Tips to BOOST your Mental Health – CBT Kenya

Many people wonder: what is mental health? Well, it’s how mentally well you are. You can be super healthy, but if you have poor mental health, such as depression, anxiety, and other issues, it can be quite a stressful thing.

You have probably heard about different ways to take care of your body. Did you know that you can take care of your mind, too? Mental health is the way we think and feel about ourselves and the world around us. Times have been tough since the COVID-19 outbreak, and people had to adapt to various restrictions such as lockdowns and other effects of the pandemic. It is good that things are starting to get to normal, but there is still uncertainty about the future. When we practice good mental health, it is easier to handle stress and other problems.

Tips for good mental health

Take care of your body. Our bodies and our minds are connected. When you take care of your body, you also take care of your mind.

1. Eat regularly, so your body has enough fuel to work well all day. Skipping meals can make you feel tired or irritable.
2. Watch out for too much caffeine. Caffeine is the part of coffee and black tea that gives you energy. It is in other drinks and snacks, too. Caffeine can add to feelings of anxiety. It can also stop you from sleeping well.
3. Watch how much sugar you eat. Eating sugar gives you a quick burst of energy. But when that energy is gone, you feel more tired. It can lower your mood and make you feel irritable.
4. Watch your alcohol use. Alcohol just hides problems for a short time. It makes sadness, stress and other feelings harder to deal with later on.

Get enough sleep. Sleep has a huge effect on mental health. When we get enough sleep, it is easier to cope with stress, handle problems, concentrate, think positively and remember things.

• Avoid exercising too close to your bedtime. Exercise gives you energy. But slow, relaxing activities like yoga can help calm you down before bed.
• Avoid big meals, alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine before bed. Caffeine is the part of coffee or black tea that makes you feel awake.
• Make sure your room is comfortable for sleeping. Many people find that they sleep best when their room is dark, quiet and cool.
• Stick to quiet activities just before bed, like reading.
• Follow a routine. Try to go to bed around the same time every night and wake up around the same time every morning, even on weekends.

Have fun!

Doing things we enjoy is good for our health. It helps us feel refreshed and helps us feel good about ourselves. Then it is easier to cope with stress and other problems. When we feel sad or worried, we often stop doing the little things that make us happy. This makes us feel worse.

Make a list of the things you can do each day that make you happy. Then give yourself time for these activities. Use your problem-solving skills to find ways to add more of these activities in your life. Here is an example. You may put “reading funny books” on your list, but you think that you do not have time to read. After doing some problem solving, you might start bringing your book to work or school to read during your lunch break.

Connect with others

Social networks are a big part of our overall mental health. Our social networks are the people in our lives who support us, celebrate our successes and help us deal with problems.

There are many different ways we can help each other:

• Some people are good at dealing with feelings. This can help us feel comforted.
• Some people are good at helping out, like babysitting or grocery shopping. This can help us manage day-to-day chores.
• Some people are good at sharing a different point of view. This can help us look at problems more realistically.
• Some people are good at sharing information. This can help us find better solutions.

Get help when you need it

To stay healthy, we need to find help when we start to feel unwell. The same is true for mental health. Mental health problems are easier to care for when they are caught quickly. If you are feeling unwell and nothing seems to help, it is important to talk to your doctor or counsellor.

Getting professional help does not mean you are weak or broken. It’s choosing to get better and take care of yourself. CBT-Kenya (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Kenya) counseling center offers counseling and therapy sessions for persons from all walks of life. We focus on helping clients gain insight into themselves by going through a healing process. Our purpose is to help you to achieve your therapeutic and life goals, to improve the quality of your life and to help you to build strong relationships in your life. Get in touch or book an appointment on +254 739 935 333, +254 756 454 585 or info@cbtkenya.org.