5 Exercises for Mental Health That are Underrated

Make a habit of these 5 exercises for your mental health.

Singing in the shower

I discovered that singing in the shower(or the car) is a great exercise for your mind, especially if you have social anxiety. As someone who does experience social anxiety most of the time, I'm usually overthinking what comes out of my mouth. At any given moment I'm probably thinking about something I've said, something someone said to me, or something I want to say. Mulling over your words like this can be unhealthy when you feel like you're constantly holding back and biting your tongue.

That's why I suggest making the shower the one place where you don't have to. You can close your bathroom door, turn your music on, and sing from your core as if nothing else exists beyond that space. Be loud, go for the high notes, and for once don't worry so much about what's coming out of your mouth.

Eating intuitively

When you feel hungry, eat until you are full. It's that simple. None of us need the extra anxiety that comes from counting calories or restricting ourselves. You know what's healthy and what's not. Try to go for the healthy stuff and eat filling balanced meals. This will make you feel so much better from the inside out and you'll learn to listen to your body.

Alternatively, if you are medically required to follow a strict diet, think of following that diet as a commitment to the vessel that allows you to exist. Either way, you have a right to enjoy your food.

Being creative in more areas than are necessary

When you have to do anything - submit a cover letter, write an essay, make breakfast - start by asking yourself "how can I do this differently?" Lead with that creative mindset in everything you can, and sooner or later everything in your life will start to feel more colorful.

This exercise can also be great in leading you to challenge the norm and break routines that are no longer serving you.

Investing in your clothes and skincare

It's a good rule of thumb to invest more in things that are better quality and will last you, rather than go for the instant gratification of something cheap. Invest in your clothes and skincare in particular because those determine your daily sensory experiences. If you live somewhere cold, I encourage you to spend a little more on clothes that are thick, warm, and soft. It will make a world of a difference.

Making mind maps, drawings, and tables to organize your thoughts

While journaling is very well known, you don't always have to write about what you're feeling in a diary format. I find that the further divorced journaling is from the typical style of prose writing, the more cathartic it is and the more accurately it portrays feelings. That's why poetry, for example, can be so fun to write - it's not confined to the bounds of sense or syntax.

Additionally, it can be so helpful to make diagrams when you're trying to reason through a problem in your life. You can make a pros and cons list of something, a Venn diagram, to-do lists, a timeline, a budget sheet, etc. In my Life Balance for Young Adults, I describe a pie chart you could make to remind you of what makes you feel most fulfilled. Any way you can, put your thoughts out in the open where you can see them.

Thanks for reading through! I hope this was helpful :) If you want to see more of my day-to-day life you can follow me on insta @ariels_view!