Improving Your Mental Health By Improving Environmental Factors

Mental Health America reports that there are over 44 million adult Americans suffering with mental health issues based on 2015 records. This staggering number provides some insight into how pervasive the problem is and why you should make a concerted effort to prevent and manage environmental factors that can cause or worsen mental illness problems. The good news to be found here is that you can take a few positive steps to improve these environmental factors to positively impact your mental health.

Take Proactive Steps to Manage Workplace Stress

The ADAA reports that a majority of Americans experience significant workplace stress that negatively impacts their performance at work and their quality of life overall. Additionally, the ADAA reports that 70 percent of adults stressed out at work say that they bring home that stress and that it negatively affects the relationship they have with their spouse.

Considering the significant impact that work stress has on a person's entire life, it is important to manage the stress by either changing jobs in the worst cases or by utilizing coping mechanisms to lessen the negative fallout. The main causes blamed for stress in the workplace are relationships, unanticipated problems that must be managed or solved, deadlines, and staff management.

Healthy ways to manage this type of stress are to sleep more, eat healthy foods and to get enough exercise. While it is tempting for too many people under stress to turn to substance abuse, these types of habits will only make matters worse. Having a trusted friend to talk to is always a good way to relieve some stress.

Spend More Time in Nature

Stanford News reports that a study conducted at Stanford University found evidence that indicates a strong correlation between being in nature and a decreased probability of suffering from depression. Study results showed positive changes in the brain for people who took a walk in a natural, rural grassland area for 90 minutes. Conversely, study participants who walked for 90 minutes in urban areas next to a highway with traffic did not experience the same positive changes in the brain as their counterparts.

There is little doubt that spending more time in nature bolsters mental health. Even a walk in the closest city park can make a big difference, resulting in lower stress levels. The key is to immerse yourself in nature on a regular basis. Go to the lake. Take a hike. Go camping. Whenever feasible, do what you can to experience nature and escape the noise and chaos of the city.

Make Sleep a Priority

The Conversation promotes quality sleep as one of the best ways to cope with stress and improve mental health. It sounds simple enough, but getting a good night's sleep isn't easy for everyone. Getting enough sleep is not the only goal. Quality sleep is also important.

There are certain steps a person can take to improve sleep patterns. Limiting caffeine is always a good idea, especially later in the day. People who are particularly sensitive to caffeine should give it up altogether. Coffee, soft drinks, energy drinks, tea, and chocolate are the biggest offenders.

Another recommendation for people who are struggling with insomnia is to reduce their exposure to light, specifically the blue light from laptops and cell phones a couple of hours before bedtime. This downtime gives your brain a chance to relax and to prepare to doze off.

Finally, staying on a regular sleep schedule has been shown to make it easier to fall asleep. Our body enjoys certain rhythms that we should respect. Physically, people respond well to schedules. It is important to take special care not to alter your sleep schedule much over the weekend when it can be tempting to sleep in and throw caution to the wind.

Keep Your Home Clean, Peaceful, and Organized

Home represents a private sanctuary where you can refuel and relax in a peaceful environment of your own making. If you make the effort to create and maintain an organized, clean, and restful home, you are more likely to enjoy better mental health. Aesthetically pleasing environments featuring the things you enjoy visually will bolster your mood and overall mental health. Details matter. If you want red oak hardwood flooring and a robust fireplace in your den because it makes you feel peaceful, then you should make an effort to have those luxuries.

Huff Post reports that clutter is believed to increase stress levels as proven in a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Specifically, the study found that people who reside in cluttered homes have higher levels of cortisol in their system. The movement to declutter is well documented as society starts to recognize the downside of being too disorganized and surrounded by junk. When cortisol does not decline as it should, this condition is linked with chronic stress and disease, ultimately elevating your mortality risk.

Opening up your home to more natural or artificial light is also a highly recommended life hack to boost your sense of wellbeing. This explains why people who live in areas where there are long periods of gray and rainy days often struggle with depression. Don't be afraid to open up those window treatments to let the light shine in for a better quality of life.

Eliminate or Manage Bad Habits

An occasional glass of wine or piece of birthday cake is not going to harm your mental health. Everybody deserves a chance to splurge on occasion. When people use overeating or alcohol abuse as a regular escape, then it will impact your overall health. As tempting as it can be to try to self-medicate with food, drugs, and alcohol, these bad habits will eventually make your life worse.

It is common for people to turn to heavy drinking, smoking, and narcotics to ease their mental pain. You have to give yourself limits and avoid bad habits altogether in most cases. A strategy that can be used in your life to avoid self-destructive behaviors is to replace bad habits with good ones that can also help improve your mood. Instead of taking that second drink, go for a walk or pick up a good book. You can also meditate or get a massage as two other relaxing ways to take care of yourself.

Stay Active

Help Guide claims that regular physical activity has a major positive impact on both mental and physical health by relieving stress and improving sleep. One explanation for this improved mood is the endorphins that are released when you exercise. These feel-good chemicals are mood boosters that also improve your memory.

You don't have to run a marathon or bench-press 200 pounds at the gym to reap these benefits. Walking and swimming are also excellent low-impact exercises that are sure to inflate your feelings of optimism. Modest exercise is all that is required to boost energy levels and gain a more hopeful outlook.

Get Help When You Need It

While there is no substitute for becoming proactively engaged in promoting your own good mental health, there are times we all need help from professionals or medication. Many people find that they need a combination of professional treatment and lifestyle changes to get the positive results they want.

While the stigma of mental health keeps many people from seeking the help they need, society at large has become much more understanding about the prevalence of mental health challenges. This shift in attitude should make it easier to reach out for assistance instead of suffering all alone. Remember, certain psychological conditions are biological and require medicine and therapy to heal and thrive.

Spend Time with Supportive People

We all need face time with people who care about us and listen to what we have to say. Surrounding yourself with positive people on a regular basis is excellent for your mental health. Intuitively, humans crave companionship. Whether you consider yourself to be an introvert or an extrovert, positive social interaction is necessary for good mental health. While phone calls are nice, there is no good substitute for sharing some time together face-to-face.

The key to making the connection meaningful is to find a good listener who won't make you feel judged. Getting worries off your chest is freeing. Avoid those people who are likely to interrupt you constantly or give unsolicited advice.

Conclusion

Your mental health is, to a large extent, something you can either contribute to or harm via your habits, surroundings, and daily routine. While there is no denying the fact that some people suffer from biological problems that make it necessary to take prescription drugs, most people are in a position to make a few simple environmental and lifestyle changes to solve or greatly improve their sense of wellbeing.