Your mental health can play a major part in your overall well-being, so it’s important to maintain it through various healthy practices and habits. Whether you’re feeling down or stressed out, or just want to learn how to manage your mind, the following ten (10) habits will help keep your mental health at its peak. The sooner you start practicing them, the better! 

Here are ten (10) habits that will boost your mental health.

As the world becomes increasingly busy and stressful, more people than ever before are finding that their mental health can be negatively affected by their day-to-day actions and lifestyle choices. 

While medications and therapy sessions can help in some situations, many times simply making small changes to your daily routine can greatly improve your mental health without any additional expense or time commitment from you at all. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of these habits that will help you boost your mental health, so you can feel happier and more fulfilled in life.

1) Journal

Journaling is a great way to find out what you're thinking and feeling. It can help you process your thoughts and feelings and make decisions. Journaling can also be an outlet for expressing emotions that are bottled up inside. 

Writing in a journal allows you to work through difficult situations so they don't stay unresolved. Many people say journaling has helped them manage stress, improve their moods, and even sleep better. 

Journals have been shown to help with things like: fear of intimacy, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, addiction, depression, anger management issues and grief.

2) Get Some Sleep

Getting enough sleep is important for your mental health. A lack of sleep can affect your mood, concentration, and make you more irritable. 

One study found that people who slept six hours a night reported feeling much more tired than people who slept eight hours a day. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep every night to keep your mental health in check. If you have trouble sleeping, try to do activities that relax you before bed such as reading or listening to music. 

It may also be helpful to start winding down earlier in the evening by doing less stimulating activities like going on social media or watching TV instead of staying up late watching TV or playing video games.

3) Exercise Regularly

Exercise regularly. Exercising releases endorphins, which are chemicals that make you feel good. These endorphins can help improve your mood and reduce stress. The more you exercise, the less likely you'll be to experience depression or anxiety. Regular physical activity also helps promote weight loss. 

It's never too late to start exercising, even if it's only 15 minutes at a time. Walking is an easy form of exercise that has proven benefits for mental health as well as physical health!

4) Wake Up Early

Waking up early can be difficult, especially if you're not used to it. To get your day started on the right foot, set your alarm for fifteen minutes earlier than normal. So instead of waking up at six in the morning, try setting your alarm for five fifty-nine. 

This will give you a little more time to wake up and start your day off with a good mood. After a week or two of getting up early, you should find yourself feeling less groggy when you do wake up in the morning and starting your day off much better. 

5) Meditate

Meditation can help you manage stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also improve your overall health by lowering blood pressure and reducing your risk of heart disease and cancer. 

Some experts even believe it may be able to slow the aging process. If you've never meditated before, there are plenty of apps that offer guided meditation sessions which might be a good place to start. 

6) Keep a Gratitude Journal

Studies show that people who keep a gratitude journal are more likely to feel an increase in their self-esteem, happiness, and positivity. Plus, it will make you less likely to dwell on negative thoughts. 

To get started, write down three things that you're grateful for every day. The simplest way is to use your bedtime routine as the time when you set aside time each day to write in your journal. If you have trouble coming up with anything, consider making a list of all the good things that happened during the past twenty-four (24) hours. 

It's often easier than thinking about what was bad because we tend to remember the positive events more vividly and they may have been subtle enough that we weren't consciously aware of them at first.

7) Express Yourself Creatively

Expressing yourself creatively can be a therapeutic process. Creativity is an expression of how you feel and what you want to say, and it's a way to find your voice. Letting your creativity flow will help you become more aware of the things in your life that are making you happy or unhappy. 

It may also lead to ideas for new projects that make you excited. You might start writing in your journal or go on a painting binge. Creative expression doesn't always need to be something tangible either, like art or crafts--you could have conversations with friends, tell jokes, sing songs or dance around as ways to express yourself!

8) Surround Yourself With Like Minded People

Surround yourself with like minded people who inspire you and make you laugh. They will help remind you of what matters. Life is not about comparing yourself to other people or trying to be someone else, it's about being the best person that you can be. 

Surrounding yourself with inspiring, happy, and supportive friends are important for mental health as they provide an environment where there is more light than darkness.

9) Eat Healthy Foods in Moderation

Eating too many unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain and a host of health problems. Eating healthy foods in moderation will help you feel better, have more energy, and save money. You'll also be less likely to crave junk food if you are eating enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. 

Studies show that people who eat healthier get sick less often and have higher levels of concentration than those who don't. A healthy diet may also boost your mood and lower the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some cancers.

10) Create an Environment Where You Can Focus and be Productive

Create an Environment Where You Can Focus and be Productive. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or unfocused, sometimes it’s the environment that needs to change, not your mental state. 

One way to do this is by creating an away space where you can take a break and decompress. For example, if you have a cluttered desk or office at home, create another space in another room where you can work without any distractions.

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