A Guide to Improving Your Mental Wellness

A Guide to Improving Your Mental Wellness

Mental wellness has become an increasingly important area of focus for many. There are over 560 million Americans (Opens in a new tab or window) experiencing some sort of mental illness. Mental and physical wellness are significant components of your overall well-being and should be taken seriously. To improve your mental health and wellness, lifestyle factors such as nutrition, movement, and sleep serve as building blocks. Here is a review of each.

1. Nutrition

Incorporating nutritious foods into your lifestyle while managing a busy schedule can be an overwhelming task, when battling with mental health. Healthy food accessibility can create challenges, too. Consider these tips to optimize nutrition while minimizing stress:

If affordability of food is a barrier for you, one helpful resource is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Opens in a new tab or window) which can be used when shopping online or on the Kroger app. Other resources include the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and meeting with one of our registered dietitians to discuss healthy eating on a budget.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to meal planning. Use a strategy that best fits your lifestyle. Meal planning could be one meal or multiple days, or simply prepping ingredients to have on hand to create a balanced meal later in the week. Meal delivery services like Home Chef or Tempo (Opens in a new tab or window) can also be helpful to reduce the stress of planning.

Evaluate your relationship with food. How you view food can play a large role in contributing to or reducing stress. Choose to eat foods that help you feel your best without thinking about which foods ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ be eaten. This type of thinking can lead to increased stress and guilt. Having a positive relationship and mindset with food means understanding that all foods fit into a healthful lifestyle. Food should make you feel nourished physically, not stressful! Consider working one-on-one with a registered dietitian to take a closer look at how your relationship with food may be impacting you.

2. Movement

Physical activity (Opens in a new tab or window) also plays a role in mental wellness. Not only can exercise boost chemical messengers in your brain that regulate your mood, but it can also improve your energy levels, self-esteem, memory, sleep and relieve muscle tension. For adults ages 18-64, the CDC recommends (Opens in a new tab or window) at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. Whether it is lifting weights in the gym or taking your dog for a walk, the best kind of movement is the kind that you find enjoyable. Movement can be unconventional, like dancing, gardening or even rock climbing. It’s also important to avoid overexercising, as this could have a negative impact on your health - always balance activity with rest to prevent injury and allow time for recovery.

3. Sleep

Another key lifestyle component of mental health is sleep. While mental health conditions may impact the quality of your sleep, research indicates that sleep can also impact your mental and emotional health. The CDC currently recommends (Opens in a new tab or window) adults ages 18-60, aim to get 7+ hours of sleep per night. If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep, help improve your sleep hygiene by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, avoiding blue light from electronics for at least 30 minutes before bed, and limiting afternoon and evening caffeine. It may take some trial and error but discovering which sleep strategies work best for you is worth the effort.

While making changes to lifestyle factors may improve your mental health, sometimes you need more support. Working with a mental health care professional can provide you with additional strategies to improve your mental wellness. Additional resources, including hotlines, can be found on the following websites: National Alliance on Mental Illness (Opens in a new tab or window) and the National Eating Disorders Association (Opens in a new tab or window).

_{Disclaimer: This information is educational only and not providing healthcare recommendations. Please see a healthcare provider.}