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Nine ways to get your health back in good shape

Julianna Gianan
Sep 28, 2020
4 min read

MENTAL KNOWLEDGE ON MENTAL HEALTH. A Chrome tab opened to pictures of mental health. © Destura

Every student striving to reach their academic goals, even in the midst of this pandemic, is familiar with the scene where there is a beautiful day outside their window and a happy family beyond their room’s door, but the only thing they can see is a Google Docs screen. Swamped with schoolwork, students start to feel left out, forgotten by everyone. The workload becomes the only thing their mind can focus on. They even start to forget to take care of themselves. We all know that is not how it should be.

For Mental Health Month, lend a hand to those that have forgotten about their well-being. Check up on your friends— even those that appear okay. Other than that, you need to take care of yourself too, and I can help with that! Here are some ways to boost your mental health.

1. Take a break.

Oftentimes, we are so overwhelmed by the amount of work to do that we forget to take a break. According to Kohll (2018), “Without taking adequate breaks from work, employee productivity, mental well-being, and overall work performance begin to suffer.” That is why breaks are very important, so the next time you start to feel overworked, try taking a 5-minute break.

2. Do something you do well.

Doesn’t it feel great whenever you do something you’re good at? It makes you feel so accomplished! That feeling is fantastic for your mental health. Sometimes all we need is to appreciate ourselves and our worth; we do not always need other people’s praise or approval.

3. Talk to people.

When was the last time you talked to your friends just to talk to them? If it was recently, then that is great! If it wasn’t, why don’t you give it a try? “Having that one person that you confide in, who listens to you, relieves you of always shouldering the burden of your emotions,” (Heathcote, n.d.). It doesn’t have to be a therapist or professional. I am sure that if you need it, your friends and family will always be willing to help you out.

4. Get some air.

With the ongoing pandemic, it is probably not the best idea to go out for a walk. This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some fresh air. You don’t even need a balcony or a garden— an open window can work just as well! Fresh air is very good for many systems in our body (Taylor, 2017). The small amount of alone time can also help a lot!

5. Make a gratitude journal.

Sometimes, we feel like nothing good is happening in our lives anymore. It is normal to feel that sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it. I go through those times too, and it really helps when I start to list down things that I am grateful for. “By writing down what you are thankful for it can make you more optimistic because you are choosing to see more of the positivity in your life and give less power to negative emotions” (Cohen, 2017). It is true that you need to acknowledge negative emotions in order to get rid of them, but always choose to be positive whenever you can.

6. Eat well.

Let’s admit it; there is happiness wherever food is present. According to multiple studies from Dartmouth college, there is a legitimate relationship between moods and food (Davidson, 2017). They also found that a healthy diet with many nutrients instead of fats can give people a better mood, so the next time you need to choose between grapes and Cheetos, choose the grapes!

7. Do something for someone else.

Do you know that giddy feeling you get while going on class outreaches or simply doing something good for others? That is called a “helper's high” (Mann, 2017). Your brain releases endorphins (or “feel-good” chemicals) whenever you do something good for someone else. Now, go help around your house and get those endorphins!

8. Exercise.

It’s the most cliche suggestion when talking about mental health, but it actually works! According to Robinson, Segal, and Smith (2019), “Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more.” And, if fitness isn’t your passion, then being physically fit will make a really great bonus for improving your mental health.

9. Get enough sleep.

Although our emotions are mostly affected by what happens during the day, sleep has its fair share of effects on our mood throughout the day as well. “It appears that a lack of sleep is especially harmful to the consolidation of positive emotional content,” (Suni, 2020). This means that the less sleep we have, the less we can process our happiness. If we can’t process our happiness, we might spiral into a bad place that is not so easy to escape. With all that in mind, you should always choose to sleep early when possible so that you will have the energy and the capacity to go through the whole day.

So, what are you waiting for? Go and try a few of these or show them to a friend. Let’s all stay healthy physically, emotionally, and mentally!