Staying Mentally and Physically Strong

In order to live a healthy life, many focus on staying physically fit, which is a good idea. However, it is also necessary to stay in peak mental condition to be fully healthy. It is already widely known that good mental health leads to good physical health and vice versa. Therefore, I cannot stress the importance of this blog, in which I discuss ways to remain mentally and physically strong.

The first piece of advice that I have is to try to establish a regular sleep schedule that allows for at least 6-7 hours of sleep a night (for adults) and to adhere to that sleep schedule. Sleep is one of the major preventers of anxiety, which if not managed properly, can lead to panic attacks and even depression. Not only is getting a good night’s sleep important for good mental health, but it is also essential for fitness and physical health. This is because enough sleep can help you keep a good immune system and metabolism.

Also, I’m not a nutritionist, but I’m here to tell you that having a healthy diet will go a long way in staying mentally and physically strong. That means having a balance of carbohydrates, vegetables, protein, while limiting fat and junk food. Avoid excessive binge eating or excessive calorie intake as well. Also try to limit fast food meals. This is because having a balanced and healthy diet will help with mood fluctuations, anxiety and depression, and will make you happier on average, according to scientific studies. Also, it is known that a good diet can help lower the likelihood of stroke, dementia, obesity, and heart disease.

Another way to stay mentally and physically strong is to eliminate all negative thoughts and to think positively instead. Studies have shown that negative thoughts accumulate into stress, and can then lead to anxiety. Train your mind to think positively. Stop hating things or other people. If you have hateful thoughts, make it a priority to remove them from your head. I personally try to go out of my way to love everybody, while doing my best to avoid negativity. Good thoughts and relationships lead to more happiness, which is key to being mentally and physically strong. When you are happy, studies show that you are more likely to eat healthier and sleep better, which results in better fitness and physical health.

I also cannot emphasize the importance of exercising regularly, or at least every other day for at least 30 minutes. Frequent exercise releases chemicals called endorphins that make you happy, which improve mental health and relieve anxiety and stress. Furthermore, exercising regularly is obviously key to good fitness, as it increases one’s immune system and metabolism, while it builds muscle and reduces fat.

A couple other techniques that I have focus on staying positive and reducing anxiety and stress. These include meditation and listening to music. Meditating in whatever pose makes you feel comfortable is extremely effective in eliminating or mitigating anxiety and stress because it enables you to be comfortable in your own “zone” and focuses on deep breathing that naturally calms you down. Next, listening to music, which I personally do every day, is proven to be quite effective to improve one’s mood. Listening to music is extremely fun, and when you are having fun, you are much less likely to experience anxiety and stress; as a result, your mental health will improve.

For those experiencing mental illness, which I have experienced for several years, I first must say to hang in there and to keep fighting. Don’t be ashamed of your mental illness, as almost 1 in 4 Americans suffers from a mental illness every year, according to studies. What you can do is manage your mental illness by taking your medications on a regular basis, attending all doctor’s appointments and counseling/therapy sessions, staying positive, sleeping well, and exercising regularly. Yes, you might experience some side effects from your medication that you might not like, but rest assured, those side effects should decrease in intensity over time as your body adapts to the new medication, as they did for me. You will remain in good spirits if you take your medications, sleep well, and exercise regularly. Please DO NOT stop taking or take your medications in a reduced dosage because you may relapse and experience your mental illness again or even end up in a psychiatric ward for another hospitalization!

Thank you very much for taking your time to read my third blog post. Mental health and physical health are interdependent, and I have provided important tips to staying both mentally and physically strong in this blog post. Please utilize my suggestions to the best of your ability, and if you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to reach me at jessepliu@gmail.com. Also please subscribe to my blog site via email near the bottom of the home page, and share my site with family and friends!