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Five top tips to boost your mental health


Now more than ever people are taking note of their mental health and focusing on ways in which they can improve it. Talking about how we are feeling and admitting that sometimes we struggle and need help is becoming less of a taboo scenario and more of a normal practice. Instead of it being seen as weakness, it is being seen as quite courageous standing up and asking for help when we are at a low point. The stigma that has been attached to our mental health is still there in places, but the walls are slowly coming down.

 

Everyone has mental health, people are becoming more in tune with their feelings and communication, others are not, but the simple fact is that we all have mental health, and it is never static, it is constantly shifting. A situational change, a triggering word or comment, the environment we surround ourselves in and the people we let into our lives all play a part in whether our mental health is in a good positive place or a negative place. You could be having a difficult day, then someone you may or may not know may pay you a compliment and suddenly boom, your mood has slightly improved. For me I could have had a tough day, but hearing my 3-year-old son shout “DADDY” and come running up to me to give me a hug just makes me realise what is important and what is not.

 

Being self-aware and having people around us who care and look out for changes in our behaviours and moods can make a real difference to us in how we manage our mental health and keep on top of it. There are other things we can do in maintaining positive mental health, and in this blog, I am going to give my five top tips to help boost our mental health. There are many coping strategies out there and this can be a very personal process too, but these five tips are proven and there is no harm in trying them. So, without further ado, here are my five top tips to boost your mental health.

 

1.        Exercise and nutrition


It sounds obvious but keeping active, eating healthy foods, and staying hydrated can make a real difference to our mental health. Looking after our physical wellbeing has a direct effect on our mental wellbeing. Movement and exercise releases endorphins that make us feel great; it gives us energy and can reduce stress levels. It can also improve the quality of sleep we get and increase our confidence and posture. Exercise does not mean you have to go to the gym either, it can simply be going for a walk or jog, doing some push ups on the kitchen counter, or taking part in a sporting activity you enjoy, any movement is good for us. Exercise can also help us to take our minds off negative thoughts and in some cases be a part of a team.

 

Fuelling your body is also important. Reducing the amount of ultra processed foods, high sugar, high saturated fat foods can help us to feel more energised, positive, and cleaner inside. Eating plenty of fruit and veg, getting as many colours on your plate as possible and variety of different foods will give us all more nutrients that our bodies can use and put to good effect. I always say, “would you put the wrong fuel or oil into your car?”

 

Enjoy the foods you eat too, this is very important and allow yourself a treat occasionally. I say everything in moderation, cut back on the foods you know are not good for you, but if you cut them out completely as this can have a negative effect on us and lead to a blow out where you then eat too much of the wrong foods, feel guilty about it and the negative feelings and cycle begins again.

 

Alcohol is another part of your nutrition to reduce. If you drink, then stay below the recommended units as these are just a guide, not a requirement. Alcohol can increase our stress and anxiety levels, it also has a major impact on weight gain (body fat) which is down to its high empty calorie content, and it disrupts the quality of our sleep. Alcohol also can dehydrate us, and staying hydrated is vital. A simple rule of thumb I was taught about staying hydrated was to not count any alcoholic or caffeinated drinks in your hydration, only non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated drinks. Aim for 1ml per calorie your body requires, so for example if the average man require 2500 calories a day, then he should be consuming at least 2 and a half litres of water a day.

 

So, tip one is simply to move more, drink less caffeine and alcohol, stay hydrated and eat a healthy balanced diet. This tip is one that may not come as much of a surprise, yet so many of us (including myself at times) fall short and the positive impact exercise and diet can have on our mental health is huge.

 

2.        Making time for the positive people in your life


Making time for the positive people in our lives is so important for your mental health. These are the people who build you up, support you and are always there when you are in need. They are also the people who will be honest with you and have your best interests at heart. Don’t be fooled by those people who you think are a good friend, but when you really dissect the relationship, they don’t have your best interests at heart, and they are holding you back because it makes them feel better about themselves. These people I call saboteurs as all they try to do in a very manipulative way is sabotage you and your development.

