What works: Protect your mental health and prevent problems?

Protecting our mental health is easier than you think. We can all do it every day, and with simple activities that make us feel good, we can cope with life better.

Just as it is important to brush our teeth daily to prevent physical problems, we should also take care of our mental health.

All our tips are designed to help us improve our mental health. Importantly, they are all supported by scientific evidence, including:

Our tips are easier for some, more challenging for others. Try them out and find out which ones work best for you.

Trying new things can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but the more we practice, the easier it usually becomes.

One thing you should not forget: Nobody is perfect. We all have our limits. What’s good enough for you is good.

Closer to nature?

We all live with worries and fears, insecurities, losses that make us sad, and burdens that cause us stress. Nature can have an enormously calming effect on us.

We have lived in close proximity to other animals and plants for thousands of years. Some people say nature makes them calmer, more hopeful and less lonely. Our research found that walking is the preferred method of coping with stress among UK adults.
during the 2020 pandemic.

In Japan, some people practice “forest bathing”, which can improve their mental health. So walking into a forest and experiencing different smells, sounds and textures can be very helpful.

To fully utilize the healing power of nature, you can tune your senses to your surroundings: trees, plants, birds and animals, for example, and water such as ponds or the coast.

Breathe deeply and notice how you feel. The idea is to connect with your natural surroundings.

Want to get more out of your sleep?

Anyone who has ever suffered from sleep disorders knows how much it affects our bodies, our minds and our ability to cope with life.

We all have moments when we feel down, and some of us live in situations that make restful sleep impossible.

For many people, sleep is the first thing they suffer from when struggling with their mental health.

Adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, including adequate dream sleep and adequate deep sleep.

If you have trouble sleeping, try some simple changes.

Continue?

Mind and body are connected, so taking good care of ourselves can help prevent mental health problems (and vice versa).

Exercise – whether through sports, gardening, dancing, cycling, walking the dog, cleaning or going to the gym – promotes the production of endorphins that reduce stress and anxiety. It also helps us feel better in our bodies. It can also improve our sleep. Interaction with others, for example in a team, a class or a group we meet regularly, can also improve our mental health.

We don’t have to be professional athletes to train. From walking to dancing, from basketball to the gym: the best exercise is simply the one we enjoy.

Healthy diet?

Food and drink affect our body, our brain and our mood – for better or for worse.

Sugary snacks and drinks can give us a temporary “high” or an irresistible feeling of well-being. But they can also quickly make us exhausted or nervous. Caffeine in coffee, tea, or so-called energy drinks can also have this effect. A good combination of fruit and vegetables is essential for good physical and mental health.

The way we eat also matters. Eating together can help build relationships – with family, friends, partners and colleagues. This is essential to protect everyone’s mental health and prevent problems.

Some people overeat or undereat when they are upset. It can be good to talk about it with someone you trust if necessary.

Please help create a better world?

If you’ve ever felt alone, you know how much it helps to have at least a little contact with someone else.

Exchanging a smile or kind word can be comforting and improve our mood.

Research shows that this is mutually beneficial. Kindness can improve our mood, give us a greater sense of accomplishment, strengthen our bonds with others, and even help us deal with stress better.

If you’re not sure where to start, try small but meaningful acts of kindness, like a smile or a few kind words to someone else. This will not only brighten their day but also make them feel better.

Curious and open to new experiences?

We can all get stuck in familiar patterns, like how we spend our time and what we think about ourselves and the world.

This can be self-fulfilling if our expectations influence what actually happens – for better or for worse. For example, we may say to ourselves in response to what others tell us, “It will never get better” or “I’m worthless.”

It can be helpful to acknowledge these thoughts and try new ones, such as “I can change things for the better” and “I can do so much.”

Life can become more interesting, vibrant and fulfilling when we are open to new experiences and experiment with our ways of doing things.

It can be as simple as our breakfast or the route we take to walk the dog. It can also require a bit of planning, like an adventure holiday. Maybe we find a new place we love, discover a talent we never knew we had or meet a new and important person.

Do you plan things you look forward to?

Life brings all kinds of challenges and in difficult times we can feel hopeless and lack the energy to plan for the future.

Things we look forward to, such as fun activities, can help us cope with difficult situations.

Making plans for things we enjoy can increase our hope, which in turn is important for our mental health. Our plans can be anything from small pleasures like a cup of tea, watching your favorite show on TV, or taking a dance class to a trip with family or friends or seeing your favorite movie, sports team or singer.

