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Do you know how to look after your mental health? Some of the obvious ways may pop into your mind, including:

• Practicing self-care.

• Doing things you enjoy.

• Seeing a therapist or taking medication, as needed.

These can all be simple effective ways to look after yourself. However sometimes a little bit more is needed. Getting yourself into good routines is a great starting point. But if you are feeling especially low then doing things to distract yourself can also be really helpful. Things such as, taking a walk, listening to music, doing some exercise, having a glass of water or even practising meditation have all been successful for me. Some things require more attention and I have noticed three areas which can have a big impact on mental health and would like to look at them a little deeper.

1. Look After Your Body

Looking after your body helps with your mental health more than you’d think. Eating right and exercising aren’t the only ways you can do this.

There are several ways to do so, including:

• Getting enough sleep.

• Drinking enough water.

• Avoiding smoking/drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.

These are basics for mental health, making sure the body is working optimally helps the brain to work optimally. However sometimes no matter how much effort we put into our physical health some people can still have issues with this. For example with the link between body dysmorphia and plastic surgery . Body image can be a very detrimental factor when it comes to mental health as our expectations don't always live up to reality or societies standards. To help this I would limit social media and really focus on the goodness your body provides you. I myself having had three children can now appreciate my stretch marks a little more as they have provided me with such a gift.

2. Break Up Monotony

Having a routine can often be recommended. It can make you feel safe and secure. It can also lead to monotony, however.

Over time, this can impact your mental health. While you should still have a routine in place, you should aim to break up the monotony.

Plan things spontaneously. These can be one-offs or something that you decide to do relatively regularly. More than making plans spontaneously though, just make plans. Make sur you always have something in your diary that you can look forward to and enjoy.

You wouldn’t need to go too extravagant with these plans either. Instead, the focus should be on something that makes you feel happy, it could be as simple as a solo coffee date or a meal out with friends..

It’ll not only improve your mood, but help relieve any boredom or complacency you may be feeling.

3. Set Realistic Goals

Many peoples’ mental health can suffer because they feel as though they’re not accomplishing anything in their life. That could be financially, academically, professionally, and more.

Setting goals for yourself can help with this. If you already have these, then making sure they’re realistic is vital.

Should they not be realistic, then you might find it hard to achieve or or near impossible to achieve them, which can negatively impact your mental health. Adjusting your goals and putting a plan in place to achieve them is highly recommended.

Not only will this help your mental health, but you’ll be better able to achieve your goals. It could be worth having an overall aim broken down into smaller easier to achieve steps. Small and steady will help you to achieve your goals.

Though that could mean taking more time to achieve them, your mental health will be better for it.

How To Look After Your Mental Health: Wrapping Up

Figuring out how to look after your mental health can be overwhelming. It doesn’t need to be as difficult or complex as you’d expect. You have multiple options available and hopefully this article can act as a starting point. Determining what works for you can take time, although it’s more than worth spending time on it. Your mental health is key to your happiness so it is about time you started investing in it.