The iconic rock and roll star Neil Young once sang the lyrics, “we are only what we feel,” and he has a strong point. Thankfully, this generation has erased much of the stigma that once prevented people from openly discussing ways to improve your mental health.
This was true before COVID-19, but the pandemic has only put into greater relief how important it is to feel good day today. If you’d like to improve your mental health, maybe taking one of these approaches will help.
Medical Cannabis
More Canadians every year are taking medical cannabis to treat a range of conditions and symptoms. You don’t need to worry about how to qualify for medical cannabis in Canada because there are few barriers in place — talk to your healthcare practitioner and have them sign a medical document.
Don’t confuse getting marijuana from a dispensary with medical cannabis. The law prevents dispensaries from giving out medical advice, and cannabis-trained pharmacists have specialized knowledge about the human body and mind that complements their knowledge about cannabis products, cultivars, and dosage levels.
Authorizing the most suitable medical cannabis product requires a holistic approach. Only take cannabis after consulting with your doctor or healthcare professional to help improve your mental health .
Exercise
Physical exercise makes you feel better, and it doesn’t need to be a gruelling or intense workout. Going for a walk in the morning or evening can do wonders for your soul as you take in the fresh air, sights outside of your home and move the body around.
Even stretching or an activity like yoga can be low intensity with a high mental payoff if you do it consistently and let your mind wander.
Music
Somewhere out there is a song that suits whatever mood you’re in. “Misery loves company” can also refer to the consolation power that emotional, sad songs can provide to people feeling down and improve your mental health.
Music is quite literally soundwaves reverberating through the room you’re in, and they have mood-altering powers depending on the sounds you play. Whether it’s new music you’re exploring or old favourites you’re digging up, tunes can elevate how you feel in a deep and sometimes lasting way.
Playing an instrument offers another dimension to soul nourishment because you’re hearing and creating the sounds. Look for free lessons online if you’re like to finally learn or use digital resources to sharpen your skills.
Literature
Unlike movies and TV, literature is millennia old, so authors have been at this art for a long time. Somewhere in the stack of books in the library is a best friend you may not know is there.
Whether you want a timeless high-art Russian classic that speaks to universal issues or something more modern and directly relatable to this society, the choice is yours. There are countless types of novels out there, and many are bound to make you feel better.
Some ways to improve your mental health can be dealt with alone because they’re relatively small, while you may need clinical assistance to address something more substantial. Hopefully, the above options will help you, especially when used with the guidance of professionals.
