 Do you find yourself not only physically exhausted, but also emotionally drained before bedtime? There can be quite a few reasons for this, especially with regard to your mental health. Think of your emotional and psychological wellbeing like a garden. It needs regular nurturing in order to properly grow. Sometimes we forget to water the plants in the garden. The more we forget, the harder it is for our garden to grow. We can pick up bad habits and negative routines that initially feel harmless, but over time can fester on the inside. So with that said, here are five things you didn't know affect your mental health. 1. Consistent negative self-talk Do you think of yourself as a positive person? Maybe you try your best to encourage a friend when they're feeling down. By comparison, it's likely that you may not be as kind to yourself. Does this sound familiar? There's an old adage that says, you are your own horse critic. We tend to be the toughest on ourselves and far more forgiving of others. Negative self-talk comes from many different sources. Perhaps you're spending too much time alone. Or maybe you're hanging around too many negative people. Either way, the bad thoughts can be overwhelming. Negative self-talk can sometimes be such a normal part of your daily life that you may not even realize you're doing it. Does this get pointed out to you by others? The more you do it, the more harmful your thoughts can become. It may be hard sometimes to find something you like about yourself. But chances are, there's at least one or two things you can think of. Two positive things can become three, and three can become four, and so on. 2. Lack of exercise You may be feeling like getting out there and exercising again. Physical exercise has been proven to help with controlling weight and can help against health conditions and diseases. It's also proven to help with your mental health by boosting your self-esteem. Do you feel happier when you're exercising? That's likely due to your brain releasing chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body, which is similar to the feeling of morphine. Another term for this is runner's high. If you're not exercising, it's very likely that you're not receiving enough endorphins. We could all use more happy-making endorphins, right? 3. Unfulfilling job It's definitely a great feeling when you have a steady income, but having money or not can often be a big stressor in our lives. Money in the bank on a consistent basis can definitely lower your anxiety, especially when the bills are paid and the rent is covered. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the physiological need for food and shelter is at the very bottom of the triangle. The second level is safety and security, which is what a job will ideally give you. But it's also important that you feel fulfilled by the work that you do. If you find yourself dreading going to work every day, where you're miserable for eight hours straight, perhaps a new job might be in order. You may not be in a position to look for a new job right now, and that's okay too. Just remember, if you feel stuck in your current situation, it doesn't have to be like that forever. It's important that we're able to take care of ourselves, but it's also important that we get fulfillment from the work that we do. Number four, over or under sleeping. Most of us enjoy sleeping. It's a great feeling when we get into our comfy pajamas and crawl under the covers, especially at the end of a long day. According to sleepfoundation.org, adults should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Some need more, some need less. If you're an early bird that loves catching worms, then oversleeping may be tough for you. Sleeping in later than usual may make you feel unproductive. If you tend to undersleep, your entire body usually feels it. When your body doesn't feel so great, your mind may not feel 100% either. You may struggle to get even the simplest of tasks accomplished because you're so fatigued. It's important to get the right amount of sleep in dreamland, so we can take on the next day with full force. If your body feels at 100% from being well rested, your mind will likely follow. 5. Your Living Space Are you often checking your phone for new places to rent or finding yourself overwhelmed by the high cost of living? You may be thankful for the roof over your head and a bed to sleep in, but everything else may not be up to your standards. You might think your apartment is too small or you may not have a nice couch or as big a TV as your neighbors. Your living space should feel like a place of warmth and comfort, a sanctuary. If you're not happy with where you live, this can affect your mood. It's perfectly normal to put your dirty dishes in the sink, but they can pile up quickly. If you're not happy with your home, the messes will pile up. Your mental health can also be viewed the same way. If you don't keep the dirty dishes in your mind clean and properly put away, the sink of your brain can become overcrowded. Maintaining your mental health is a full-time job. If only you got paid for it, right? It's important to keep track of how you're feeling and it's very easy to become overwhelmed by the chaos of life. Don't feel bad if you feel overwhelmed. It happens to the best of us. School, a job, student loans and bills are just a few of the things you're possibly dealing with on a daily basis. These are all important, of course, but it's also equally important to check in with yourself and not just wait for a friend to ask you how you're doing. Are you taking care of your own needs? If you do need help, reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. Can you relate to any of these points? Let us know in the comments and share this video with others who might be able to relate too. The studies and references used are listed in the description below. Until next time, take care and thanks for watching.