Winter can be a difficult season for people with mental health problems. Depression and anxiety are often much worse during winter months because you are stuck inside in bad weather and not able to do things that would help you to feel better. Now that spring is approaching, you can use the brighter warmer weather to take steps that will help improve your mental health. Here are some ways you can improve your mental health in spring.
Spend More Time Outside
Sunshine (vitamin D) is a good way to help improve your mood and overall mental health. As the year moves into spring weather, the days will be longer and warmer. You can improve your mental health by taking advantage of the better weather. Even spending fifteen minutes outside in the sun every day can help your mental health. Getting time in the sun is the easiest and most effective way to get vitamin D into your body. In addition, spending time outside of the house will help you get out of a mental and emotional rut, which can also improve your overall mood.
Take Stock of Your Internal Environment
Lots of people use spring to clean their homes and get rid of the clutter that has accumulated during the winter. Sometimes a cluttered environment can contribute to a depressed or anxious mental state. By spring cleaning your home and getting rid of clutter, you give yourself a fresh start for the way you think and live in your environment. In addition, the physical act of cleaning your home gets your body moving, your circulation going which is all good to help improve your mental health.
Get Involved in Journaling
An excellent way to improve your mental health in the springtime is to start journaling. Maybe you thought about it in the beginning of the year, but haven’t yet used it as a daily practice. Now is a great time to start!
Journaling can make us more self aware and help us detect unhealthy patterns in our thoughts and behaviors. It allows us to express those thoughts that seem to consume our minds on a regular basis and by writing them we can very often put them in the past.
Get Some Exercise
Spring is a good time to be more active because the weather is improving. Going for a short walk every day or even a few times a week not only gets you out in the sunshine but helps get your endorphins pumping, which can improve your mood. In addition, regular exercise helps improve your physical health, which improves your mental health.
Whether you’ve been struggling through winter with depression or you are just looking for new ways to improve your overall mental health, spring is a good season for feeling better. Taking small steps such as spending time outside, spring cleaning your home, and exercising can have a big impact on your mood. Committing to these actions this spring will help improve your mental health so you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather.
The Start Of Healthy 