By Chioma Obinna

Undoubetdly, people who are emotionally healthy are in control of their emotions and their behaviour. They are able to handle life’s inevitable challenges, build strong relationships, and lead productive, fulfilling lives. When the unexpected things happen, they are able to bounce back and move on.

Unfortunately, studies have found that too many people take their mental and emotional health for granted – focusing on it only when they develop problems. But just as it requires effort to build or maintain physical health, so it is with mental and emotional health.

•Keeping healthy emotionally and physically will help you develop a happy productive life. To get the most mental health benefits, aim for 30 minutes or more of exercise per day.

The more time and energy you invest in your emotional health, the stronger it will be. The good news is that experts say there are many things you can do to boost your mood, build resilience, and get more enjoyment out of life.

Mental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties.

Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Rather, than the absence of mental illness, mental and emotional health refers to the presence of positive characteristics.

Similarly, not feeling bad is not the same as feeling good. While some people may not have negative feelings, they still need to do things that make them feel positive in order to achieve mental and emotional health.

Many studies have found that people who are mentally and emotionally healthy have a sense of contentment, a zest for living and the ability to laugh and have fun.

They also have the ability to deal with stress and bounce back from adversity, a sense of meaning and purpose, in both their activities and their relationships.

Others are the flexibility to learn new things and adapt to change, a balance between work and play, rest and activity, etc, the ability to build and maintain fulfilling relationships and self-confidence and high self-esteem.

These positive characteristics of mental and emotional health allow you to participate in life to the fullest extent possible through productive, meaningful activities and strong relationships.

We all go through disappointments, loss, and change. But while these are normal parts of life, they can still cause sadness, anxiety, and stress. The difference is that people with good emotional health have an ability to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress.

This ability is called resilience. To build your resilience involves maintaining flexibility and balance in your life as you deal with stressful circumstances and traumatic events.

This happens in several ways, including: Letting yourself experience strong emotions, and also realising when you may need to avoid experiencing them at times in order to continue functioning.

Stepping forward and taking action to deal with your problems and meet the demands of daily living, and also stepping back to rest and reenergise yourself, spending time with loved ones to gain support and encouragement, and also nurturing yourself and relying on others, and also relying on yourself.

Taking care of your body is a powerful first step towards mental and emotional health. The mind and the body are linked. When you improve your physical health, you will automatically experience greater mental and emotional well-being.

For example, exercise not only strengthen our heart and lungs, but also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals that energise us and lift our mood. The activities you engage in and the daily choices you make affect the way you feel physically and emotionally.

There is need to get enough rest and getting enough sleep. Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep each night in order to function optimally.

Exercise is a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety, and depression. Look for small ways to add activity to your day, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going on a short walk.

Get a dose of sunlight every day. Sunlight lifts your mood, so try to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of sun per day. Limit alcohol and avoid cigarettes and other drugs.