6 Self-Care Tips for Mental Health

Did you know that May is National Mental Health Awareness month? This is the perfect opportunity to make sure that you are taking care of yourself and encouraging others around you to do the same! 

There's no question that life can be stressful, overwhelming, disappointing, and sometimes lonely. All of this takes a big toll on our mental health. When we feel this way, it's hard to know the best way to deal with our emotions. 
 
Your brain is in charge of your emotions, and those emotions are there to put you back on track. One of the brain's most important jobs is to keep us safe by helping us remember those things that make us feel good and those things that make us feel bad. Our emotions are there to put us BACK in balance when something knocks us out of balance. Things happen to us every day that make us feel different ways. Some things are nice and some things are problems that must be solved. How about when something you had planned didn't go the way you were hoping? That can make some people feel bad or even angry. That anger and frustration forces your attention on solving that problem. 
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Nutrients for Mental Health

There are lots of things you can do to better your mental health, and one of them is nutrition. Healthy food promotes good moods and overall well-being. It is scientifically shown that people who are healthy tend to be happier! Everyone needs nutrients to survive and thrive, and there are different types of nutrients for different parts of your body. 

When it comes to mental health, it’s important to think about the health of your brain. So what nutrients are important for brain health? Foods with antioxidants, healthy fats, and protein are essential to keep your brain strong and running smoothly. Watch our Healthy Brain Burrito | Snack Science video to make an amazing snack that will keep your brain healthy and strong! 

Aside from food, our brains also need water! Water is an amazing nutrient for your body because it hydrates your cells. When your cells are hydrated, your body can carry out all the tasks it needs do to keep you healthy and strong. Healthy eating and drinking is the first step to making sure that your brain and body are being taken care of. When your body feels good, your brain can feel good too!

Physical Activity for Mental Health

Moving your body is great for your mental health too! Exercising gets your blood flowing to your brain and can help improve your mood. As you exercise, dopamine and endorphins are released from your brain. Dopamine and endorphins are chemicals that make you feel happy. So, as you exercise and these chemicals are released, you tend to feel happy afterwards!

Also, physical activity makes you breathe heavily, and all that breathing brings in large amounts of oxygen! Oxygen is a very important resource for your brain and you need lots of it to take care of your brain. In fact, your brain can only go a few seconds without it, so getting enough is very important and exercising is an easy way to do that! Look for small ways to add a little physical activity to your day, like taking the stairs or going on a short walk. 

6 Self-Care Tips

​In addition to eating healthy foods and moving your body, here's a few more ways to care for yourself and improve your mental health!

1. Get enough sleep! Sleeping is very important for your body to rest and recover , so getting enough of it can do wonders for your mind and body. We have so many resources on why sleep is important, so be sure to take a peek at some of our Snack Science videos. You can watch Why We Need Sleep | Snack Science to get you started!
2. Express gratitude! This is a pretty easy one but it's something we often forget. Expressing gratitude is a quick and simple way to instantly feel better by remembering all of the wonderful things you have in your life. Simply just make a list of 3 things you're grateful for or even let someone that you are grateful for them. To help your kids express more gratitude, read 5 Ways to Practice Gratitude With Little Ones.
3. Get outside! Exposure to sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which increases your level of serotonin in the brain. Plus, spending time in nature has been proven to reduce stress.  You can even give yourself a double dose of self-care by exercising outside!
4. Limit your screen time! The blue light from screens like your phone, TV, or computer trick your brain into staying awake longer. Limiting your screen time can help you fall asleep faster at night, which is great for your brain. Read our blog post about How to Limit (or Repurpose) Your Child’s Screen Time to learn some more!
5. Stimulate your mind with something you love! Reading books, playing board games or other fun activities keeps your brain active and strong while taking your mind off of what's troubling you. Refer back to our blog post 5 Stay-At-Home Activities To Keep Kids Engaged & Learning to get a head start in brainstorming some ideas for the whole family!
6. Spend time with people you love! Being around people who make you happy like your friends and family is a great way to encourage good mental health. When you spend time with people you care about, a hormone called oxytocin is released in your body, which tells the brain that you are happy!

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