There are a lot of factors that go into being emotionally healthy. Some, you cannot control, like genetics. Other factors, such as your work environment, may be difficult to change in the short term. Luckily, there are many variables that are under your control that can be worked on immediately. The following are three of the most important building blocks to achieve optimal emotional health. If you are looking at a pyramid of mental health, these are the foundation.  If you aren’t focusing on these three factors you likely aren’t as healthy as you can be. I call them the Healthy Trinity.

Exercise

Exercise is step one of the Trinity. If you are not living at least a semi-active lifestyle you have a problem. You might be thinking, why is physical exercise needed for mental health? Numerous studies have shown that exercise is linked to improved mood, lowered anxiety, and overall good mental health outcomes. In addition, if you are in shape, and feel good about how you look, you also will feel better about yourself. We have all had moments where we hate ourselves for being inactive. This doesn’t mean you have to join a gym and work out every day for an hour (although that would be great). It just means that you need to start moving. By now, you probably have all heard about the research that found that a sedentary lifestyle is associated with earlier mortality rates. That is right, sitting=death. So, if you don’t exercise at all, start walking. Get one of those fitness trackers and keep track of your steps. Your phone even has apps that will do that for you. Recent research suggests that walking in nature is even better for your emotional health than just walking down the block in your suburban neighborhood. So, find a park and take a walk. Even if you live in a city or the suburbs, there is likely a park nearby. I have lived outside of four major cities in my life and have always been able to find a park with hiking trails within a half hour of where I lived. Some people may say, “I have no time to even walk for a half hour”. The truth is, no matter how busy our lives are, we always carve out time for those things that are valuable to us. You manage to watch The Voice every week but you cant find time to exercise? It is just a matter of priorities.

Eating Healthy

We are what we eat. That is a saying we have heard a million times. Americans, in general, eat very poorly. Let’s face it, food that is unhealthy is often delicious. Who doesn’t crave some ice cream or a donut every once in a while? Eating food that we know is unhealthy is okay from time to time. The key is to not overdo it. The problem is that many people eat unhealthy most of the time. America has a higher percentage of obesity than any other civilized country in the world. Most obese people dislike themselves for being obese. This is because Americans idealize people that are physically fit. Even though obesity is common in America, overweight people continue to be ostracized. It is hard to feel good about yourself when you don’t fit within societal norms. Being overweight is also associated with health problems, such as stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Have you ever tried to remain positive when you have an underlying health problem? It is very difficult. The key to reduce obesity is to eat smaller portions and to eat less sugar and saturated fat. Exercise is important but nothing is going to help you lose weight like a healthy diet. Try cutting out soda from your diet. I bet you lose at least 5 pounds. Did you know that unrefined carbohydrates turn to sugar in your body? When you eat white rice and white bread you are actually eating sugar. You might as well just take a few spoonfuls of sugar and eat them instead. Not only is sugar bad for the body, it is bad for your mood. Ever come down off a sugar high? You feel depressed. Sugar affects your insulin levels which, in turn, affects your mood. Also, we eat way more food than is necessary. Have you ever been to a big chain restaurant? Their portions are about two to four times larger than the recommended serving size. I often hear people complain that it costs more to eat healthy. While this can be true, there are more affordable healthy options than ever before. Organic food is widely available and competition is bringing down the prices. Even fast food is starting to provide healthier alternatives. Sometimes it is just a matter of some simple choices. If you go to a restaurant and get a salad, don’t ruin it by putting blue cheese dressing on it. When you get that Chipotle Burrito, leave off the shredded cheese and sour cream. Instead of having 3 beers, have two. The Mind-Body connection is real. Healthy body=healthy mind.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is the most important thing you can do for your emotional health. What is a good night’s sleep? Adults should strive to get at least 7 hours on average. Six hours isn’t too bad. We all have bad nights but if we are regularly getting 7 hours of sleep each night we are going to optimize our mood and cognitive functioning. Perform an experiment for yourself. Get a good night’s sleep and pay attention to your mood the next day. I bet it is pretty near optimum. Now, get only 4 hours a sleep and monitor your mood. No matter what good things happen the next day you will not feel as good as you would have if you had gotten a full night’s sleep. You will likely be more irritable and unable to concentrate at your normal level. The scary part is that many Americans do not regularly get enough sleep. Four hours of sleep is the norm for some people. These people may not even realize that they could be feeling better with some more sleep. Some people feel like they have too much to do to sleep 7 hours. Others try to sleep for 7 hours but they either have difficulty falling asleep or their sleep gets interrupted. Proper sleep hygiene is essential for positive emotional health. A lack of sleep can cause irritability and anger; it also makes you less likely to successfully deal with stress. In addition, sleep-deprived people are less likely to exercise and eat healthfully. Finally, research has shown links between chronic sleepiness and depression. People tend to think that sleep is a luxury that they can take or leave at their leisure. Wrong. Sleep can dictate your mood and cognitive function and needs to be a top priority. Make sleep happen!