12 Ways We Sabotage Our Mental Health

Our mind and mood are keenly sensitive to the world around us. Distressing life events—a bad breakup, unemployment, the death of a loved one—often leave us rattled or sad, of course, but our daily routine and patterns of thinking also have a big impact on our mood. Bad habits like skimping on sleep, drinking too much, or nursing grudges can undermine our mental health, whether that means a brief episode of the blues or full-blown depression and anxiety.

Happily, many of these mental pitfalls can be avoided. Break down 12 of the most common and provide tips for how to steer clear.

Avoiding Exercise:

Few years back when I decided to take a break from my work, I had stay at home without nothing much to do. This resulted in a bad head ache for me throughout the day. I was not able to find the reason first and decided to consult a doctor. Listening to my problem the only suggestion which he gave was to move my body daily. You don’t believe it; the result was shown from the first two days. Now no bad headaches and a great positive energy.

Why it is harmful: In addition to keeping our body in shape, physical activity plays a key role in propping up mood; it can help ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Regular exercise appears to have a positive effect on brain chemicals and mood-related hormones, and it may confer psychological benefits (such as increased confidence) that foster better mental health.

What we can do? If we struggle to stick to a workout schedule, it might be too ambitious. To start, try setting aside 15-20 minutes per day for a brisk walk. Even modest exercise routines are associated with improved mood.

Ignoring Clutter:

Why it's harmful: Even if our pack-rat tendencies don't rise to the level of hoarding, unchecked clutter in our home can be a subtle source of psychological distress. "Clutter makes us feel weighed down, both literally and figuratively,”. “It has been shown to be related to depression, anxiety, and even weight gain."

What we can do? If we haven't used something in 12 months, give it away. And instead of spending our money on more stuff, consider saving up for a special dinner or vacation. These so-called experiential purchases actually buy us more happiness than material goods do.

Not Sleeping Enough:

Believe me this is the worst of all, I know many of you agrees as well.

Why it's harmful: Anyone who's missed out on sleep thanks to a deadline or bawling infant is familiar with the irritability, stress, and gloom that can set in the next day. If sleep deprivation and disturbances become chronic, they increase a person's risk of developing depression or anxiety disorders.

What we can do? Prioritize sleep and practice healthy bedtime behaviors, such as limiting caffeine and alcohol in the hours before bed. It's also important to curb our computer, tablet, and smart phone use late at night; the blue light emitted by these devices suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin and can disrupt our circadian rhythm.

Keeping up with Neighbors:

Why it's harmful: Constantly comparing our income or possessions to those of others is "one of the reasons we are not happy. Coveting our neighbor's riches tends to breed dissatisfaction, and it's also a bit irrational, since the relationship between income and happiness is actually much weaker than we think.

What we can do? Focus instead on being grateful for what we do have. Simple exercises—such as keeping a "gratitude journal or writing a letter to a loved one—are associated with greater satisfaction, optimism, and happiness.

Obsessive Thinking:

Why it's harmful: Turning the same thoughts over and over again in our mind sends our body and brain into the stressed-out state known as fight or flight. Our breathing and heart rate quicken, and our body releases the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, all of which takes a toll on both our physical and emotional health.

What we can do? Learn to recognize the thoughts we dwell on most, and train ourselves to avoid those obsessive pathways. Deep breathing helps, as does snapping ourselves out of it—literally. "Put a rubber band on our wrist as a reminder and every time we're ruminating, pull it back a little. "It's a reminder to stop ruminating and change our train of thought."

It really works!

Bottling Up Anger:

Why it's harmful: Anger and frustration are completely normal reactions to life's inevitable challenges. But when we suppress those feelings and let our grudges and grievances fester, it can backfire. Several studies, in fact, have found that suppressed anger and angry brooding—types of obsessive thinking—are associated with depression symptoms.

What we can do? It's important to express negative emotions, but only in appropriate ways. If we can communicate our anger in an assertive but calm manner, we're likely to feel better afterward. If that's not an option, our best bet might be to just let it go: Research suggests the act of forgiving confers mental health benefits.

Working too much:

Why it's harmful: When our work-life balance is out of whack, we tend to get stressed-out and we increase our risk of more serious mental health problems. Working 11-plus hours a day (versus a more reasonable seven or eight) more than doubled a person's odds of sliding into depression.

What we can do? Think carefully about our values and priorities and make sure our schedule reflects them. And set aside time for family, friends, and hobbies the same way we'd commit to a meeting at work. "It sounds kind of funny to plan for fun or relaxation, but making it protected time is really important,”.

Drinking too much:

Why it's harmful: Alcohol depresses the nervous system, slowing us down and potentially dragging our mood down as well. What's more, drinking too much alcohol in the evening—though it may initially make us sleepy—tends to cause nighttime waking and less refreshing sleep.

What we can do? Limit our intake to "moderate" levels, which doctors define as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. If it's a special occasion and we do choose to exceed those limits, be sure to pace ourselves, count our drinks, and alternate alcoholic beverages with water.

Staying Inside:

Our busy city life has decreased the time we spend outdoor. This is really bad for our mental and physical health. This is also affecting our social life as well. Coming from a country side and staying in a city for some years now I am able to figure out the differences very easily.

Why it's harmful: Holing up inside deprives us of two mental-health essentials: vitamin D, which is produced by the body in response to sunlight and has been shown to protect against depression, and nature itself, which appears to soothe us on a subconscious level. Brain scans showed that people who walked through parks were calmer and less frustrated than when they walked on busy city streets.

What we can do? Get outside! If we work in an office, take a walk—in a green space, if possible—or sit outside during our lunch break. "Even a pretty small amount of sunlight—15 minutes—can really, really help”.

Social Isolation:

Why it's harmful: Although withdrawing from friends and family is a common symptom of depression and anxiety, social isolation—and especially accompanying feelings of loneliness—also increases the likelihood of experiencing those mental health problems. By the same token, strong relationships tend to protect against depression and promote happiness.

What we can do? Even if we're preoccupied or not in the mood, make an effort to connect (or reconnect) with friends and loved ones, even for just a few minutes over coffee. Social interactions like this are uplifting—and they often end up being more fun than we expect, experts say.

Perfectionism:

Why it's harmful: Trying to meet an unattainably high standard of perfection in everything we do, be it tonight's dinner or tomorrow's work presentation, is a recipe for disappointment and low self-esteem. So it's not surprising that perfectionism has been linked to a suite of mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

What we can do? Instead of perfectionism, aim for what mental health experts call healthy striving. That means setting more attainable goals, welcoming mistakes as avenues for learning, and, most of all, enjoying the journey, not just the destination.