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Make mental health and wellbeing your priority
Our thoughts affect our hearts. One of the tricks of the devil is putting negative thoughts in our minds.
In Islam, it’s not only imperative to take good care of your physical health, but to also focus on our mental health. It plays an important role in our well-being and it is integral to have a healthy and balanced life.
Religious scholars have also emphasised on the importance of preserving one’s mind as it is one of the key elements to be protected. A healthy mind is vital for one to carry out worldly and religious obligations.
Here are some ways we can all implement to strengthen our health and have a healthy mind!
1. Take care of your body
We might take it for granted, but being physically active is really important for your body and mind.
When we’re physically well, we tend to feel mentally well too - the two are definitely intertwined. There are many simple ways for us to start taking care of our own physical health, such as reducing screen time, establishing a good sleep routine and setting aside some time every week to exercise.
At the same, the benefits of a healthy diet cannot be overemphasised. On the other hand, eating foods that are not good for our body will adversely affect the way we feel. The foods we eat do affect the way our brain works. Are you feeling more tired, anxious or sad? Take a look at what you are eating, you might solve how you’re feeling by changing what you eat!
2. Make the Quran an integral part of your life
Make it a habit to read the Qur’an and memorise some of its verses. Tilawah (recitation) does the same thing as the process of learning; it enhances us psychologically and shapes us into a more God-conscious person.
3. Practise gratitude
Recognising what you are thankful for in life is not just good for your mind and heart, but also an act that is pleasing to Allah S.W.T.
“If you give thanks, I will give you more.” [14:7]
4. Remember Allah S.W.T.
As Muslims, we have this beautiful sunnah of saying Bismillah before doing anything - even the simplest tasks! Cultivating the habit of saying Bismillah before doing anything and praying to Allah S.W.T. to make it beneficial for us, is good for our heart and mind, especially when we are coping with stress!
Let’s try to make this a regular part of each day, and don’t forget that there’s a dua for everything!
5. Help others and you will help yourself
Being kind and generous is scientifically proven to be better for your mental and physical health.When we help others, Allah S.W.T. promises to help us in return.
Just imagine, is there any other source of help that is better to us than Allah S.W.T?
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA): That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden from the burdens of the world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens of the Hereafter. And whoever covers (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will cover (his faults) for him in the world and the Hereafter. And Allah is engaged in helping the worshipper as long as the worshipper is engaged in helping his brother.” (At-Tirmidhi)
Following the Sunnah of regular charity will not only make the world a better place, it will also improve your mental health.
6. Have faith in your own capability to get through
It’s beyond our control; we all go through overwhelming periods in our lives, whether they are related to work, money, health or family.
Always remember to make time to de-stress. In today’s world, we tend to define ‘productivity’ and ‘success’ in material terms but this is harmful to our mental health, as well as being untrue. Take a break, recharge and find something that makes you feel relaxed, for at least a few minutes a day.
Even if you feel like you have too much on your plate, you don’t because:
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.” [2:286]
Even when it feels like it’s almost too much, it is never more than you can bear.
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