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Improve your mental health with lifestyle changes
Research* shows that when you nourish your body, you can give your mental health a boost.
You see, the health of your mind and body is interconnected. And you need BOTH your mind and body to be healthy for you to stay well in the long run.
That’s why your psychiatrist may introduce you to a dietitian and exercise physiologist to discuss lifestyle changes.
Things like eating more nutritious food, getting regular exercise and improving your sleep can make a big difference to how you feel.
These changes can start small.
Your clinicians can help you decide what’s right for you, with your personal goals in mind.
The link between food and mood
The next step on your path to better mental health may be learning to make simple and tasty meals, including lots of seasonal fruits, vegetables and protein. That’s a delicious way to feel better!
Research* has shown that patients who ate a ‘Mediterranean diet’ had fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Patients in a Mediterranean diet study group at LaTrobe University ate foods such as whole grain cereals, fruit, dairy, olive oil, pulses and fish. All tasty foods!
One third of the participants eating this diet “went into remission of depression, so they had no symptoms, compared to just 6 percent of the control group”
The LaTrobe study also found “the Mediterranean diet delayed the progression of cognitive changes and decline, such as that seen in Alzheimer’s”.
If you’re interested in trying a Mediterranean diet to see if it helps you to feel better, Dietitian Tania Mathewson sees patients at Waymind and has an interest in mental health.
Your psychiatrist would be delighted to introduce you to Tania. In the meantime, check out Tania’s bio.
The role of exercise in mental health
Starting an exercise plan including stretching, walking, and spending more time in nature can do wonders for your mental health.
Exercise helps your brain to release serotonin (a mood and happiness hormone) and endorphins (feel-good hormones) which can help you to feel better.
Plus that bit of regular exercise, especially in the bright morning sun that Canberra is famous for, can help you sleep better at night.
If you’d like to try a new exercise program but you don’t really know where to start, Waymind has a referral relationship with Exercise Physiotherapist Hamish Macauley.
Hamish sees patients at Elite Rehab and Sports Physiotherapy, just around the corner from us in Deakin.
Tell your psychiatrist that you’d like to try a simple exercise program, and they’ll introduce you to Hamish.
A good night’s sleep
Sleep is so important to mental health. And we know that many people experiencing symptoms of depression and insomnia feel like they can’t get a good night’s sleep.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, tell your psychiatrist about it.
They might recommend some options such as:
- A change to your medications to help you sleep better
- Light therapy, which can help reset your circadian rhythm
- A different evening and bedtime routine, such as avoiding screens
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI)
- A sleep study at a sleep clinic
* Resources:
Food, drink and Mental Health, on Healthdirect. 8 minute read. Includes an audio version if you prefer to listen.
Scholarly article: Mediterranean Diet and its Benefits on Health and Mental Health: A Literature Review
Eating your way to better mental Health, by LaTrobe University
Exercise and Mental Health, on Healthdirect. 6 minute read. Includes an audio version if you prefer to listen
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