Wellbeing

Boost your mental health and happiness

If you’re feeling low, our guide to positive mental health will help you improve your emotional wellbeing

According to a 2020 survey by supplement brand Healthspan, 64% of women have periods of time where they feel constantly worried or stressed. Sound familiar? From fretting about work or your family, to uncertainty about the future and financial concerns, the trials and tribulations of daily life can lead to stress, anxiety and depression. This long-term tension can have a negative impact, but mental health and happiness matters, and looking after yours is key to your overall health and wellbeing. So if you’re feeling low, these are the best tools to arm yourself with – and they actually work!

How can you make your mental health a priority?

In the past, a lot of emphasis has been placed on our physical health, from getting the right amount of exercise to eating five portions of fruit and veg a day. But the importance of our mental wellbeing and emotional health is becoming increasingly apparent, with World Mental Health Day and national awareness campaigns all shedding light on the importance of looking after our minds as well as our bodies. But what does good mental wellbeing mean?

Our mental health is all about our thoughts and feelings, and how these are impacted by the ups and downs of daily life. Good mental health doesn’t necessarily mean that you constantly think everything is peachy with a sense of joy and happiness, though. We all face challenges that trigger negative emotions and feelings from anger to sadness.

Good mental wellbeing, however, is about understanding these feelings and managing them in a positive way. This will help you to feel more confident, achieve more life satisfaction, maintain positive relationships and improve your overall health and wellbeing. One way of becoming aware of your feelings and dealing with them positively is by practising radical acceptance. This encourages you to let go of the small stuff, but also to pay attention to your frustrations, and figure out boundaries to help create your own happiness.

Social media and mental health

According to comparison site finder.co.uk, people in the UK spend an average of two hours and 34 minutes on their mobile phones every day. Much of this time will be spent scrolling, liking, tagging and commenting on social media posts. And while these platforms may feel like an escape from reality, those endless hours of trawling the internet could actually be having a negative impact on your mental health and happiness.

“One of the effects of digital overload is an increase in our stress levels,” says David Brudö, CEO and co-founder of mental wellbeing and personal development app Remente. “As we multitask, switching from emails, to podcasts, to messaging, our bodies produce more cortisol as well as adrenaline, which can overstimulate our brains and even disrupt our thinking.”

Keep an eye on your social media usage and try to think about how you feel after using it. It’s also worth taking yourself ‘offline’ for a couple of days, as a digital detox can help you refresh your mind and learn to appreciate the world, objects and people around you.

Mental health at work

It’s estimated that more than 11 million working days are lost each year due to stress at work. From the looming deadlines, to cultures normalising out-of-hours working, our downtime is being squeezed.

While some employers have embraced ‘zen rooms’ and on-site gyms to calm their workforce, for the rest of us, the workplace has become a war zone for our wellbeing. It makes finding that work-life balance all the more important.

The good news is that there are plenty of techniques to combat stress in the workplace, and they can all be done straight away. Wellbeing expert Dominique Antiglio, from BeSo p hro, recommends sophrology, a type of moving meditation.

“One of the techniques we use is called ‘the pump’: it’s great for when you need immediate stress relief,” says Dominique. “Find a quiet place where you can stand tall. Let your arms fall straight and clench your fists. Exhale through your mouth, inhale through your nose and hold your breath.

“As you hold the breath, pump both of your shoulders up and down until you need to exhale again. As you exhale vigorously, relax your arms and hands completely, allowing all tension and tightness to drain through the arms and hands. Repeat until you notice you feel rebalanced.”

Tips for better mental health and happiness

Whether you need to combat stress from daily worries or want to find ways to alleviate your workplace anxiety, these mental health activities can help with your emotional wellbeing.

Take a mental health day

From work pressures to family responsibilities, it’s easy to get caught up in ‘the daily grind’. But it’s important to take time out for yourself. Even if you can’t set aside an entire day, spend a few spare minutes here and there, or set aside an hour or two in the morning or evening, to focus on yourself.

This could be as simple as reciting uplifting positive mental health motivation quotes, ready for the day ahead. Or why not enjoy a good chuckle with some laughter yoga – after all, laughter is the best medicine!

