Today is a very important day. Today is World Mental Health Day!
Mental health is an extremely critical part of our lives, and for many years, hasn’t been held as highly as it should have been. An individual’s mental health affects every aspect of their life.It affects their ambition and goals, it affects their motivation and spirit, and as a result, it completely affects their behaviour. So in order to be as successful and sassy as we all aim to be, we need to make sure that we’re feeling super super great, both mentally and physically.
And who knows better than The Mental Health Foundation as to how to look after your mental health?! Here are the top 10 tips on how to look after your mental health from the experts themselves… And I might have expanded on them a little.
1. Talk about your feelings
Talking about how you feel is a really important part of looking after your mental health. Don’t let your feelings build up, express them and take a weight off your shoulders! And if you struggle to talk with someone, try writing it down – it might make all the difference.
2. Keep active
The foundation promotes keeping active because it can boost your self-esteem and concentration as well as helping you sleep and feel tonnes better. Maybe we should go for a little jog today (or a fast walk…)
3. Eat well
YES! I feel so much better when I’ve eaten good food, especially after a few days of naughty eating. Mother Nature is your body’s best friend – invite her round for tea!
4. Drink sensibly
We all love a night out, but drinking sensibly is essential when looking after our mental health because alcohol is only a temporary fix and will leave you feeling worse in the morning… Opt for a takeaway and stick Bridget Jones on tonight with your friends. Have a chill.
5. Keep in touch
Apparently chatting on the phone to your friend who left for university for 5 hours is actually a really good idea!!! Of course it is! Chat to your friends who you need to catch up with and you’ll find yourself having a fully engaging conversation which in turn will leave you positively glowing…
6. Ask for help
If you’re struggling, communicate. You aren’t a superhero and sometimes people will forget that – after all, you are a pretty amazing human being. Let someone know if your workload is too much or if you need help with something – we’re all human, of course we’ll help each other out… You’ve just gotta ask.
7. Take a break
I totally encourage this one. I will always make sure I take a lunch break at work and take breaks between studying. If you don’t, you’ll just melt and stress yourself out. Have a nice hot bath when you get home and leave your phone to charge in your room for a while. Take a break! Have some time away from it all and
R E L A X.
8. Do something you’re good at
Having a hobbie is ace. Not only do you enjoy yourself, but you can also feel pretty good about yourself if you’re doing something you’re good at!
9. Accept who you are
Don’t try and change yourself. Be you, because you’re most beautiful when you’re loving who you are.
10. Care for others
Look after everyone else too. Not everyone will have read this article. Think your friend is stressed? Get them to communicate to you. Is your mum a bit down? Run her a bath and give her some time out. Look after others how you want looking after and we’ll all be fit as a fiddle.
Remember that the World Mental Health Foundation has tonnes of advice for you with plenty of charities out there that are ready to help if you’re not feeling 100%. Check out mentalhealth.org.uk for any further information!
Hope you have a beautiful day today everybody – keep smiling 🙂
Katy xx
Read more of our student ambassador Katy’s blog here
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