4 Great Tips to Improve Your Mental Health During These Awful Times

There is so much going on right now in the world and it is beginning to… no. It is overwhelming.

Wherever you land on the political spectrum, there is no doubt about it, this year has been mentally and emotionally exhausting.

The economy is on the brink of collapse, civil unrest is sweeping the country, tensions are at an extreme high, and so much more is going on right now.

Hopefully, things aren’t going to get any worse, especially when it comes to unjust violence.

Approximately 77% of police officers believe that body cameras will be more effective than dashboard cameras.

Oh yeah… there also happens to be a global pandemic going on.

So while all this is going on, essentially the entire world is locked inside their homes with nothing but their worries, fears, and anxieties.

Perhaps one of the benefits of the nationwide lockdown is that workers — in some fields — aren’t as in jeopardy of harming themselves on the job.

Each year, 4.7 million American workers suffer a work injury, according to the National Safety Council.

This year, those numbers will likely not be as high due to the coronavirus quarantine.

It’s important to do all you can to stay mentally strong during these scary times.

Here are some great tips to stay mentally healthy during these extremely stressful time:

Turn off the news

Watching too much news (especially the same channel) can actually be very bad for you.

There are so many stressful things going on right now it can be easy to stay locked in on a news channel, but you have to fight it.

You’re going to have to watch the news every once in a while to stay up-to-date on everything.

But far too many people are spending hours and hours watching the news.

That’s not good.

Sadly, there is way too much negativity going on in the world and in the United States, so all that negativity can cause so many problems and add to stress.

Think positively about the future

Just because things are rough right now doesn’t mean you can’t look to the future.

Try and think differently about your situation instead of just dwelling on the negatives.

For instance, although small businesses have been hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, they still employ nearly half of all Americans and create 60% of all new jobs.

So you can start thinking about an exciting new career!

And if you’re having trouble lightening the thoughts in your mind, consider creating or looking at some art.

The global art market is, after all, valued at almost $67 billion.

Art have been proven to boost your mood!

Eat healthy foods

It’s easy to eat nothing but junk food during these stressful times, but that will only add to the stress!

Instead, you need to focus on maintaining a healthy diet.

Here are some healthy foods you should try eating more of:

• Nuts: almonds, cashews, and peanuts
• Common fruits: apples and grapes
• Forest fruits: berries and wild currants
• Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and edamame
• Hemp seeds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds
• Complex carbs: potatoes, rice, and pasta
• Grains and cereals
• Tofu, tempeh, seitan, and soy
• Tropical fruits: avocados and mangos
• Leafy greens: spinach, kale, and sprouts

Additionally, it’s best to avoid saturated fats, fried foods, sugary products, and refined carbs like white rice.

Stay physically active

Physical activity is crucial to a healthy lifestyle.

It’s tough to get off the couch and get active — especially when you can’t get to the gym.

But you can do a lot at home and even walking around your neighborhood can offer great physical benefits.

Here are some of the main advantages of regular physical activity:

• Feel more relaxed
• Sleep better
• Reduced risk of a heart attack
• Lose weight
• Improve your bones, muscles, and joints
• Lower your cholesterol
• Better sleep

Things are scary right now and everyone is stressed out.

Don’t let those negative feelings consume you, though.

You can fight them and actually turn these difficult times into something positive.

Turn off the negative news, eat right, work out more, and focus on your mindset.

You can do this and you can hit the ground running once things return to normal.