No matter whether you just need a little break from everyday life or want to do something good for your psyche in the long term – these actions will help you to feel better in the long run. Nervousness, anxiety or depressed mood. Many people struggle with mental health problems at some point in their lives. Constantly being online, stress and few recovery phases are just some of the catalysts that damage our psyche. So what to do when the world turns a little too fast again and everything becomes too much? We have collected tips that you can easily integrate into your everyday life in order to improve your mental health and sustainably increase your well-being.
Go Out
It is actually totally obvious and yet essential for our well-being. Spending time in nature has a lasting effect on our psyche. Just 20 to 30 minutes a day has been shown to lower your stress level and prevent mental illnesses such as depression. Being outside has a particularly strong effect on children: according to a recent study by the University of Aarhus, this even prevents depression in adulthood. According to the study, children who spent a lot of time outdoors had a later risk of developing depression that was up to 55 percent lower.
Get Enough Sleep
We only realize how important sleep is when we have too little of it. In the long run, this can throw our brains off course. Feelings, concentration, attention and behavior work differently when there is a lack of sleep – but definitely not better. Ultimately, this has a major impact on our psyche, because we process our emotions differently and, for example, react more fearfully to some stimuli.
Be Thankful
Oftentimes, we focus on the negative things in life and thus move into a downward spiral that also affects our psyche. Therefore, consciously take one day of the week (or month) to become aware of what you are grateful for. How you do that is up to you. In the meantime, there are even books and instructions for the correct “manifestation of gratitude”, and visually appealing gratitude booklets also provide templates for practical use. Gratitude not only has short-term effects on our well-being, but also has a lasting effect on our brain. Studies have shown that people who regularly say “thank you” feel happier and more satisfied.
Mindful Eating
Don’t worry, you don’t have to manifest every piece of pasta before you eat it. Instead, it is about being a little more relaxed about the topic of “eating” in general. The pressure to eat the right food at the right time is particularly high among women – we haven’t even started dieting then. All of these compulsive thoughts and internal prescriptions also damage us mentally. So the next time you sit down, enjoy what lies in front of you. Try to learn not to get ready every time your meal doesn’t meet your optimal nutritional value for the day. It’s just food – and that’s ok!