These 3 Mindful Practices Will Lift Your Mood.
We know that irritable feeling you get after it’s been a few days (or weeks) since you’ve had a good night’s sleep, right? Or if you’ve hit a plateau in your workout routine and find that you lack the stamina to keep going?
It has happened to us as well; in fact, it has happened to everyone. However, recent studies have shown that it may have an impact on your mental health in the long run.
We are in luck since there are a few positive behaviors that have been established via scientific research as being able to improve one’s mood. The findings are as follows, according to the study.
A research that was just published in Frontiers in Psychology looked into the relationship between mental health and lifestyle choices, and they came up with some fascinating conclusions as a result of their investigation.
They polled over 1,100 young individuals in New Zealand and the United States on their sleeping patterns, levels of physical activity, and diets respectively. They also took into account other potential variables that may have had a role in the findings, such as demography, socioeconomic position, health issues, and usage of drugs and alcohol.
The quality of one’s sleep was determined to be the single most important factor in determining one’s mental health, according to their findings. The quantity of sleep, the amount of physical activity, and the number of fruits and vegetables consumed all trailed very closely behind.
Simply said, getting more sleep, exercising your body, and eating produce were all connected with greater mental health and enhanced happiness. If you’ve been having trouble sleeping, finding the time to exercise your body, and eating your vegetables, this may not be the most promising news for you.
Concentrating on these three fundamental behaviors, on the other hand, is a straightforward strategy to enhance your mental health and wellness. Here are some of our suggestions for getting a better night’s sleep, moving around more, and eating more healthfully.
Sleep
According to the findings of this research, those who slept for less than eight hours or for more than 12 hours had a larger probability of experiencing depressive symptoms and a diminished feeling of well-being.
In a nutshell, this demonstrates that the quantity of sleep one gets is not always more important than the quality of sleep one receives. The question now is, what can you do to increase both the length and the quality of your sleep?
Developing a positive pattern for your evening activities is the first step in the process. The following are some straightforward recommendations:
Maintain a regular pattern of sleep by getting into bed and getting out of bed at the same times each day.
At least thirty minutes before going to bed, you should turn off electronic devices.
Avoid drinking anything with caffeine or alcohol in the hours before bed.
Establishing a good habit before bed will help you sleep better.
The practice of writing in a notebook or doing some light preparation for the next day might be part of a wholesome habit to follow before going to bed. You could also find that some gentle stretching just before bed helps you relax and get ready for sleep.
Last but not least, make it a habit to maintain good hygiene before going to bed by doing things like brushing your teeth and washing your hands as well as your face.
Exercise
Endorphins are chemicals that are produced in the body as a response to physical activity. These endorphins are associated with feelings of well-being, both momentarily and over the course of time.
It could seem to be common sense that this would make a positive contribution to one’s mental health and level of happiness; yet, how much did researchers need to observe changes in mental health before they could draw conclusions?
In order to gather data for this research, scientists questioned participants about the proportion of days on which they engaged in some kind of physical activity for thirty minutes or longer.
The responses came in at an average of three times each week. Although a lack of physical exercise did not have as deep of an influence on depressive symptoms and well-being, greater levels of physical activity substantially reduced depression and general well-being.
Moving your body is a great method to improve your mood, so if you are searching for a way to perk yourself up, try it! Getting started may be done in a number of different ways, including the following:
Choose a pastime that you are really interested in partaking in. If running is not something you like doing, you should try something else instead.
Encourage everyone in the family to participate. Participate in a group activity such as a stroll, a hike, or a bike ride.
Set up certain periods of time in your agenda for physical activity.
You may want to try out a virtual training class or an app that tracks your fitness.
Exercise your imagination and don’t limit yourself. Activities such as shoveling snow, cleaning, and playing with children are all great ways to get your body moving.
Fruit and Vegetable Intake
In a manner similar to that which was seen in regard to physical activity, the researchers found that the consumption of fruit and vegetables was a secondary contributor to mental health when compared to the amount of time spent sleeping. Having said that, research has shown that increasing one’s consumption of fruits and vegetables has considerable positive effects on one’s health.
There are a lot of different ways in which the foods you consume may have an effect on your levels of stress, anxiety, sadness, and a lot of other things. The following are some simple methods that can help you increase your consumption:
You may increase your vegetable consumption by including them in items you currently consume, such as spaghetti, omelets, or stews.
Munch on some fruits between meals. You may add a protein boost to them by pairing them with peanut butter, yogurt, or nuts. This will help you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
Choose frozen vegetables. They may be purchased for a fraction of the price, preserved in the freezer indefinitely, and prepared in a short amount of time. In addition, the majority of them call for no preparation, which helps you save valuable time.
Smoothies are beverages made by blending together fruits and vegetables.
Check out our Eat Additional Vegetables Challenge for more ideas on how to improve your diet.
Lastly
Research is always being done in an effort to shed light on aspects that may improve our health, happiness, and overall well-being.
Despite the complexities and uniqueness of each person’s mental health, there are several elements that have been shown to have Researchers at the University of Otago have shown strong connections between one’s mental health and the amount of sleep they receive, the amount of physical exercise they do, and their consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Putting more of your attention on these fundamentally sound health practices is a method that has been validated by scientific research as an approach to improving one’s state of mind as well as one’s general health in a year in which we may most benefit from such changes.
You don’t need to make major changes to your way of life in order to get positive results; here are just a few suggestions that may assist point you in the right path.
