Five ways to keep a healthy mind

We all know the famous saying ‘healthy mind, healthy body’. Many believe it actually originated nearly 2,000 years ago from 1st century AD Roman poet Juvenal, who said ‘mens sana in corpore sano’, roughly translated as ‘a healthy mind in a healthy body’. While these days we know the importance of eating well and looking after your physical health, how many of us ensure we’re looking after our mental health?

After all, if a 2,000-year-old saying can stand the test of time, it’s about time we ensure we’re keeping a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. That’s why we’ve put together five ways you can keep a healthy mind today and in the future.

1. Talk

We know it is hard to talk sometimes. You may feel ashamed or uneasy in sharing your thoughts and secrets with someone else. Talking can help you feel less alone and it’s a two-way street; you can talk about your feelings together.

Connections with other people is important and even if you cannot see anyone at the moment, a phone or video call can make all the difference.

2. Keep a mood diary

Keeping a diary of your moods helps to track what makes you feel better or worse in your day-to-day life. You can then be proactive and prepare yourself for situations that might make you feel worse.

You can create a diary yourself or make use of apps such as Daylio Journal on your phone.

3. Keep active

As we have mentioned, mental health and physical health go hand in hand, which is why you should also ensure you are keeping active too.

Why not try and take a short walk every day? Or you can work out from home by watching The Body Coach TV on YouTube.

4. Take a break

You should take time out of your day to do something you enjoy. This could be something as simple as taking a bubbly bath or watching your favourite TV programme.

Having a break from the real world and switching off for a bit can help rejuvenate your mind to ensure you are fresh-faced and ready to tackle the rest of the day.

5. Ask for help

If you find yourself struggling, ask for help. This is the hardest point on our list, but it is one of the most vital.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. We are all human who can sometimes get overwhelmed by our thoughts and feelings.

Your family and friends could help you with this or you could speak to your GP who can refer you to local services available to you.