Self-Care isn't Selfish

 Mental health includes emotional, physiological, and social well-being. It can affect how we act, think feel, how we react to certain things and how we relate to others.  Mental health is overall important for our health, well-being, and quality of life. Taking care of ourselves and our mind is an essential way of taking care of our mental health.  As our world continues to progress, it can seem that sometimes there is more good than bad. With so much going on in the world, it is hard not to focus on the bad. Aside from the world possibly seeming like a dark place, our personal lives can be rocky as well. We all go through things that can break us down, life can throw sudden curve balls at us when we least expect it. With so many daily problems we face, life can seem to be unbearable sometimes. Self-care is an important part of life that seems to be diminished by others or not taken as seriously as it should be. Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health. When it comes to your mental health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. Even small acts of self-care in your daily life can have a big impact. Here are some ways you can improve your mental health. Exercising regularly can be very beneficial. Thirty minutes of walking can improve your mental health drastically, if that is too much time, small amounts of exercise add up and will overall benefit you. Eat healthy, regular meals, and stay hydrated. A healthy balanced diet and loads of water can boost your energy and focus throughout the day. You are a reflection of your internal self, so whatever it is we are putting into our bodies is typically how we feel externally. Making sleep a priority. Sticking to a schedule, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep every night. Strong light from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep by raising our cortisol levels. Reducing light exposure from your phone or computer before bedtime would be very beneficial. Practicing gratitude is very important. Reminding ourselves daily of things we are grateful for. We can be grateful for little or big things, for example, it could be our physical health. Our bodies are mobile enough to get us going on a walk to help us improve our mental health. Self-care is different for everyone. These are a few examples of what works for me and is beneficial. By simply doing one of these exercises, even once a week, your mental health can significantly improve.






Comments

  1. Marie HolmanJuly 18, 2022 at 1:38 PM

    Hello Iliana,
    I think that mental health plays a huge role in our lives and it should not be avoided. I think that self care is an essential part to taking care of our mental health because we are doing something good for ourselves. I agree that prioritizing our sleep, doing exercise, and being positive are great acts of self care. I practice these acts and I can say that they have a great impact on my mental health because I am content. I believe that we need to focus more on ourselves and our health because we do not want problems in the long run. Thank you for this informational blog.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kevin StralyJuly 19, 2022 at 1:12 PM

    Hey Iliana,
    Your blog was very interesting and an enjoyable read. Especially these last couple years, life has been very rocky and tough for pretty much everybody. Here in the United States, I can confidently say that there has been a mental health crisis for a while now and it only was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. 2020 and 2021 were definitely hard times for myself, as I lost all interest and motivation in schooling, extracurricular activities, and didn't hang out with others as much as I would have liked. But in 2022, I really set goals for myself to exercise more often, and find joy in the little things in my life. I agree with your sentiment on living a healthy life can really improve one's mental state. Technology has really had a large impact on the way people view themselves and their self image, as well has made increased people's anxiety. I'm glad to hear that some things worked for you and helped you improve!

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