves mental fatigue. In one study, workers with views of nature were happier at their jobs than workers with similar jobs but no nature view.
Take a mental vacation. If you can't hop on a plane to someplace soothing, just close your eyes and envision a scene you love. Try to fully imagine the experience of being there.
Eat well.
Mom was right: You've got to eat well to function well. Just in case you didn't gobble up Mom's wisdom, here are some useful tidbits. Good food can: boost your energy, lower the risk of developing certain diseases, provide fuel to your brain, counteract the impact of stress on your body, and affect mood-related body chemicals.
In an unhappy twist, good nutrition can help at times of stress, but that's exactly when lots of us tend to eat less well. According to a recent survey, people tend to overeat or eat unhealthy food to cope with stress. In fact, it's not just that we're seeking creamy comfort – our stress hormones actually give us the munchies.
No one knows exactly which foods promote maximum mental health. But following some basic suggestions can boost your energy, mood and overall wellness. Experts recommend observing the food pyramid, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products; includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts; and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.
Some research links depression and nutrition. Nutrients that may play a role in combating depression include:
• Vitamin B-12 and folate. Good sources of B-12 are fish like salmon and trout and fortified breakfast cereals. Folate is found in dark leafy vegetables, almonds, dairy and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals.
• Omega-3 fatty acids. The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fatty fish like salmon, catfish and trout. Other sources include ground flaxseeds, walnuts and omega-3 fortified eggs.
Take care of your spirit.
Eat your veggies. Get enough rest. Exercise. Those are clear suggestions. But you may be thinking, what in Heaven's name does it mean to "take care of your spirit"?
For lots of people, being spiritual means observing rituals, studying Scriptures and attending religious services, well, religiously. For others, it's not at all about traditional structures or notions of God.
You can think of spirituality as connecting to whatever you consider meaningful and holy. You can find it in God, in yourself, in other people, in nature, art or kindness. Whatever you focus on, spirituality offers many possible benefits, including better mood, less anxiety and depression – and even fewer aches and illnesses.
Spirituality can provide a reassuring belief in a greater force or being, a sense of purpose and meaning, focus on your own or universal wisdom, a way to understand suffering, connection with others, and a reminder of the good in the world. Research has found that religion and spirituality have actual benefits:
• People who meditate have increased activity in a "feel-good" area of the brain
• People with strong religious beliefs recovered faster from heart surgery than people with weaker faith
• People who didn't attend religious services died significantly younger than those who attended more than once a week
Why the connection between spirituality and health? It seems spirituality cuts the stress that so often triggers disease.
Deal better with hard times.
At some point in our lives, most of us will face times that are extra stressful or that even shake us to our core. At those times, having strong coping strategies can make a huge difference.
Of course, exercising, focusing on your spiritual life and getting enough rest – and all the other healthy and positive activities can be great supports in difficult situations. Other techniques can be particularly useful in dealing with tough times. Research shows that:
• People who spent time writing about a difficult event had better health and less depression.
• People facing stress felt less depressed after doing some problem-solving techniques.
• People who often focus on the positives in their lives are less upset by difficult memories.
If you're dealing with a stressful situation, don't stew in self-pity or waste energy pointing blame at someone else. That just makes you feel less powerful. Instead, it makes sense to:
• Write down the problems involved. On paper they may seem more manageable than swirling in your head.
• List as many solutions as possible. For now, silence your internal judge. You can reject options later.
• Assess your list. Try asking yourself how you'd like this situation to end. Which options likely will get you there?
You also can weigh pros and cons.
• Accept reasonably good solutions. Research suggests that searching for a perfect option breeds disappointment.
• Once you pick some solutions, break them into reasonable chunks and make a concrete plan. You might set yourself some specific deadlines too.
• Don't get discouraged if the first solution you try doesn't pan out. Try another one on your list.
Get professional help if necessary.
If the problems in your life are stopping you from functioning well or feeling good, professional help can make a big difference. And if you're having trouble, know that you are not alone: Many in this country have a mental health problem in any given year.
If you or someone you know is feeling especially bad or suicidal, get help right away. You can contact a mental health professional at any major hospital. But of course, you don't have to be in crisis to seek help. Why wait until you're really suffering? Even if you're not sure that you'd benefit from help, it can't hurt to explore the possibility.
A mental health professional can help you come up with plans for solving problems, feel stronger in the face of challenges, change behaviors that hold you back, look at ways of thinking that affect how you feel, heal pains from your past, figure out your goals, and build self-confidence.
Most people who seek help feel better. For example, more than 80 percent of people treated for depression improve. Treatment for panic disorders has up to a 90 percent success rate. Treatment for a mental health issue can include medication and psychotherapy. In some cases, the two work well together.
Psychotherapy is a general term that means talking about your problems with a mental health professional. It can take lots of forms, including individual, group, couples and family sessions. Often, people see their therapists once a week for about an hour. Depending on your situation, treatment can be fairly short or long term.
Some people worry that getting help is a sign of weakness. If you do, consider that it can be a sign of great strength to take steps toward getting your life back on track.
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