People share and discuss 10 things that massively improved their mental health

Mental health is the real wealth

In recent times, people have come to realize the importance of protecting one's mental health as it has a significant impact on several facets of our lives. Our interactions with our peers and family, behaviors and thoughts can be influenced by our fluctuating mental health. This is why it is important to invest time and energy to keep your mental health on track as it can also help to boost self-esteem, improve relationships and increase productivity. u/sexy_maier on Reddit asked community members to share what has helped them to massively improve their mental health. These are ten of the most interesting responses that might help you to work on your mental well-being as well.

1. Saying no to alcohol

The whole no alcohol thing is pretty key for my sleep, for years I thought I was just a light sleeper and drank myself to bed all the time, got sober and realized that after a couple of terrible weeks, I could sleep great without drinking and on top of that it's much more restoring sleep than drunk sleep. u/hopeandnonthings. I just started working out regularly and sleeping well every day and honestly, I know alcohol will ruin the progress on both so now I've decided not to drink and undo the hard work I've put in. Feels good and the same, never an alcoholic but if (rarely) the gathering is drinking, I have a drink or two. u/StraightUpHaram

2. Learning to say 'no'

Learning to say no, let go and stop sweating the small stuff. Also, I know that if somebody has a problem with me, it's their problem. u/Prestigious-Target86. It will feel uncomfortable to ignore thinking about hard times, cos your brain is trying to make its environment more safe and comfortable. You have to catch yourself, as early as possible, tell yourself you've already thought it through to death, and then ignore the discomfort. Remind yourself it's just your brain saying it wants its environment and chances to improve. It may be correct, but it doesn't mean it's something you can physically do immediately. u/SortaCore

3. Less social media usage

Putting a stop to my social media use and substituting my time spent there with books. I have completed six books since the beginning of January. It makes me feel really good about myself. u/isweetcandy. Same. Deleting FB, Instagram and Twitter (it was still called Twitter at the time) was such an improvement. Nowadays I’ll still use Reddit but that’s it. Never got started with TikTok. I find myself much more focused and engaged with the people around me and with whatever I’m doing. u/johnnycumseed

4. Regular exercise

It sucks at how well it works. I used to hate my mom telling me that exercise would reduce my depression but she was absolutely right. The issue is that when you’re really depressed it’s the last thing you feel like doing. But nothing else has as much of a positive effect on my mental state as regular exercise. u/exoticconstable. I gave up cocaine, alcohol and smoking a while ago and jumped into fitness as a replacement. I started doing 3 reps of workouts (not weighted). 3x sets of pushups starting at 20 then to 15 then to 10. 3x sets of sit-ups, similar reps. I'm now at 5 times the reps I started off with but doing this every other day. Super important you give yourself time to rest. u/Bunny-NX

5. Practicing gratitude

Practicing gratitude deliberately. I began thinking of 3 distinct things I was thankful for, every night before falling asleep. I didn't even write them down- just took 5 seconds to reflect, on 3 things (but no generic "friends family food" repeated answers). Simply doing this every night for several months completely changed my mood. I suffer from mental illness so I really hate thanks-I-am-cured stuff but in combination with real treatment, practicing gratitude is scientifically well-established as a mood-booster, and I was shocked by what a huge difference it made. u/MrPBsErica

6. Having pets

100% my pets have helped me more times than I can count! I've been blessed to have a pet with me through most joys and sorrows!! u/SophieChoice_55. A couple of years ago my wife’s and my three bigger dogs all passed away. It was brutal. In March or April, we wound up adopting a 3.5-year-old pup from a shelter. He’s big and has tons of energy, so I started taking him for longer hikes (regular walks just weren’t enough). The combination has done remarkable good for my mental health. u/cityshep

7. Addressing deficiencies

Got a good psychiatrist who tested me for everything and found out I needed prescription strength Vitamin D capsules that I take weekly and I need to give myself Vitamin B shots biweekly. I cried so hard for days because I suddenly had energy and could think straight. I had been deficient for two decades because my gastro doctor never tested me for deficiencies after multiple bowel resections due to Crohn's. But my psych caught it and changed my life. u/msfaraday

8. Being genuine

Stopped lying to myself and others, and accepted myself for who I was. u/KinkyCoupleKA. Yes. Also understanding that it is perfectly normal to have bad days. You're not different from others. We all have bad days every week. Do not let social media or others around fool you. Nobody is living the best day of their life every day and you have to have bad days to truly enjoy the great ones! u/eggsaladrightnow

9. Getting a good sleep

It’s the single most important determinant of health and almost no one seems to know or take it seriously. Prioritizing sleep makes everything else in your body work better. u/shakilybattycomm. Everyone makes fun of me for having a strict bedtime but honestly, the routine has made my life so much better and getting sleep and not feeling like sh*t is pretty awesome too. I get some pretty bad headaches if I don't get my beauty sleep and they make for a good reminder of why I need to be so strict. u/Filled_In

10. Removing toxic friends

Ditching my old friends who didn't take me seriously after a tragedy. I am no longer going to try to be relatable and kind. If you treat me like sh*t you're out of my life and are dead to me. u/CitrusLovingCats. Yes, I did the same after not getting any support when my dad died. I too took the high road with people that don’t treat me with respect after being so nice to them. Now if you don’t respect me then I can’t respect you either. Sadly, people are only interested in others if it can benefit them in some. u/LocationThin4587