When we think about our health, our physical wellbeing is probably the first thing that comes to mind. But another big component to our health is our emotional health. And when it comes to our emotional health, it can be a little tricky to determine when we’re not taking the best care of ourselves.
Some of the symptoms of emotional distress may be subtle, and not particularly easy to recognize, especially while you’re experiencing them. Keeping track of your emotional wellbeing requires tuning in to how you’re feeling and responding to situations, and how you’re acting.
In order to build better mental health, here are five ways to stay emotionally healthy.
1. Pay attention to your mood, emotions, and reactions
The first way to stay emotionally healthy requires you tuning in to how your emotions are at this moment in time. In order to do that, you can start focusing on your mood, emotions, and reactions.
If you notice you’re often in a bad mood, but can’t pin down exactly why, that may be a red flag. The same can be said for your emotions and reactions. If you notice your emotions feel overwhelming, and your reactions to situations are intense and not what you intend, that may be a sign you need to nurture your emotional health.
2. Pick up a hobby or activity you enjoy
It’s important to do something in your day that you derive joy from, and that isn’t related to work. It’s also a good idea to pick something where your enjoyment is not hindering on the outcome of the project.
For example, if you start painting, don’t be so self critical of the final product. Taking time out of your day to do an activity purely for enjoyment can help you disconnect from your work, unwind from your day, and have some fun.
3. Support your physical health
If your body is in distress, your emotional health can feel the burden. It’s important to take care of your physical body for its own sake, but also to help keep your emotional wellbeing in excellent shape. In order to best support your physical health, make sure your diet is well-rounded and nutritious, and make up for any gaps in your diet with vitamins and supplements.
If you're looking to include some supplements in your routine, you can check out Folate & Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D 3 by Life Extension. Folate & Vitamin B12 together provide unique and essential health benefits, such as preventing memory loss and boosting immunity.
Vitamin D 3 is only synthesized by humans when we’re exposed to sunlight, and in the winter, we may not produce enough of it. Vitamin D 3 helps promote healthy bone density, and has profound effects on the human immune system
4. Learn how to manage your stress
Everyone experiences stress. The trick to surviving stress is learning how to manage it.
Certain stress-reduction techniques can greatly help you on your journey to maintaining emotional health. Yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques are all shown to help reduce and modulate stress.
5. Make sure you get enough sleep
Sleep is one of those things that’s crucial for your physical and emotional health. Sleep helps your brain recharge, and helps your energy and immune system, among other things.
But as far as emotional health is concerned, sleep can also impact your mood, irritability, and how you respond to situations.
6. Stay moving
Exercise is another thing that impacts both your physical and emotional health. We know that exercise can help you keep off excess weight, and keep your muscles and body strong and healthy.
But when it comes to emotions, exercise and movement play big roles in stress reduction, and can help give you a mood boost.
