Healthy mind

A healthy mind will help you find your way through life, from birth through childhood, through teenage years, adulthood and into older age.

Some well recognised steps to take in developing and keeping a healthy mind include:

Being active 

Exercising makes you feel good and can help your mental health. It will also help you sleep better, and get the rest you need.

Lower your alcohol intake 

Over use of alcohol can increase feelings of depression.

Try not to dwell on past mistakes or negative things that have happened to you. We all make mistakes and stewing on things or worrying to excess will not change anything. Learn from the experience and be willing to move on.

Be with people you enjoy being with and who make you happy.

Connecting with friends and family

Keep communicating and interacting, and tell those you trust how you are feeling if you’re going through tough times. Talking to others and seeking help early can be very helpful in reducing depression, anxiety and distress.

Keep learning

To keep your mind both healthy and active learn a new sport, language, learn to play an instrument, read books and take an active interest in feeding your brain with positive information.

Ensuring children and young people have a good start in life will help with the formation of healthy relationships throughout their life. However, developing and maintaining a healthy mind is not always easy. 

Some well-known risk factors that can impact on the way we think and see the world around us include: 

  • the overuse of alcohol and drugs, 
  • physical inactivity
  • poor sleep or lack of sleep
  • experiencing distress over a long period
  • being in a violent environment
  • poverty
  • poor food and nutrition 
  • being bullied
  • being isolated and excluded. 

These and other risk factors can impact on the development of a positive, healthy mind and make it difficult for us to function well.

Positive attitude can lead to a greater sense of wellbeing

Having a positive attitude can be helpful especially when we are going through tough times. If we can develop a positive outlook on the way we see and do things it can lead to a greater sense of wellbeing

Wellbeing can mean different things to different people but some common features include having a sense of purpose, feeling good and functioning well, having control in your life and the options to change things if necessary, as well as achieving goals you set for yourself.

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