As a devout Christian, you know the importance of taking care of your mind and body. Mental health can be forgotten sometimes, but when you’re mentally well, you’re better able to care for yourself and others when necessary.
So, if you want to do the Lord’s work and be your best self, you’ll take your mental health into your own hands. But not everyone considers your Christian beliefs when giving advice about overcoming mental health problems. So, here’s what you can do to be a happier, healthier member of society with your Christian views in mind.
- Take Supplements
Our mental and physical health are more closely related than many people realize. Getting the proper nutrients is essential to a healthy mind, just as it is for the body.
Invest in a good quality multi-vitamin that will absorb well into your system. You may find that you’re lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, and this supplement can make the difference.
If you’re suffering from the winter blues, a quality vitamin D supplement can help chase those blues away. Vitamin D is formed in your body as a reaction on your skin from the sun. During the winter, you don’t see the sun nearly as often, and you may need to take a supplement to replace this missing nutrient.
If you have anxiety, one supplement worth trying is CBD oil. Now, as a good Christian, you might feel somewhat concerned about using CBD, a product of the cannabis plant. However, CBD is not marijuana—it can’t get you high. Pure CBD oil that’s free of THC simply offers several health and wellness benefits that can help you feel better.
CBD is a well-known supplement for the treatment of anxiety. It works within your body’s endocannabinoid system, increasing the number of cannabinoids in the body that can inhibit hormonal and chemical imbalances from creating anxious feelings. It produces a natural calm that instantly diminishes anxiety and helps you face your challenges in as little as a few minutes.
- Meditate Daily
Meditation is found often in the Bible. Jesus, his apostles, and Old Testament profits were often recorded taking time alone to commune with God. Including more meditation in your life could be exactly what you need for greater well-being overall.
Meditation comes in many different forms. You might spend a few minutes praying each day, sending your prayers into the universe, and letting revelatory thoughts enter your head. It could be reading your scriptures, practicing traditional meditation, doing yoga, or going for a hike in the mountains.
Aim to do at least 10 minutes of structured meditation every day. You’ll be amazed at the clarity that enters your mind during this time!
- Exercise Regularly
Our bodies are a gift from God, and we have a profound responsibility to take care of them. Exercising our bodies directly affects our mental health, promoting health and stability that can help us overcome some of the most debilitating mental health problems.
The CDC recommends exercising for at least 150 minutes per week. You could do it all in a single chunk if you wish, but it’s more beneficial for your mental health to do some exercise daily. It provides an emotional release for pent-up emotions. It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel daily, even with exercise as simple as a walk.
- Unplug More
Mounting research indicates that the growing number of patients being treated for mental health problems is directly connected with screen time. Those who spend too much time watching YouTube videos, binging Netflix, playing video games, and surfing social media sites typically experience significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
The Center for Humane Technology addressed this very thing on their website.
“There’s an invisible problem that’s affecting all of society,” the website says as reported by U.S. News. “Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google have produced amazing products that have benefited the world enormously. But these companies are also caught in a zero-sum race for our finite attention, which they need to make money. Constantly forced to outperform their competitors, they must use increasingly persuasive techniques to keep us glued.”
You’ll find profound healing by simply unplugging. Go outside, play with your kids, meet up with friends, learn a new skill, work on a hobby—no matter what you do, focus on exercising the brain instead of mindlessly soaking in what’s on a screen in front of you.
- Get Enough Sleep
There’s an immutable connection between mental health disorders of all severities and the amount of sleep a person receives. According to one study, sleep disruption is a major proponent of mental symptoms like hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety, stress, and more.
Unfortunately, most people don’t get enough sleep, causing the CDC to name lack of sleep as an American health epidemic. Adults should get at least seven hours of sleep at night, but many receive less than five.
If you haven’t made sleep a priority in your life, now is the time to do so! Rearrange your schedule and adjust your sleep environment to allow for a full, restful night’s sleep.
- Ask for Help
There’s an unfortunate and totally false stigma surrounding mental health in Christian society. Some believe that if you pray harder and read the Bible more, you’ll be healed. These components will no doubt help, but they’re rarely enough to fully treat your mental health disorders.
If you have depression, anxiety, PTSD, or another clinically diagnosed mental health disorder, it means you have a chemical imbalance in your brain. There’s something wrong inside your body. If your body was sick, you would see a doctor. Therefore, if your mind is sick, you may need a doctor for that as well.
The treatments for mental health disorders have advanced leaps and bounds over the last few years. There are cutting-edge medications, therapies, and educational resources that can all help you live a normal life, despite the imbalance in your brain. There’s no shame in asking for help and taking your mental health back!
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