We are wrapping up National Mental Health Week and wanted to look at the risks of poor mental health on your skin. In the past we have talked about the benefits of good physical health on your skin, but did you know that mental health also plays a big role in how well your skin looks and feels?
If you are facing poor mental health, your physical health, including your skin, can be seriously affected. Without keeping a close eye on your mental health you may find yourself with parched skin that is not looking it's best. There are many factors that come into play when you are thinking about your mental health and how it relates to the health of your skin.
Let's walk through a typical day of someone who may be having some mental health challenges. After a long night of tossing and turning and not getting enough sleep, you may get up and either eat no breakfast or eat food that is not sustainable for health and well-being. From there, you may be off to get a jolt of caffeine to keep you moving after you've had a restless night. Once you crash from caffeine your stress levels may be mounting as you're failing to get your work done. When you're well rested you may find yourself working out and getting the exercise you need to keep your physical health in check, but without any sleep the night before you skip your workout. All of this can snowball into days and weeks of poor mental health practices that can lead to poor skin health as well.
So, what can you do? The first and most important thing you can do for your holistic health is get a good nights sleep. Set yourself a bedtime that you can stick to every night and go to bed at that time every night. Make sure you are not using your phone before or while you are in bed. Give yourself enough time to sleep, the average adult should have between 7-8 hours of sleep per night. If you are having trouble quieting your mind at night, try meditation or yoga before bed, NOT television.
Once you've found yourself to a good nights sleep it is time to take that new found energy and put it into your daily routine. Eat a healthy and well balanced breakfast, skip the coffee, get your exercise in, rinse and repeat.
We know that not all mental health challenges can be solved by a good nights sleep and good nutrition. If you are struggling you may want to speak with someone who can help you work through whatever it is that you are dealing with. Speaking to someone can help alleviate the pressure you might feel in trying to resolve these challenges on your on and they might be able to guide you into the next phase of healthy living.
Whether you're dealing with good skincare or good mental health care, these things take work and time. Don't give up and keep moving forward towards your goal of improved health. We know you can do it, we believe in you.
