5 Tips to Support Your Mental Health

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With more than 50% of Americans diagnosed with mental illness at some point in their lives, supporting mental wellness is more important than ever! That is why this Mental Health Awareness Month we have collected the top 5 tips for supporting your mental health.

Sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep for your body supports a healthy brain. Our brains use sleep and dreaming to organize information, solidify learning, and increase productivity. The average adult should get approximately 8 hours of sleep

Do’s Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is key to quality sleep

Don’t’s More isn’t always better. If you’re sleeping more or less than you think you should be, consult with a doctor to determine what might be affecting your sleep.

Exercise

Our bodies are meant to be active! Daily safe exercise can help improve cardiovascular health, hormone stability, and sleep.

Do’s Start light! If you haven’t exercised regularly for some time, start small. Physical health is a marathon, not a sprint.

Don’t’s Exercise isn’t meant to make up for a poor diet or years of unhealthy choices. Don’t use exercise to punish yourself, and instead use it to make your body stronger and feel better!

Diet

A diet is what you eat. Everyone has a diet and it is what you make it. Everyone’s body is different and it is most important that you eat well-rounded meals to support healthy brain function. Consult with a doctor to determine a healthy eating plan that is effective AND sustainable.

Do’s Eat foods that nourish your body and give it the energy it needs to live a happy life! What works for one lifestyle might not work for yours.

Don’t’s You can’t always trust diet advice from the internet. Be sure to do thorough research to ensure a change in diet won’t do more harm than good.

Meditation

Meditation is a great way to manage stress and improve emotional well-being! Different kinds of meditation can improve focus, reduce anxiety, and even balance blood pressure.

Do’s Experient and be intentional with meditation. Your body is an incredible machine, but it needs rest.

Don’t’s It’s all too easy to get distracted. Don’t let your phone take away your focus! Short, more frequent sessions could be of greater benefit.

Acts of Kindness

What better way to feel better than by helping others? Doing small acts of kindness for others can improve self-esteem and release oxytocin, the feel-good hormone.

Do’s You don’t have to make any big grand gestures to do something nice for someone else. Sometimes small, unexpected gestures make a bigger impact on everyone.

Don’ts Don’t try to do too much. Mental health is about balance and you can’t pour from an empty cup.

There are so many different ways to care for your mental wellness. Check out these Top Self-Care Tips for more ideas!

SHANE CHRISTOPHER

Nominated for Loan Officer of the Year by ASREB in 2017 and a Mortgage Loan Officer since 2013, Shane holds more than 30 years of customer sales and service career experience, Gilbert-based Shane Christopher serves as a Mortgage Advisor with Geneva Financial. He is renowned—and respected—for a hometown attitude of service with a smile and treating clients like family.