Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
Mental health is a comprehensive assessment of a person’s mental, social, and emotional health. Our spiritual well-being is especially important to God. That is why the Bible encourages us to cast all our worries on Him because He cares about us. Ignoring our mental health or refusing to see it as important as our physical health can be detrimental in the end. When the brain becomes ill and the mental state becomes unstable, it can lead to poor physical health. Spiritual well-being is especially important to God, which is why the Bible encourages us to cast all our worries on Him because He cares about us. Ignoring our mental health or refusing to see it as important as our physical health can be detrimental in the end. Once the brain is sick and the mental state becomes unstable, it may cause poor physical condition (burnout syndrome, nervous breakdown, etc.), so the good physical condition may remain superficial.
God needs us in our right minds to carry out His purpose; just as He needs the body in good health, our mental health will give us a better chance of connecting with Him.
8 Ways to Improve and Maintain Mental Wellness:
- Exercise –Regular exercise reduces stress, improves memory, and helps rid the body of toxins that clog the system, thus reducing episodes of depression and anxiety.
- Sleep – Ample sleep will allow the brain to rest and recover from the day’s activities and heal or repair itself. Poor sleep habits can make a person feel unwell, grumpy, and unfocused. Start by establishing a regular bedtime routine to signal the brain to sleep, ensure the sleep room is dark, quiet, and comfortable to increase sleep time, and avoid using screens before bed such as smartphones and tablets because the light can have a negative impact on sleep.
- Box Breathing – This relaxation technique consists of exhaling and inhaling while counting to four and mentally imagining a box. This technique distracts the mind from counting and regularizes breathing patterns.
- Journal – Simply writing down your thoughts and feelings will aid your understanding and improve clarity. Start writing down whatever comes to mind within the first four minutes, ignoring grammar, spelling, and just allowing your thoughts to flow freely. When you are finished, avoid judging your thoughts and attaching negative emotions to them. Next, pray about what you wrote and ask God for clarity, peace, or release from the matter.
- Talk to your friends – Having a support system entails frequently talking and sharing with someone we trust and who loves us; this practice can help you gain confidence or insight into issues that bother you.
- Help someone else – Volunteerism is a good source of dopamine release, which makes the body feel good. By spending time serving others, we can offer ourselves a positive feeling, which can help reduce stress. It also offers us a sense of purpose or appreciation. Bringing positivity to other people’s lives can give us positivity.
- Speak with a counselor – A licensed professional is trained to treat the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral parts of mental health. Trauma does affect our mental state; therefore, speaking with a counselor can assist with unpacking areas of our experiences that are suppressed and have the potential to resurface through triggers. In many cases, these trigger points are unknown to us. We seek help when we are physically sick, but it is also important to seek help when we are in a poor mental state.
- Disconnect devices – unplugging, signing, or deleting frequently used apps linked to social media can allow you time to relax while also silencing device notifications. A digital detox can allow you to welcome human interaction and minimize distractions while interacting with family or friends.
