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We’ve said it time and time again: meditation is good for your mental and emotional health. An integral facet of relaxation training, which is used to treat anxiety, obsessive thoughts, OCD, phobias, and maladaptive behaviors, meditation in and of itself can be greatly beneficial.

Just in case you needed reminding, meditation helps relieve your stress, facilitates better sleep, reduces muscle tension and body pain, reduces blood pressure, boosts your immune system, deals with your worries and anxieties, clears your mind, increases positive emotions, and promotes greater focus, awareness, and emotional control.

Millions of people from all over the world attest to how practicing meditation daily has changed their lives for the better, so why not do the same? Set aside 10-20 minutes a day to meditate and sit in tranquil silence. Find a comfortable, safe space, be it in your room or on your bed, and set your timer. From the moment it starts ticking to the moment it stops, try to think about nothing but your breathing. Work on identifying your emotions and releasing all the negativity you feel. Find some peace of mind, and when you’re done, go on about your day with a better, more rational mindset.

If you feel that sitting in silence for a few minutes a day and doing seemingly nothing is really not for you, then nature therapy is a good alternative you can try. Nature therapy (sometimes also known as “ecotherapy”) is all about reconnecting with Mother Nature. It is founded on the belief that all human beings are a part of the circle of life here on Earth and that our souls all yearn to be at peace with our natural environments.

Doesn't it feel good to go outside, breathe in the fresh air and bask in the sunshine? Don't you feel a certain serenity wash over you when you enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors? In the modern age of technology where humans have become more urbanized and screen-driven than ever, nature therapy provides a calming, therapeutic effect because it reminds us of our place in the natural world. Practicing nature therapy can give you a sense of balance and harmony in your life.

So make time in your busy schedule to spend a day at the beach, go camping in the woods, or take a weekend trip to the lake house or golf course. Leave behind all your worries and stresses for the day, and your emotional and mental wellbeing will be all the better for it.

On the other hand, even if you live in a bustling city and work a strenuous job you just can’t leave behind, you can still find the beauty in nature in small ways—like going for a walk in the park or tending to your garden. Anything that gets you outdoors and brings a sense of purpose to your experience is already nature therapy in and of itself.

Similar to nature therapy, stargazing has also been found to be very therapeutic to our mental health, perhaps because it satisfies our innate human need for connection and meaning in life. Looking up at the vastness and beauty of the inky, black night sky and its twinkling stars reminds us that we are not alone in the Universe; we are all living on the same cosmic plane, under the same beautiful sky.

Even the ancient Greeks as early as 750 B.C. gazed up at the stars and looked to the night sky for guidance. When it's just you and the stars, time seems to stand still. You'll find that your thoughts tend to clear and your connection with the world around you strengthens. It can make you feel imaginative, inspired; or calm, hopeful, and at peace with yourself and the world.

With that said, it’s important that you go out on your roof or look out your balcony window every once in a while to marvel at the night sky, because it can do a lot to help you find peace in your life and give you a new perspective. It helps you slow down and contemplate the greater meaning of life. When you’re with others, it also provides the ideal ambiance for having deep, meaningful conversations and making great memories.

Another way you can improve your life—and perhaps the most obvious of all the ones listed here—is by becoming more physically active. For those of you out there already rolling your eyes and hating the thought, I implore you to listen: you don’t have to go to the gym every day, but regularly engaging in exercise and making sure you work up a sweat every other day or so will do wonders for your physical, mental, and emotional health. This is especially important if you work a desk job or have a sedentary lifestyle.

Some alternatives to working out at the gym include: jogging, biking, swimming, dancing, boxing, hot yoga, wall climbing, horse riding, gymnastics, or playing a sport like basketball, football, soccer, badminton, tennis, volleyball, field hockey, or even fencing. There are so many ways you can get active and take care of your body; choosing the right one for you is a matter of what you enjoy and whether you’d like to develop your stamina, strength, flexibility, or coordination.

We all know that exercise is good for you, because it keeps your muscles working, burns calories, and allows you to release toxins from your body in the form of sweat. Exercise also releases endorphins in our brain, which creates positive feelings and helps us feel less pain. It also relieves feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as promoting muscle growth and bone strength. It boosts your energy, clears your skin, and minimizes the risk of chronic illness. It's also been shown to help you relax more and sleep better, which brings us to our next point.

Getting a good night's sleep does a lot to improve a person's overall functioning. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night, but the quality of sleep that they're getting matters too. Sleep promotes better heart health and better blood flow. It reduces stress, makes you more energized and alert, improves your memory, facilitates weight loss, enhances the collagen in your skin, and allows your body and your organs to repair themselves.

Conversely, not getting the needed amount or quality of sleep on a regular basis puts a person more at risk of developing depression, heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers. It weakens your immune system, impairs your cognitive functions (i.e., memory, decision-making, reasoning, problem-solving), promotes wrinkles, and lowers your metabolism. So it’s not hard to see why you need to make sure your body is getting the amount and quality of sleep that it deserves.

You can do this is by improving your sleep hygiene. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day to regulate your body clock. Resist the urge to sleep in and stick to a strict sleep schedule. It's also good to have a nightly routine of things to do before you go to bed, like reading, brushing your teeth, or listening to music. Put your phone away and don't look at any electronic screens for at least 1 hour before you go to bed, because it makes it more difficult for you to fall asleep. For the same reason, avoid drinking any caffeinated drinks like coffee or soda 3 hours before bed and take naps only between 11 AM to 3 PM for no more than one hour.

Finally, another way you can take better care of your mental and emotional wellbeing is by eating healthier and having a well-balanced diet. Observing proper nutrition helps a person lose weight, regulates their metabolism, fights against chronic disease, keeps their heart healthy, strengthens their bones and teeth, improves their memory, and puts them in a more positive and energized mood.

Still, in spite of all these benefits, many of us still find it difficult to eat healthier because of our cravings for pizza, burgers, donuts, soda, chocolate, cookies, and candy. While these foods may be delicious and addictive, they are also low in nutritional value and negatively impact our health. The first step towards change may be the hardest, but over time, it’ll get easier and easier to do, and your body will thank you immensely for taking care of it.

Some tips to help you start eating healthier are: drink herbal tea instead of soft drinks or juice; have at least one day a week where you don't eat meat; gradually quit eating fast food; eat fresh fruits when you're craving sugar or candy; avoid food that's high in saturated fat (like pizza and burgers) or processed sugar (like milkshakes and ice cream). A nutritious diet is one of the foundations of good health—physically, mentally, and emotionally speaking—so make sure you take good care of yourself by following these tips.