No matter how small or big, the most important thing is that you plan it.

Decide what you want to do, when and with whom, and book it if necessary. It’s important to stick to your plan – and repeat it.

Do you want to learn to understand and control your emotions?

Intense anger can disrupt your life. It can make it difficult to think clearly, work, relax, study, sleep or interact with others.

Many of us notice when we’re upset, but we don’t know exactly what we’re feeling. Is it sadness, shame, anger or something else? We don’t always know why we feel that way.

It often helps to pay attention to our feelings without judging them, without telling ourselves that we are stupid or weak for feeling this way. It may seem strange and uncomfortable to do this. But practice and patience with ourselves will help.

It can also be helpful to name our feelings. For example, let’s say to ourselves: “I feel very irritated today, but also sad.” Another helpful step might be to find out what triggers these feelings – could it be a disagreement or disappointment? Some women find that their period sometimes (or always) affects their mood.

It is also important to speak kindly to ourselves, just as we would soothe a small child we care for. It can be very comforting. You may find it uncomfortable at first, but try it – it might help.

Some people feel more comfortable writing down their feelings in a notebook or on their phone. It may be wise to think in advance about how to protect your privacy.

You can try to say something positive about yourself several times a day. (Sometimes this is called a “mantra.” “I’m on a journey, growing and evolving,” for example.) Studies show that this reduces negative thoughts and feelings.

Some people also find an activity they mention helpful. Talking to others can also help – and that’s our next suggestion.

Want to talk to someone you trust?

Many of us have learned to bottle things up and ignore painful feelings. It can take a lot of courage to tell someone how we’re feeling or what’s bothering us, especially if we don’t normally do it.

It can only help and be a relief.

Using your own words will make you feel more confident and less alone, which will help protect your mental health and prevent problems.

Talking can also help you change your perspective and feelings about the situation in a way that seems helpful to you.

Another potential benefit is that the conversation can strengthen your relationship with your partner. This benefits both of you and makes it easier for your partner to turn to you when they need support.

Are you aware that you use drugs and/or alcohol to cope with difficult emotions?

Many of us sometimes take drugs to suppress “difficult” emotions such as sadness, fear or shame.

Nobody wants to feel bad. For some, it offers temporary relief.

Unfortunately, they do not prevent the feelings from returning and can worsen the situation or cause other problems, including damage to mental and physical health, relationships, work or education.

If you think you are using drugs or alcohol to deal with difficult feelings, it can be helpful to admit this without blaming yourself. Understanding and being kind to yourself is good for your mental health.

A possible next step could be to talk to someone you trust or a charity that offers confidential and free information and advice, including information on how to reduce the harm of drug use. Consider, for example, [link to ].

You can also explore other ways to deal with painful feelings. For example, if possible, seek help to identify the root cause and find someone you trust to talk to. This could be a friend or family member, a colleague, someone who works for a charity, your GP or a therapist.

Many aid organizations across the country offer support. You can find more detailed information about the different help options here.

Some people find it helpful to attend “anonymous” meetings like this to share experiences with others who have/have had similar experiences. Some of these meetings now also take place online.

Do you want to get the most out of your money and get help with problem debt?

Financial problems are inevitable and debt is often beyond our control.

Worrying about paying bills and necessities like food and electricity can be very stressful. Feeling responsible for bringing home money or being the sole breadwinner in the household can lead to feelings of strain and isolation.

Such feelings can make it harder to cope with everything, including the money problems themselves.

There are things we can do to prevent financial problems from affecting our mental health.

We may be ashamed of what we are going through, which makes it harder to tell someone and can make us feel alone. The truth is: We are never alone with money problems. Studies show that money problems are one of the most common and serious sources of stress for many people.

While our finances can’t be changed, sharing our fears with a noncommittal and trusted person can help us feel less alone and overwhelmed. This can help us find new ways forward.

If you have financial problems, such as debt, it may be helpful to speak to an expert at a charity that offers free financial advice. These experts have extensive experience of what can go wrong with your finances and what can help.

It can be very helpful to ask for help before your debt becomes unmanageable. But it is better for everyone to seek help.

By talking to one of these free expert advisors, you can also discover new options, such as the benefits you’re entitled to, your legal rights, ways to reduce your debt payments and other ways to save money.