#1 Be Mindful: Supporting mental health can be done through the practice of mindfulness. You can bring mindfulness into just about every aspect of your life. From your food choices to how you exercise, and even how you respond to certain stressful situations. Try to bring more mindfulness into your life by thinking about how the foods you are eating impact your health. Does sugar and caffeine make you feel more on edge and jittery? Will selecting more whole foods free from additives help you feel healthier both physically and mentally? You can also be mindful of the people in your life, how do the ones you surround yourself with make you feel? Are you surrounding yourself with enough positivity? Stop and think about different areas of your life that you can be more mindful and intentional with how to better support your health physically and mentally. 

#2 Take Time to Breathe: Each day, make it a habit to just breathe. Often times, life gets busy and we walk around so tense that we totally forget to breathe properly! This can happen during times of excess stress, and you may even find yourself holding your breath and tensing your body. This is counterproductive and can actually make you feel worse. Try to get into the habit of taking a few minutes to take some cleansing breaths each day. Maybe it’s on your commute to work or when you sit down at your desk at the office. You can also stop and breathe when you feel yourself getting stressed about something, it will make all the difference in the world. 

#3 Supplement Appropriately: Practicing self-care and supporting your mental health means making your health a priority, and sometimes this requires supplementing when appropriate. Adaptogenic herbs are a great option for anyone who feels fatigued, stressed, burnt out, or may need a bit of an adrenal health boost. We use therapeutic doses in our adaptogenic herb blends Yinergy and Vigor, so that you can actually feel the difference and ultimately feel your best. 

#4 Practice Daily Self-Care: Self-care should never be optional, so practice some form of self-care daily. Keep in mind that this may look different for each person. While getting an hour yoga practice in or spending a half hour reading with your favorite essential oils diffusing may be what helps you relax and wind down, someone else may be just as happy getting 15-minutes to themselves sipping their coffee or brewing a mug of Holy Basil tea and listening to a podcast in the morning. Do whatever makes you feel your best and allows you to recharge your battery to be able to continue to take care of everything else you need to on a day to day basis. And, remember that self-care is not selfish, it’s essential and will even help you show up as a better version of you for others around you. 

#5 Move Your Body: Exercise is so important for overall health, but don’t think you have to spend hours in the gym to make it count. Even just a brisk walk or a 20-minute yoga practice is enough to move the body and benefit your health. Try getting some form of movement in daily. You will feel so much better both physically and mentally, and that endorphin rush is sure to put you in a much better mood for the rest of the day. 

The Bottom Line 

Don’t neglect your mental health. Take the steps needed to make yourself a priority every single day, and don’t feel guilty about putting yourself first. The better you show up for yourself, the better you can show up for others. 

So, try implementing these five tips to see what they can do for your life. You may just find that one small tweak in your day to day routine is enough to help you feel your best.