Practising Mental Hygiene

Antara Titikhsha Barua

While we always somehow manage to maintain our physical hygiene, we seldom attend to our minds. Practising mental hygiene is a still new idea, and an important one.

Our mind is like a muscle, and it must be exercised regularly. It works continuously to help us respond to different experiences. Neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers, are powerful communication tools that help different parts of our brain control many of the functions of our body, including behavioural processes like sleep and appetite and emotional processes like mood and concentration. Neurotransmitters collaborate with our brain to help us respond to situations in a healthy way. But sometimes neurotransmitters stop working properly and cause problems throughout the brain’s communication system. A chemical imbalance for instance can produce changes in different aspects of our mental and physical health.

Taking care of your mental hygiene keeps your mind sharp and ready to take on challenges at any time. Keeping the mind clear of trivial things that slowly but surely nibble away at one’s stability is one of the key factors in maintaining a calm, healthy, and long life. So, here is a list of things you can do to practise mental hygiene:

1. Try to challenge negative thought patterns by asking yourself why you are thinking negatively about a particular incident. Instead of assuming a negative outcome, try to encourage yourself to think of positive outcomes.
2. Try to boost your self-esteem with positive affirmations. Sometimes, you need to search for positive things to say about yourself after a failure or setback.
3. Learn to manage your emotions. Whenever you are not feeling well, try to acknowledge that state. A lot of awkward situations can happen, but try to understand your reactions at every point. This leads to emotional awareness.
4. Express your emotions in a healthy way. Talk to others whenever you feel down. Try to find friends who will listen to your feelings actively and offer constructive feedback. Also, if you are angry at any point, try to release your anger by attempting some calming techniques, but don’t try to release your anger by breaking things or by being rude to others.
5. Release your stress or calm yourself down from panic attacks. Just turn on your favourite music, lay down on your bed, and take a few deep breaths. This actually works. Trust me.
6. Exercise regularly. You can work out or do yoga. Also, you can take part in different indoor or outdoor games, like badminton, basketball, chess, etc. These things will help you to release stress and feel refreshed and energised.

The list goes on. These steps can lead to a healthier life. For more on how to practise emotional hygiene, watch this video.

May all the odds be ever in your favour!