Mental health is a sensitive matter for many people. Unfortunately, it’s not talked about openly. However, you can’t ignore that mental health issues and disorders affect a large percentage of the population.
It is time to start talking about it openly and honestly, as mental health is the key to one’s overall stability and good overall quality of life. Here are six things that affect your mental health that you should be aware of:
1. The Full Moon
This may sound crazy, but research shows that the full moon affects your mental health. The most common symptoms are increased sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. As mentioned at https://www.altaloma.com/how-can-a-full-moon-affect-your-mental-health/, the moon’s gravitational pull affects the water in our bodies, which can lead to changes in mood and behavior. For this reason, people with bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions are more vulnerable to these changes.
Therefore, you may want to watch out for an increase in aggression or violent behavior during this time. You can help stay safe by avoiding alcohol consumption while taking care of yourself physically (eating well and getting enough sleep). This will reduce your risk of having an episode when stressed out due to work or school.
2. Stress
In an age where almost everyone is working day and night to make ends meet, succumbing to stress is almost unavoidable.
Daily stress can affect your mental health badly. If not managed well, it can lead to anxiety and depression. For this reason, it is crucial to keep your stress levels under control.
The first step you can take in this direction is being mindful of the daily stressors that knock on your door so that you can work out ways to deal with them better.
3. What you Eat
You might be asking how food and mental health relate to one another. Studies have shown that what you eat can significantly affect your mood and emotions. Foods like sugar or foods with lots of carbohydrates will make you feel energized for a short period before they cause fatigue later on in the day. On the other hand, protein-rich foods are more likely to give you sustained energy throughout the day without causing spikes in blood sugar levels (which would eventually result in crashes). Eating balanced meals with lean proteins, complex carbs, fruits/veggies is very important!
When you’re not getting the nutrients your body needs, it can take a toll on your mental health. Make sure to eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water every day!
4. Relationships
The feeling of being loved, cared for, and wanted is something that everyone needs to feel mentally healthy. Having a positive relationship with someone can make you feel good about yourself and help boost your self-esteem. However, if you are in a hostile or abusive relationship, it can harm your mental health.
Studies have shown that people in abusive relationships are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you are in an unhealthy or abusive relationship, it is crucial to get help from a therapist or counselor. They will help you get out of the relationship and start healing.
If you aren’t in a relationship but want one, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of finding love. First, make sure that you like and accept yourself for who you are. No one is perfect, and you need to be OK with that. Second, try to put yourself in social situations to meet new people. Third, don’t be afraid to ask people out on dates. And finally, don’t get too attached to the idea of having a relationship; it’s essential to keep your expectations realistic.
5. Social Media
The last few decades have seen growth in the internet world. Social media is one aspect of this. It has opened a way for people to communicate on a large scale, very quickly and easily. While social media can have some benefits, such as staying connected with friends and family, it also has many drawbacks. One of these is that it can affect mental health in negative ways.
People who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than those who use it less often. This may be because when people see others’ posts about their perfect lives, they can feel worse about themselves. Additionally, the blue light from your laptop screen or smartphone can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to mood problems.
So if you’re noticing that you’re feeling down more often when you’re on social media, try taking a break from it. Or, if that’s not possible, try using apps like f.lux that reduce the amount of blue light your screen gives off.
6. Your Sleeping Habits
How long do you sleep every night? Do you get enough sleep, or do you spend your nights tossing and turning, waking up every few hours with no end in sight? These are all highly important questions you should ask yourself.
Your sleeping habits are important to your mental health. Sleep is vital for your body because it provides you time to recover from the physical toll you take during the day. It also helps you have good memory recall, focus better when completing tasks at work/school, deal with daily stressors more effectively, among many other benefits. Being deprived of this crucial need can lead to low energy levels both physically and mentally throughout the day, which can result in fatigue-related issues such as depression, among others.
On average, an adult should be getting anywhere between seven to nine hours of sleep per night, depending on their body’s needs. It’s important to note that the hours you get may not necessarily be good enough for your mental health if it leads to excessive daytime sleepiness, irritability, and other mood-related issues. If this is the case, then there are some things you can do about it without resorting to medication or involving any drastic measures such as getting a medical procedure done on yourself, which might have unwanted side effects in long-term use.
Mental health is a complex and important topic that should be discussed more openly. As explained in this article, many things can affect it, some of which you may not even be aware of. By being more mindful of these factors, you can take steps to protect and improve your mental health. Contrary to what some might say, there are numerous ways you can take to feel better and lead a much healthier life.