Eat good mood food

Have you ever noticed a change in your thoughts and feelings after consuming specific foods and drinks? What we put into our bodies has a huge impact on our mood, both in the short- and long-run.

According to author Nita Saini, some drinks such as coffee may instantly impact our mood and energy levels, whilst others have a more gradual effect on our stress levels and mood swings. So what good mood food can help you boost your mental health and happiness?

Nita says: “Reduce your intake of highly processed foods and foods high in carbohydrates and sugars, which increase levels of adrenaline and cortisol – the stress hormones that cause us to feel wired and anxious. Instead, choose to eat foods that nurture you from the inside out. Some foods increase the production of serotonin and dopamine (the feel-good hormones), like brown rice, chicken, turkey, eggs, green leafy vegetables, lentils, nuts, fish, bananas and milk. Ensure you drink water throughout the day too, to keep you hydrated.”

Don’t underestimate the importance of gut health for mental health and happiness, either. Evidence suggests that gut health and anxiety are intrinsically linked. Psychobiotics are at the heart of this, according to nutritional therapist Natalie Lamb, who says that these living microorganisms can help to improve mood, reduce anxiety and alleviate stress. So eat foods that are packed with gut-friendly bacteria, including seasonal vegetables and live fermented foods.

Try ecotherapy

It’s true what they say: nature is the best therapy. In fact, a 2019 study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology showed that just five minutes of green exercise is all that’s needed to benefit mental health. For this reason, many people are now practising ecotherapy, from bringing greenery indoors, to spending more time outdoors.

Try going for a short walk during your lunch break; moving your workout routine outside; or trying a new alfresco activity such as sailing, cycling, hiking or fishing. You could even create a calm sanctuary at home by decorating with organic, natural materials such as wood and seagrass, as well as curating a selection of uplifting indoor plants.

How can physical activity help your mental health?

We all know that physical activity has numerous benefits for your physical health, but does exercise make you happy? The answer is yes – exercise stimulates the brain to release feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which relieve pain and stress. Whether you practise yoga in your living room or work out in your garden, try to set aside time each day to move more. NICE guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of regular exercise each week, which can be broken into bouts of 10 minutes or more.

A great option at any time of year is cycling. The mental health benefits of getting outside are well-known, and aerobic exercise such as cycling can also help you sleep better. According to nutritionist Cassandra Barns, “Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins and can also help us to sleep better, which makes it easier to cope with stress. If you are very tense, however, be careful with the type and duration of exercise you choose. It might be best to avoid endurance activities such as long-distance running or high intensity ones like spinning, as hardcore exercise can increase stress levels and make us more anxious and tired. Good options include weight training, moderate intensity aerobic exercise such as cycling, fun team sports and relaxing activities like yoga.”

How to practice mindfulness

A lot of us spend time analysing the past or worrying about the future, but this can lead to increased stress and anxiety. That’s where mindfulness comes in. “It’s human nature to think in this way,” says Liz Shaw, health and fitness tutor for The Training Room, “but try plugging yourself into the present moment and your life will feel so much richer, whatever you’re doing.”

Mindfulness comes in various guises, whether it’s colouring, aromatherapy or meditation. You could start a gratitude journal to remind yourself of all the positive things in your life. Or, incorporate mindfulness breathing exercises into your daily routine.

“Deep breaths are essential to get the mind thinking clearly, and for the body to slow down,” says lifecoach and speaker Rasheed Ogunlaru. Try this mindfulness meditation. “Put your hands behind your head, stand tall, and take three slow, very deep breaths from your stomach. As you inhale and exhale, you’ll start to feel the air in your lungs and feel yourself calming down.”

Another great mindfulness technique involves aromatherapy: the benefits include reduced agitation and stress. So find an essential oil that you love, add it to a hankie, and inhale the calm! You could even use aromatherapy oils to give yourself a quick stress-relief massage.

Keep in mind that whilst self-help techniques can have a positive impact, some people may find it more beneficial to take part in talking therapies. If you’re feeling down, talk to someone you trust and love. Or, seek mental health services from a counsellor face-to-face, and pat yourself on the back for getting help for your mental health.