We always notice our bodies when we gain some weight.
Then we start making several improvements to our lifestyle concerning the food we eat and the type of exercise that suits us in order to get into shape.
But no one takes action when it comes to our psychological health or our mental health.
Maybe sometimes you do something helpful unconsciously to your brain Like reading, meditating or travelling.
Nourishing your soul is as important as nourishing your body.
Definitely, there’s a big linkage between our physical and psychological health.
As there are solutions that help you to be fit, there are also solutions to enhance brain functions and boost your mood.
Here are some steps to bloom your soul:
1- Physical activity impact
We normally consider physical activity such as workouts or aerobics one of the most important way to lose weight and gain muscles.
But this isn’t the only benefit we can get from physical activities.
“Do you ever wonder why people who train more tend to have a good mood most of the time?”
Thus, there’s a lot of hormones and chemicals that are released when you exercise that help you to feel better and boost your mood.
Here are the five hormones that influence your spirit during workouts:
- Irisin: It’s your hormone buddy while exercising. It fights fats by turning bad white fats into good brown fats, also adjusts stem cells to become bone-building instead of fat storage.
- Estrogen: this hormone is responsible for developing female physical features. (Female’s mood swing devil).
- Testosterone: It’s responsible for the development of men characteristics, but it also presents in the female body and helps your bone and muscles to grow fast.
- Human Growth Hormone: It regulates fat metabolism and bone strength.
- Cortisol: It regulates any changes happens to your body in response to anxiety or stress.
If you want to know more about hormones, you can visit Dr Sara Gottfried, MD ‘s website, author of The Hormone Cure and The Hormone Reset Diet.
So, next time when you decide to hit the gym think of both benefits you can get from this step (your body shape and your psychological health).
As well, may your gym membership will never end after knowing those benefits.
2- Eat clean
Everything that enters your body can affect your brain positively or negatively.
Your brain needs a mix of nutrients to stay healthy and function properly.
I’m not saying you must follow a strict diet with a meal plan.
It’s more simple than that, just give your brain the best and the healthiest food options it needs.
Choose the best option in each group of food:
- Fruit & vegetables
- Whole grain products
- Fish Oil
- Nuts
- Dairy products
And definitely, don’t forget to drink plenty of water (minimum 2 litres daily), also try to avoid some kind foods and beverages like junk foods, soda, cigarettes & caffeine.
Also, there are two papers published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society that eating at the same time every day regularly will keep your sugar level constant and you may lose weight.
Our bodies follow a daily pattern and once you perturb it you’re threatened by gaining weight.
Although eating a well balanced meal will positively affect your psychological health.
3- Meditation
“Yoga” is the first thing that pops up in your mind when you read the word meditation.
But yoga isn’t the only way to meditate, there are many forms of meditation you can do.
There’s no right way to meditate, the main goal is to figure out the way to feel relaxed and calmer in order to find your inner peace.
Practicing day to day meditation can boost your mood and enhance positive emotions while handling daily life upsets.
Thus, try to practice those ways to meditate to find the one that suits you better:
- Metta meditation: Its goal is to grow the sense of love and kindness to reduce anxiety and stress.
- Mindfulness meditation: Its goal is to lift the state of consciousness to be aware of the present moment rather than focusing on the past. This kind of meditation will improve your memory and increase your concentration.
- Kundalini yoga: It’s a mix between physical movement and deep breathing that decrease depression and increase energy.
All this sort of meditation you can do it at home without guidance, try to practice it every day from 10-12 minutes.
As a result, you must feel the difference while dealing with stress and anger. And the way you think with a clear mind.
4- Brave the outdoors
After a long working week, finally, It’s the weekend so you decided to get some rest by staying at home or watch Netflix.
Absolutely, our bodies need to get some rest to recharge, but also your brain needs fresh air to refresh.
Facing Mother Nature it’s not only for fun but there are so many advantages for the brain, body and soul.
Spending 20-30 minutes in the open air will boost your energy and enhance your brain’s functions which will directly improve your psychological health.
After a while, you may replace your daily dose of caffeine by breathing some purified air.
Further, you can shift your workout exercise to be outside in front of grass and plants, you will feel calmer and more relaxed, also it’s a great motivation to exercise more than you used to.
If you’re a designer, a writer or an artist you need to be creative constantly.
Here’s a tip, try to take yourself out on a date with your notebook or laptop. Your productivity and creativity will be on fire.
Did you hear before about the Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it’s a sort of depression that hit you probably in autumn and winter.
Until now, there is no clear evidence about its causes, but it’s likely the lack of light or VitaminD.
While exposing to sunlight will reduce the SAD severity.
As well, if you get bored easily by walking alone, you can get some company outside with friends that encourage you or even you can take your pet for a nice walk in the garden.
However, being outdoor does affect your mood and refresh your brain.
So keep your self outside most of the time to maintain your mental health.
5- Travel
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page”, said by Saint Augustine.
Most of us want to travel around the world and visit so many countries.
But unfortunately, we don’t usually put travelling a priority plan in our lives due to the lack of time or money. And that’s not a good excuse.
Travelling is like an investment in yourself and in your soul. It’s a cure for depression and anxiety.
Travelling is a way to disconnect from our daily life routine, our stress and tasks that probably will never end.
But travelling makes you see your life in a different way more peacefully. It even makes you deal with your problem differently.
In addition, It exposes you to new people with different cultures and backgrounds and that improves your brain function by picking up new words in a different language.
And if you’re a quiet person, this part is especially for you. Voyage turn you out to be more social.
Gives you a lot to say about your stories abroad, people would love to listen to you, this is a good way to shine in a social gathering.
Furthermore, this is a chance to make new friends, expand your social network and establishing more connections abroad.
So next time, when you’re thinking that travelling isn’t important and saving money is the right way.
Don’t think twice and remember that you need to prioritize your psychological health above your savings, It worth it.
To sum up
Mental health is a state of inner peace and emotional stability, and having positive mental health allows you to cope with stress and daily work effectively.
Also, enhance your creativity and productivity. Your psychological health needs your attention even more than your body shape.
You need to give your brain a chance to glow and you’ll see changes in your attitude and accomplishments in life.
Those steps are neither hard nor costly. It’s all depends on your decision in life.
Additionally, digging more in your psychological health leads you to a relaxed life path with more satisfaction.
Maybe you are already doing some of those steps without awareness because it makes you feel better after doing it, but after listing those benefits, I hope you can do it on purpose and make it a habit.
