In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, especially when feeling exhausted or depressed, many people tend to neglect the basics of self-care. These so-called everyday basics such as sleep, light, exercise, nutrition and hydration form the basis for mental health and for strengthening your experience of self-efficacy. In this blog article, you will learn how you can improve your mental health, what effects depression or stress have on self-care and how you can actively counteract it. How do you take care of your mental health and self-efficacy?
Effects of depression and exhaustion on self-care
Depression and exhaustion have a massive impact on behavior and often lead to neglect of basic needs. These behavioral changes are typical:
- Poor sleep: Studies show that sleep disorders can be both a cause and a symptom of depression. Lack of sleep increases negative feelings and cognitive impairment.
- Lack of exercise: People with depression often move less, even though regular exercise has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress.
- Social isolation: Withdrawal from friends and family increases feelings of loneliness.
- Inadequate nutrition: A lack of important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium or vitamin D can worsen depressive symptoms.
- Low hydration: Dehydration impairs the ability to concentrate and leads to irritability.
These patterns show how important it is to consciously cultivate the basics of self-care in order to stabilize mental health.
The importance of everyday basics: Scientific findings
1. Improve sleep: A meta-analysis (Baglioni et al., 2016) shows that sleep disorders increase the risk of depression by two to three times. Good sleep hygiene ( look at the Blog for Sleep Hygiene) promotes recovery and stabilizes the psyche.
2. Soak up light and sun: According to Lam et al. (2016), light therapy is an effective treatment for seasonal depression. Daylight increases serotonin production and regulates the sleep-wake rhythm.
3. Regular exercise: Schuch et al. (2016) show that physical activity can reduce depressive symptoms by up to 30%. Endurance sports in particular have positive effects.
4. Healthy diet: A study by Jacka et al. (2017) shows that a balanced diet with fruit, vegetables and healthy fats significantly improves mental health. Micronutrients such as vitamin B12 and zinc play a crucial role in this.
5. Drink enough fluids: Armstrong et al. (2012) found that even mild dehydration can affect mood and cognitive performance.
Tips for implementation
Strengthen self-efficacy
How can you improve mental health through small steps?
Here are effective strategies:
1. Optimize sleep:
- Set and stick to fixed bedtimes.
- Avoid screen time at least an hour before bedtime.
- Use relaxation techniques such as meditation or progressive muscle relaxation.
2. Use daylight:
- Spend at least 30 minutes outside every day, ideally in the morning.
- Use a daylight lamp if necessary.
3. Integrate exercise into your daily routine:
- Start with small units, e.g. a 10-minute walk.
- Use everyday situations for exercise: stairs instead of elevator, bike instead of car.
4. Plan a healthy diet:
- Prepare simple, nutritious meals in advance.
- Have healthy snacks such as nuts, fruit or yogurt on hand.
- Make sure you drink enough water (1.5 to 2 liters daily).
5. Develop self-care routines:
- Keep a journal to document progress.
- Reward yourself for small successes.
- Be patient and set realistic goals.
Conclusion
Improving mental health starts with the basics: sleep, light, exercise, nutrition, hydration, and even enjoyable activities. These simple but powerful habits can reduce stress, ease depressive symptoms, and improve overall quality of life. Even small changes can have big effects.
Start today! Share this article to help others improve their mental health too.