 

I was going to call this section friends and family, but I realise that some of us don’t have close family ties or some of the people we hold close to us, and call friends are actually holding us back. Surrounding ourselves with positive people can have a massively positive impact on our mental health and it allows us to build in confidence and achieve so much more when people believe in you and what you stand for, they can also keep your feet on the ground when you start to get a bit carried away.

 

There are many different ways we can make time for each other, it could be something as simple as picking up a phone and checking in or sending a text, you could pop over for a cup of tea and a catch up or even go out for a walk or meal. Having regular contact with the people who matter is vital and can really boost our mental health. Talking to each other, supporting each other, even just asking “how are you?” can be that opening someone needs to open up about their mental health and reach out. Kindness and support can have a huge impact on people and their mental health.

 

3.        Get out in nature and mindfulness


Getting outside and immersing yourself in nature is a wonderful thing to do, and it costs nothing. Being present in the moment, clearing your mind and focusing on your senses, soaking up the sounds, smells, feelings and sights is just magic. I’m very lucky with where I live and I can be in the forest within 5 minutes of leaving my house. I never used to believe that doing this really made a difference until I gave it a go. It is amazing how positive you feel when you are in the present and focusing on life in that moment.

 

In the summer walking in nature and feeling the warm sun on your skin, the light breeze filled with the smells of summer, hearing the sounds of the leaves on the trees rustling, the birds singing, the bees buzzing and streams running over stones just brings me to a very peaceful place. It can be just as positive in the winter too; you just need to wrap up and focus on the same processes. The benefits to doing this are massive and all it costs us is time, so make time for yourself and spend some of it out with nature, your mental health will thank you for it.

 

4.        Recognise achievement


We as a nation can be terrible at giving ourselves credit. Some nations will shout from the roof tops “We are great, I am great, look at what I can do, aren’t I brilliant!” We generally are much more reserved and that old saying “Keep calm and carry on” springs to mind. But I say don’t play yourself down, recognise that when you achieve something you should give yourself the credit you deserve. I was once a PT ambassador for Fitness First and I remember being sent for media training with them. I was asked to give a talk on the best types of exercise for weight loss and as I was answering the question and being cross examined by the reporter I remember saying “I’m not an expert” and he stopped and looked at me and said “Yes you are, you know more about this than any of us here”. He was right.

 

I’ve got qualifications coming out of my eyeballs and nearly 20 years’ experience to date in this field, I’ve helped hundreds of people, have great longevity with my clients and have had articles published both nationally and internationally. I am an expert, and this is me recognising this. You should do the same as well. When you achieve something, recognise it and celebrate it, don’t play things down or think it’s not important because if it’s important to you then it is important full stop! Have a think about your last achievement and how you recognised it, it’s never too late. Your achievements don’t have to be big either, it could be something as simple as getting somewhere on time, successfully making a dinner the whole family like or getting out the door for work on time.

 

5.        Don’t be afraid to ask for help


This one can be difficult, and at the same time it can be a game changer. Asking for help when you need it can come with feelings of shame, self-loathing, weakness, fear, guilt and it can be difficult to the point where so many people just suffer in silence. The simple fact of the matter is if you feel you need help and going back to point number 2, you have positive people around you when you need help they will be there for you, you won’t be on your own and you will get through whatever is affecting you. You may be able to do it on your own but trust me it can be quicker and much easier with help.

 

Asking the right people for help can also increase your chances of success. The truth is there is no shame in asking for help, there is only strength in being able to identify that you need help, having that maturity and self-awareness to realise you may not be able to do it alone or that you are struggling. If you do struggle with your mental health or are struggling currently then please don’t be afraid to ask someone for help, because even if they can’t help, they may know someone who can or be able to signpost you in the right direction.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this blog and can take something positive from it, even if your mental health is in a good place, it can always be boosted, and if you struggle or are struggling know you are not alone and there are people who care and can help. There are many different organisations available to us who can help you if you are struggling with your mental health, some of these are listed below.

 

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Mental Health Foundation - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

 

Rethink Mental Illness - https://www.rethink.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.A.L.L (Community Advice and Listening Line) - https://callhelpline.org.uk/

 

 

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