5 practical ways to help improve your mental health

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place this year from the 10th-16th May and is a time to recognise the impact that our mental health has on our lives, careers, relationships, health and happiness. Here, five experts reveal their practical tips for regaining control and getting your mental wellbeing back on track.

Declutter your home

We’ve all been guilty of keeping things longer than we should, the books that we loved but will probably never read again, the music that reminds us of our youth, or the clothes that we hope to one day fit back into again. Research has even shown that people who are inclined to hoard have a different pattern of brain activity when it comes to making decisions on what to keep and what to throw away.

But it’s been proven that having less stuff really can make you happier. The Simplicity Institute conducted a survey of 2,500 people across various countries who said that they lived with fewer possessions and 87% said that they were happier after reducing the amount of things they owned.

‘Having more space in our homes to enjoy the things we keep and spend time with our nearest and dearest is important for our health and mental wellbeing, but this doesn’t mean you have to throw away things that have sentimental value or may genuinely be useful to you in the future. Putting non-essential items into storage can be a cost effective way of keeping items that you love, but don’t need right now, whilst providing you with the opportunity to reimagine your clutter-free space at home,’ explains Emily Snape, Customer Director at Lovespace, an innovative storage company that not only provides ‘by the box’ storage but also offers convenient collection and delivery.

Find a new hobby

It can be easy to get stuck in a rut; doing the same things day in, day out can leave you feeling bored and unchallenged. It can even lead to depression. That’s why focusing on a new hobby could be just the thing to lift your mood. Dr Lucy Davey, a coach for professional mothers, has recently started investing in cryptocurrency as her new hobby, and has even undertaken crypto tuition from InCryptoUK.

‘I know a few people who have invested in cryptocurrency and I was intrigued, but never thought it was something I could do,’ explains Dr Lucy. ‘Since completing my tuition in crypto investing, I’ve become more confident and have already made gains. It’s really empowering to learn a completely new skill and go on to succeed in it, and it’s reignited my desire to seek out new experiences. As mothers, we can so often lose our identity as a result of putting our families first. My new hobby has shown me that anything is possible if I set my mind to it,’ she says.

Meditate in a moment

Despite being an incredibly effective method for calming the mind and promoting wellbeing, many people assume that meditation takes a lot of time. Others think of meditation as an endurance test–the longer you can sit still, at peace, the more spiritual you are. Many people believe that the amount of time you spend in meditation has to “add up” before you “get it. The unfortunate consequence of all this is that many people try to meditate and give up, or just don’t try at all.

Martin Boroson, an executive coach, Zen priest and director of The One Moment Company teaches that it really is possible to make a meaningful change in your state of mind quickly– in a minute or less.

‘The belief that meditation takes a long time in order to be effective can become an excuse just like these–it lets us off the hook of being a bit more peaceful right now,’ explains Martin. ‘For the moment in which we most need to be peaceful is the very moment in which it is not so easy to be peaceful. And the most important time to meditate is the very moment when we think, “I don’t have time to meditate.”’

‘My point is that you don’t really have to go on a meditation retreat, or quit your job, or find ‘twenty minutes, twice a day” in order to experience peace,’ he continues. ‘Deep peace is always available. It is offering itself to you now, now, and now again. And if you missed it then, don’t worry. It is still here now.’ You can learn how to meditate in a moment here.

Journaling

If you’ve never tried it before, journaling should certainly be at the top of your to-do list. ‘Journaling helps you improve your mental health and wellbeing by learning to tune into your emotions, thoughts, feelings and reactions to things,’ explains Elisa Nardi, founder of Notebook Mentor.

‘It helps you develop and improve through learning, understanding how you like to learn, what comes naturally and what is more difficult. It’s also a fantastic way of getting to know yourself better. By writing down answers to meaningful questions about who you are, you create a safe space in which to explore your ideas,’

At the start of a journaling process (try the ‘Getting to know me better’ Notebook Mentor journal), you might believe that you don’t know yourself very well – that you can’t answer questions about who you are or what you want from life. But as Elisa explains, that’s OK.

‘Journaling will help you to find the appropriate language that supports your development and self-awareness. And if you can learn to understand yourself better, then you can also learn to understand others. Doing so will give you a good platform on which to build strong and stable relationships throughout your life,’ she says.

Eat Well

Master Celebrity Chef Steven Saunders  has cooked regularly for the Royals, featured as a regular on BBC TV´s Ready Steady Cook and is due to open his new restaurant, The Geranium, at Cambridge Country Club in the summer. He frequently advises well-known celebrities on what to eat for wellness and mental fitness. He recommends eating more of these super foods to improve help improve your mental and physical wellbeing:

1. Spinach, Bok Choy, Broccoli, kale & cavelo nero. A small amount of these veggies contains more than half your day’s vitamin C vitamin A and good levels of Magnesium assisting your immune system and well being. Magnesium oxide is also found in pumpkin seeds, almonds and quinoa for example and is especially good for headaches.
2. Fresh Salmon is packed with omega-3 and vitamin B12 in addition to selenium. All linked to neurological health
3. Liver & red meat contain high levels of Vitamin D. Research has shown that vitamin D might play an important role in regulating mood and warding off depression. In one study, scientists found that people with depression who received vitamin D supplements noticed an improvement in their symptoms.
4. Mushrooms are my special superfoodThey’re fat-free, low-sodium, low-calorie, and cholesterol-free. …they contain vit B C and D and an antioxidant called selenium which strengthens the immune system
5. Garlic contains vitamins C and B6, selenium and other antioxidants Recent research suggests garlic may be effective against high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol and some cancers.
6. Citrus fruits & berries are superfoods especially limes & lemons…they have large amounts of Vitamin C, nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and very few calories, good for health and wellness.

Feeling frazzled? Chef Steven says…’Use Lemon balm and pumpkin seeds in salads and soups, drink chamomile and green tea which contain L. Theanine for a real calming effect and for de-stressing after a hard day.’