Mental hygiene can help you feel better and reduce stress.

 Brushing your teeth, using deodorant, and showering come to mind when most people think of hygiene. These are easy, regular habits that keep your body clean and hygienic.

A simple morning tune-up, however, can boost your head, according to mental health experts. Spending even 15 minutes a day on mental health hygiene can have a variety of advantages, ranging from improved mood and relationships to increased concentration and creativity.

Hui Qi Tong, PhD, a Stanford Medicine clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences who directs the Mindfulness Program at the Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine, said, "Mental health hygiene includes simple practises that improve our quality of life by preventing negative behaviours and providing emotional stability."

The National Committee for Mental Hygiene, devoted to avoiding mental illness via good practises, was created in 1909 by former psychiatric patient and mental health champion Clifford BeersOpens in a new window.

For certain individuals, mental health hygiene entails devoting a few minutes of their daily schedule to meditation, stretching, or walking, but Tong claims that any activity can qualify as far as you are paying close attention to what you're doing. Brushing your teeth, for example, can also become component of mental health hygiene if done deliberately.

"Mindfully brushing one's teeth is actually part of the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction program's home practise assignments," Tong explained. "In the programme, participants are taught to perform these seemingly insignificant, often missed activities on purpose, rather than on autopilot, as we usually do."

A cheerful mind is one that is concentrated.

According to studies, Americans spend about half of their waking hours mind-wandering, with their attention directed on something else instead of the work in front of them. "We're so often absent-minded," Tong explained, "and not actually mentally present with what we're doing."

Furthermore, research reveals that individuals report increased levels of enjoyment when they report focusing to a work at hand, even if it is a simple, repetitive one.

"This is why, especially for busy, highly accomplished people, paying attention to everyday routines may have such a large influence," Tong said. "We all want to do big things, but it's ironic that paying attention to the little things might help us get there."

Tong explained that having a pleasant, focused mind allows us to be more efficient and imaginative, as well as have better connections with others. Learning to focus doesn't have to include attending a month-long meditation retreat; you may begin practising mental health hygiene wherever you may be.

Take note of your five senses.

Tong suggests beginning with a single daily exercise. Cleaning your teeth is among the most popular activities among her students. "To begin, you simply make sure that everytime you clean your teeth, you stick with the activity of brushing," she said.

This means focusing on the many sensory stimuli connected with toothbrushing rather than planning your day or worrying over what your companion said at breakfast.

Tong advised, "Feel the sensation of the bristles against your gums and teeth." "Take note of the water's temperature and the toothpaste's flavour, as well as what your other hand is doing. 'Oh, I have no idea what my other hand is doing,' they frequently say when I ask my group members."

Tong says one of the best things about mindfulness is that it doesn't take up any more time: brushing your teeth takes the same two minutes whether you're paying close attention or not, and the same goes for mindful driving, mindful dining, and even mindful dishwashing.

"I used to despise doing the dishes," Tong admitted. "'It's your opportunity to be conscious,' my family will now joke. They are correct. I stand at the sink, washing each dish with care, and if my mind wanders, I just return it to the soap and water. If you're using a dishwasher, be as careful as possible when loading the bowls, plates, and utensils."

Developing a more relaxed mind

Although this exercise appears straightforward, Tong claims that maintaining prolonged concentration is really challenging, especially with several devices and distractions competing for our attention. According to a Microsoft-commissioned study from 2015, the average human attention span has shrunk from 12 seconds in 2002 to eight seconds in 2015.

Thankfully, research reveals that the brain is extremely flexible, according to Tong. "Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of our nervous system to modify how it functions and even how it is constructed."

Researchers at Harvard discovered decreased activity in and thinning of the amygdala — the brain area responsible for fear and stress responses — following eight weeks of a mindfulness-based stress reduction programme.

Tong explained, "The idea is that the brain is not fixed." "It is an organ of perception. So, if you practise anything like meditation, playing the piano, or exercising on a regular basis, you can modify your neurological system."

Tong begins her day off with 15 minutes of sitting meditation, accompanied by mild exercise such as Tai Chi or Qi Gong, which entails body-centered conscious motions that have been shown to improve physical and mental well-being.

She invites anybody intrigued by the concept of mental health hygiene to experiment with bringing attentive attention to various tasks to see what works best for them.

"People may be concerned that this is just another thing to do and wonder if it is worthwhile. However, these insignificant routines are already a part of our daily existence "Tong explained. "Isn't it true that we can't miss cooking, eating, or brushing our teeth? However, if you undertake these things mindfully, they can alter your experiences and how you interact to them, as well as provide long-term advantages."