How to Improve Mental Well-Being & Health?

Amir Khan
Thrive Global
Published in
4 min readMar 5, 2018

Health and well-being are the most important things for any of us. There’s no reason a person should neglect these things. When we think about health and wellness, what usually comes to mind? Psychical activities and things that generally make you happy.

We often think that mind and body are separate from one another. However, that is not true as in many ways; the body can have a powerful effect on your mental well-being.

What is mental well-being? It means feeling good — both about yourself and about the world around you. It means being able to get on with life in the way you want. Studies show that there is a link between being physically active and good mental well-being.

The definition of active doesn’t literally mean you spend hours in the gym on training. If that’s your thing, great. If it doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry about it. You can find physical activities which would be way better than sitting at home all day procrastinating and shopping online through coupon codes. You would enjoy and think about how to fit more of them into your daily life.

Here are some ways you can benefit your health & well-being altogether:

Feel the Rush:

We may not realize what caused it, but most of us have felt a certain rush at times. May it be an adrenaline charged hike or a swim, there definitely comes a moment when the pain or discomfort goes away and the body & mind is filled with a feeling well-described as euphoria.

We have endorphins to thank for these little moments of bliss. Endorphin are chemicals produced in the brain, which bind to neuro-receptors to give relief from pain.

According to studies, the actual role of endorphin is still under research. They’re generally believed to relieve pain, reduce stress, and enhance the immune system.

Exercise stimulates the release of endorphin, sending these depression-fighting, contentment-building chemicals throughout the body. So next time you’re training with your waist trainer, don’t be surprised when you feel good after an intense workout session. You just stimulated your endorphin release.

You don’t have to exercise strenuously to release endorphin, meditation, massage therapy, even eating spicy food or breathing deeply — these all can cause your body to produce endorphin naturally.

So enjoy some light exercise and feel the endorphin rush!

Watch What You Eat:

Food is one of the fundamental elements that affect our health and well-being. Making the right nutritional choices can change the whole course of things going around you as it impacts the mental health as well the physical being.

Studies show that poor diet has played a role in the significant increase in mental health problems over the course of time.

Eating less fresh produce and consuming more saturated fats and sugars can prevent the brain from functioning properly. Which is why, it is essential to look at what you put on your plate before it becomes the raw material for the brain to manufacture hormones and neurotransmitters — chemical substances that control sleep, mood, and behavior. If you shortchange the brain, you also shortchange your intellectual and emotional potential.

Food also supplies the essential vitamins your body cannot create itself. Vitamin deficiencies sometimes manifest themselves as depression and can cause mood swings, anxiety, and agitation, as well as an army of other physical problems.

Health professionals frequently insist that good eating habits are vital for people wanting to improve their mental well-being. So it is important to consume fresh fruits and vegetables, foods with plenty of vitamins and proteins to keep a healthy diet.

Manage Stress:

Getting stressed is normal in everyday life. However, it is important to recognize the source of your stress. What events are causing it? The death of a loved one, breakup, moving out, your job or starting a new project? All of these can be quite stressful events to deal with.

Nevertheless, much of our stress comes from within us. How we perceive and interpret things around us. Negative self-talk, where we focus on self-criticism and pessimistic over-analysis, or any other minor thing can be a cause of stress in daily routine.

Understanding the origin of stress can help you decide what course of action to take? External stress factors like a career change can be managed with time but internal stress is caused by your own over thinking and negative interpretations. They can be pretty hard to manage and require a change of attitude towards your life.

To manage stress you need to relax and think rationally and acting on ‘Relaxation Response’. This is the physiological and psychological calming process your body goes through when you perceive that the danger, or stressful event, has passed. The relaxation response can be triggered by a few techniques such as; learning relaxation techniques and practice meditation or breathing awareness, setting realistic goals and learning to say no is essential for some people, Exercise, maintaining a healthy routine, and talking about it. Sharing your troubles with a friend may help you to put things in perspective and to feel that you’re not alone. You may also learn some other ways to manage stress effectively and improve your well-being.

Get Adequate Sleep:

Sleep is probably the first thing to go when a person is stressed or showing sign of bad health. Many view sleep as a luxury and think that the benefits of limiting the hours they spend asleep outweigh the costs. Hence, overlooking the potential long-term health consequences of inadequate sleep. Insufficient sleep has been linked to serious health problems and is considered an important risk factor. Although scientists have identified the link between

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