Improving Mental Health: An Expert’s Top Tips

Dr. Imran Shakir

Mental health is the cornerstone of overall well-being, yet it’s often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily life. In a world where stressors seem to multiply by the minute, taking proactive steps to nurture your mental health has never been more crucial.

Whether it’s managing anxiety, boosting resilience, or simply finding a sense of balance, small, intentional changes can have a profound impact on your mental state. In this article, Dr. Imran Shakir, psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer for Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital, shares practical and effective strategies to enhance your mental health, empowering you to lead a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Understanding the Clinical Nature of Mental Health Concerns

There is a distinction between everyday mental health struggles and clinical concerns. For example, while many Americans experience anxiety, the key difference between normal anxiety and clinical anxiety lies in how it impacts daily functioning.

“We're all very generally productive creatures. We put a lot on ourselves, expectations. We have a lot of responsibilities,” states Dr. Shakir. “As we go through our day, oftentimes our mental health is something that routinely affects our function and well-being. I can't imagine there's anyone that can say, ‘I don't have anxiety’ or ‘I've never experienced that.’ I imagine that the vast majority of us are dealing with this in a healthy way, or oftentimes what's going on is we're not even conscious of it.”

Research suggests that anxiety and depression may be two ends of the same spectrum, as they often co-occur, with up to 85% of individuals with anxiety also experiencing depression. Their treatment approaches are also highly similar, with overlapping medications and therapeutic methods used for both conditions.

The key distinction between normal anxiety or sadness and a clinical disorder lies in function—how these feelings impact daily life. Normal anxiety, like nervousness before a test or encountering a threat, can be protective and motivating. However, when anxiety or depression begins to interfere with essential activities, such as work, school, or social interactions, it may indicate a disorder.

For instance, anxiety leading to missed work or school, or depression causing isolation or loss of interest in once-loved activities, reflects a significant impact on function. These changes often develop gradually, and while the individual may not notice, those around them frequently observe the shift.

The Close Connection Between Physical and Mental Health

Physical and mental health are deeply interconnected. Exercise boosts mental health by naturally releasing the same neurochemicals targeted by therapy and medications. Additionally, emerging research highlights the gut-brain connection, showing how gut microbes influence mental health. Specific imbalances in gut flora have been linked to anxiety and depression, emphasizing the role of diet and nutrition in maintaining mental well-being.

Sleep is also incredibly important.

“One of the most common presenting symptoms is changes in sleep, alongside changes in appetite and biological functions becoming affected by mental illness,” urges Dr. Shakir.  “Sleep should probably be one of the top three priorities for someone who is getting into treatment. It starts to pay dividends.”

Sleep needs vary from person to person, but building healthy sleep habits is essential for everyone. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has proven more effective for improving sleep quality and onset than most sleep aids, emphasizing the importance of mindset and intentional strategies for better sleep.

Key tips include limiting screen time before bed, as blue light disrupts melatonin production, avoiding caffeine, and reserving the bed solely for sleep to train the brain to associate it with rest rather than work. Engaging with a professional can help address chronic sleep issues and develop sustainable sleep routines.

Mindfulness: An Effective Strategy

Mindfulness is a simple yet powerful practice centered on gaining insight by looking inward. It involves consciously acknowledging and exploring your emotions, such as starting your day by identifying how you feel and why. By bringing emotions from the unconscious to the conscious mind—like recognizing that anxiety stems from a past negative interaction—you can better process and address those feelings. This intentional self-awareness can profoundly improve emotional well-being.

“It's really as simple as waking up, doing an inventory of our emotions, processing those emotions, putting meaning to them,” notes Dr. Shakir. “It takes seconds, but it takes practice. It takes a purposeful and calculated approach. This is something that is not going to come natural to anyone. But, if we do it, I can't tell you any advice I can give to anybody that could potentially be more powerful than that.”

Simultaneously Raising Awareness and Reducing the Stigma of Mental Health Issues

Reducing the stigma around mental health involves recognizing it as a legitimate, biological issue, just like any physical illness. Unlike physical conditions, mental health struggles are often misunderstood, with many believing they should simply "think" their way out of them. This perspective dismisses the neurochemical and biological nature of mental illnesses like anxiety or depression.

Breaking down this stigma encourages people to seek help when their mental health significantly impacts their daily functioning. With increased awareness and acknowledgment of the mental health crisis, society is beginning to treat mental health with the seriousness it deserves, recognizing its significant personal and societal costs.

“In mental health, I know everybody on this side of the table, all the psychiatrists, therapists, mental health workers, we've known we've had a crisis in this country long before it's become chic or in the media,” Dr. Shakir said. “It's nice to see that mental health is being elevated and being taken more seriously.”