How To Improve Emotional Health
Improving emotional health will help us better manage our reactions in stressful contexts. People often focus on physical health, neglecting the importance of maintaining emotional balance to better respond to challenging situations.
Emotional health, for some authors, is “the responsible management of feelings, thoughts and behaviors”. This definition implies being able to recognize everything we feel and think, name it, accept it, and integrate it into our lives.
People with good mental health are able to assertively control their feelings; in addition, they have good self-esteem and healthy personal relationships. The emotional imbalances can lead to health disorders such as anxiety disorders or major depression, as indicated by some studies.
This is because the reactions of sadness, anxiety, anger or depression reach high levels of intensity that are sustained over time and cause changes in behavior. This leads people to forget about healthy habits, which increases the risk of developing addictive behaviors or puts general health at risk. But then how to improve emotional health?
How to improve emotional health
According to a publication by the Superior Institute of Psychological Studies (ISEP), having good emotional health is reflected in an increase in general well-being. It is important to understand that all emotions are desirable as they achieve certain goals in our lives.
Therefore, although certain emotions are classified as negative and undesirable, it is important to learn to manage them properly, without trying to repress them. This translates into better emotional health and less tendency to stress, anxiety, depression, among other disorders.
What can we do to improve emotional health? In fact, there are small adjustments that allow us to train our mind to better manage the emotional part. In the space below, we will detail some general recommendations.
Recognize your emotions
Learn to recognize your emotions and distinguish what makes you frustrated, angry, or sad. As we’ve already said, don’t try to repress them ; try to accept that they are part of you and that they exist for some reason.
express feelings
The expression of feelings is synonymous with good emotional health. If we feel discomfort and this causes tension, we can have difficulties – whether at work or at home – if we don’t express what we feel properly.
think first and act later
This is necessary because the intensity of emotions can lead us to act inappropriately, having to regret the consequences in the future. To avoid this , it ‘s best to think calmly after you cool off.
apply relaxation techniques
As detailed in a report in the medical journal ” Complementary Therapies in Medicine ‘ , the meditation techniques are resources with positive effects on stress management. Therefore, it is convenient to adopt options such as mindfulness , meditation, yoga or others.
take time for yourself
Living in a hurry is one of the reasons we are immersed in states of stress and anxiety. So it’s good to spend time with yourself, live calmly, and enjoy the simple things that fill us with fullness and help us feel happy.
get enough sleep
A poor quality of sleep, added to a busy lifestyle, considerably affects mood. Therefore, it is essential to sleep well, at least 7 hours a night, without interruptions, and to take active breaks during the day.
Establish positive connections with other people
We must try to run away from conflicted relationships. If we surround ourselves with people who add up, our emotional health will dramatically improve. Furthermore, we must focus on the positive things ourselves, avoiding complaints.
Positive relationships also arise when we do things that help others. We cannot always think individually, because being good to oneself often means acting on behalf of the other.
learn new things
Don’t lose your curiosity and desire to develop! You can learn new languages, read a book, take a course and more.
Every human being is different, as are their needs. However, to be all right, it is necessary to work on the emotional health of each one of us.