Current estimates suggest that around one in six people will experience a common mental health problem per week. If you’re struggling with your mental health, know this: you’re far from alone. It’s thought that mental health problems have been common for as long as humanity has existed, but we’re only just starting to understand how to diagnose and treat them. While home remedies won’t cure clinical depression, you can certainly do plenty at home to try to improve your mental health. Here are some clever ways you can do just that.
Turn to tarot
We say tarot, but really any alternative astrological method can help you to improve your mental health. You don’t even necessarily need to believe that this sort of thing is real; major arcana and astrology can help you to change your mindset and look at life in a different way. If tarot isn’t your bag, you could also try a palm reading or something similar. Again, we stress that you don’t need to be a big believer in astrology to reap these benefits; you can simply be a dabbler or even a skeptic and still enjoy the new angle this method gives you on life.
Change up your surroundings
Moving house or changing job isn’t absolutely necessary to improve your mental health (although these things can certainly help). Changing up your surroundings, however, can have a serious impact on how you’re feeling. You could, for example, rework your kitchen or bedroom with the help of a reputable company such as DIY Home Fit. By doing so, you’ll change how you view your home on a day-to-day basis, and that sense of newness and freshness can help you to feel better about your life if it’s starting to get a little repetitive. Don’t neglect the importance to find a therapist and seek help. A qualified therapist can have a profound and positive impact on your mental health and well-being, helping you to manage a range of emotional and psychological issues. From anxiety and depression to relationship difficulties and traumatic experiences, it’s important to find a safe and supportive environment to explore your feelings, develop new coping strategies, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your relationships.
Challenge your brain
This is a literal “clever way” to improve your mental health. By putting your brain under some stress and employing creative or lateral thinking, you can strengthen it. This will have a positive impact on your mental health; if you’re better able to make connections and think about things in your day-to-day life, you’ll feel better about yourself. You could also improve productivity by doing this, which will have a positive impact on your thought processes. There’s even research that suggests exercising your brain could help to stave off dementia.
Express yourself
Mental health issues can feel paralysing at times, but they can also be excellent conduits for the creative impulse. By channeling your struggles into a creative outlet – whether that be art, music, writing, or any other artistic medium you care to explore – you’re creating something positive from your negative experiences. If you feel confident enough, share your work with others and ask for constructive criticism. Who knows – there may be a budding artist or literary genius in there waiting to get out. If you don’t want to take it that far, you can keep your work entirely private.
Exercise regularly
Believe it or not, you don’t have to be an Olympic sprinter to keep your mental health as sound as you can. Simply walking a reasonable distance every day will improve your mental health. According to research, folks who stay active enjoy around a 30% reduced risk of becoming depressed. If you’re already suffering from depression, walking can ease the symptoms and help you on the road to recovery. If you do feel up to it, then more strenuous or vigorous exercise can be a good idea too; exercise releases endorphins which can improve your mood significantly.
Change your posture
Many people walk with a slouch. Apart from being detrimental to your spinal health, slouching can sometimes be indicative of poor self-regard; you’re walking while looking down at the ground, hunched over so that you don’t intrude on anyone else’s life. If you walk taller and carry yourself with pride, you’d be amazed at the positive effect it can have on your mental health. Suddenly, you’re not slouching. You’re not ashamed of yourself anymore and you’re ready to take on the world. That, combined with improved physical health, means you should stop slouching ASAP.
Live in the moment
Social media seems to be having a deleterious effect on our mental health. We’re struggling more and more with the idea that our lives aren’t as glamorous or interesting as those of our friends or the influencers we follow. Of course, the truth is rarely so simple, but if you’re incapable of hanging out on social media without feeling depressed, it’s time to give it up. Quitting Facebook isn’t easy, but it can be done, and if you’ve got friends you regularly keep in contact with then you shouldn’t need social media to stay in touch with them. Your mental health comes first!
Re-examine your relationships
When we say “relationships”, we don’t just mean romantic relationships. Improving your mental health involves taking a look at all the relationships in your life and re-evaluating whether they’re good for you or not. That does include your romantic partner – if you have one – but it also means seriously examining your family, your friends, and even your relationship with your co-workers. Any one of these could be seriously impacting your mental health. To feel better about yourself, prioritise cutting toxic people out of your life as soon as you can.