5 Self-Care Tips to Help Boost Your Mental Health

We hear a lot about taking care of our physical health. But what about self-care tips to help boost your mental health? Good mental health is vital to overall well-being, and self-care is the perfect place to start. By incorporating self-care tips into your life, you can reduce stress, boost confidence, and calm anxiety.

Good self-care should be easy to add to your routine and be something you enjoy doing. Here are 5 self-care tips to help boost your mental health.

You may think that the holiday season is no time to deprive yourself of yummy holiday treats, but I will argue contrary to this point. This year, without all of the social pressure, is actually the perfect time to discipline yourself. You (hopefully) are staying home and not being social, which means less access to, or need to bake, all those holiday party treats that are oh so tempting. Take advantage of this time at home, without much social interaction, to be strict in your eating habits and to make only the healthiest food choices.

Getting Enough Sleep

So many of us don’t get enough sleep. Your brain needs to rest to recover its strength, much like the muscles in your body. When we lose out on sleep, it can have a huge negative impact on our mental health. Not only are our reactions slower, but our stress and anxiety are higher.

To encourage better sleep, Time suggests setting a bedtime routine and sticking to it so your brain gets the break it needs. Think about what will help you unwind before turning in, whether it’s lounging with a restful playlist, enjoying a cup of tea, or doing some gentle yoga. For additional help, check out some of the latest sleep apps including Sleep Score and Sleep Cycle.

Reducing Financial Stress

So many of us have money-related stresses in our lives. But you can lower this stress with some money-saving ideas. For example, you can brew coffee at home instead of heading to the local cafe each day. Another idea is to set up a home gym (and save on a gym membership) in your house. If you need some extra cash or want to make some wellness-boosting home improvements, you may want to refinance your home. A refinance can free up cash, or you can lower your monthly mortgage payments

Embracing Physical Activity

Another of the most important self-care tips to help boost your mental health is to nurture your physical wellness. Increasing your physical activity, even a little bit, can have a positive impact on your mental health. Find ways to get in at least 30 minutes a day of exercise. That can be as simple as walking the dog or doing resistance band exercises.

Consider investing in a fitness tracker to help, both with accountability and motivation. The latest fitness trackers and smartwatches have easy-to-read displays and can monitor everything from your heart rate to your steps and sleep patterns. Additionally, the Apple Watch SE has built-in safety features, like fall detection and emergency SOS along with the ability to get calls and texts and listen to music, while the Fitbit Charge 3 has GPS, long battery life, and swim tracking.

Using Natural Remedies

There are a lot of natural remedies to consider incorporating into your self-care routine. For instance, supplements such as vitamin D can be good for decreasing depression, as can SAMe and 5-HTP. Lavender pillow sprays are good for helping you relax and getting a better night’s sleep. Incorporating aromatherapy into your bath time routine can also reduce your stress.

Taking Time to Relax

Perhaps the most-neglected practice in our list of self-care tips to help boost your mental health is to relax. This is easier said than done, but when you take time out for yourself to do things you enjoy, it has a positive impact on your brain. Relaxing looks different to everyone, so find the thing that relaxes you the most. For some, it’s binging on a show on Netflix. Others might enjoy baking, and others might meditate. It’s about finding what works for you and then making time to do it.

Tending to your mental health is as important as maintaining your physical health. Increase your overall sense of well-being by making it a goal to spend at least 30 minutes a day taking care of yourself and doing things you love. You’ll see a big difference in how you feel.

Feel free to reach out to us if you have questions about this article or just want to talk!