Why Your Mental Health Matters

Now more than ever, health is wealth. But a healthy body goes beyond just the physical self. Being healthy means looking after your social, emotional, and psychological well-being as well. If your mental health is suffering, your way of thinking, overall mood, and ability to make sound decisions can also suffer, affecting the lives of those around you.

Today, let's talk about why good mental health and well-being are necessary for a happy life.

1. It affects your relationships 

Your mental health affects you and the people around you, particularly your family and close friends. If your mental health is taking a dip, you could be treating your loved ones poorly, increasing the chances of destroying your relationships with the people you care about.

2. It affects your productivity 

Mental health has been linked to how well a person can focus on a task and their ability to concentrate. Having poor mental health makes it more difficult for a person to complete tasks or stick to a schedule. It can also make a person feel lethargic or find that they lack the motivation to do anything, which can affect your performance in your job or how you manage your home.

3. It affects your physical health 

You have to remember that the body is one unit. One of the effects of stress on your mental health is that it will also manifest in your physical health. If you are feeling particularly stressed out, you may notice certain aches and pains appearing throughout your body particularly in your neck and shoulders, muscle tension, and back pain. You may also experience bouts of insomnia which can weaken your immune system and resistance, causing you to get sick more often.

It’s never too late to incorporate habits to improve your mental health! Here are some that you should know about.

1. Stay active 

Exercise releases endorphins which are the body’s feel-good hormone and can naturally boost your mood. On top of this, exercise can give you a shot of additional energy. Doctors recommend doing at least 30 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy. Try taking a walk outside with your child to get some fresh air and maybe do some yoga to calm your mind and re-center.

2. Get enough sleep 

Sleep is your body’s natural way of resetting and fueling for the next day’s tasks. Lack of sleep can leave you feeling tired and drained the next morning, making you irritable and more prone to stress. If you find it difficult to fall asleep at night, try to keep your phone and laptop as far away from you at least an hour before bedtime to give your mind time to slow down. You can try diffusing some lavender oil in your room, too, which has been shown to aid in sleep.

3. Connect with loved ones

Spending a year in isolation, while necessary, has proven to be tough for everyone. It has particularly been tough on our mental health. Just because we’re being socially distant and responsible doesn’t mean we can’t reach out to those we love. Schedule regular Zoom hangouts with your friends or call up your family members to check up on them. Play fun online games with your barkada or schedule a Netflix party with your officemates. Keeping in touch with them, even digitally, can do wonders for your mental health.

Staying healthy mentally is just as important as staying healthy physically. I hope these have reminded you why you need to take care of your mind and how you can do it in three easy steps!