Ways to Improve Mental Health: 15 Tips to Get You Started

Mental health refers to the state of your emotional and psychological well-being. It can fluctuate from good to poor and impacts the way you think, feel, and relate to others, as well as the choices you make in your daily life. The status of your mental health influences the way you handle stress and deal with challenges and setbacks.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. – Philippians 4:8, NIV

Good mental health is important because of the crucial role mental health plays in determining the quality of your life. It is what enables you to be resilient, bounce back from adversity, and maintain a positive outlook. A mentally healthy individual can cope with the day-to-day stresses of life, have positive interactions with others, work productively to accomplish his or her goals and maintain a sense of contentment and well-being despite his or her circumstances.

15 ways to improve mental health

The following are 15 mental health tips to get you started. Incorporate them into your daily schedule and practice them consistently until they become habits. This can improve your mental health and better equip you to handle stressful situations when they come your way.

Maintain strong connections with other people

Good mental health requires contact with other people. You were created to be a social being with an emotional need for positive connections with others to feel and function at your best. Quality face-to-face time with friends and family contributes to a sense of well-being and helps build feelings of belonging and self-worth.

Stay physically active

Physical activity has a major impact on both mental and emotional health. It stimulates the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones shown to reduce stress, improve your mood, and help you sleep better.

Regular exercise can also give you a feeling of accomplishment that enhances your sense of well-being. Working out doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or participating in a sport. Things like taking a walk, gardening, dancing around the house, playing Frisbee with your dog, and/or scrubbing the floor count as well.

Set realistic goals

Setting and achieving goals provides a sense of accomplishment and helps boost your self-esteem. Try turning problems into challenges and then working to meet them one step at a time. Prioritizing your tasks and doing them one at a time instead of trying to juggle them or multitask will help you stay centered, decrease stress, and improve your mood by helping you focus on the positives even when negative things seem overwhelming.

Take time to relax and do things you enjoy

Regularly engaging in activities that you enjoy can help you maintain good mental health. Take time during your day to relax and listen to music, read a book, have coffee with a friend, or take a nap. Try to also spend at least 30 to 60 minutes outdoors each day enjoying God’s creation. Sunshine is a natural source of vitamin D and has been shown to counteract depression and boost your mood.

Cut back on social media

Setting limits or even taking days off from social media can have a positive effect on your mental health. Studies have shown that media breaks tend to improve people’s sense of well-being, as well as reduce symptoms of depression, loneliness, and anxiety.

Learn how to understand and manage your feelings

Recognizing your feelings and accepting them as feelings, not facts, will enhance your ability to manage stress and balance your moods. So will sharing your struggles with a trusted, supportive friend or family member who is a good listener and who will not judge or criticize you. Talking about your feelings can help you cope better in difficult times, and perhaps see things from a different perspective.

Identify and use your strengths and talents

Learn how to identify your strengths and talents and find things to do that challenge your creativity and make you feel more productive – whether they are things you get paid for or not. Look for ways you can use your strengths, talent, and creativity to benefit others or contribute to your community.

Helping others does not only boost self-esteem and feelings of well-being, but doing volunteer work can also enrich your life, increase your sense of connectedness, and provide you with purpose and the happy feelings that come from feeling needed. Purpose adds meaning to life, keeps you motivated, and gives you something to look forward to when you get out of bed in the morning.

Be kind

Being kind can lift another person’s spirit and make you feel better about yourself as well.

Practice mindfulness

Rather than letting your mind wander and distract you from what’s happening now, learn to live in the moment and focus on what’s happening around you right where you’re at.

A good way to quiet a racing mind is by grounding yourself and engaging your five senses to reconnect with where you are at this moment in time. For example, look for five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, and anything you can taste or smell.

Focusing on the positives in your life

Make a list of things you are grateful for – big or small – and replay them in your mind. Focusing on things you appreciate and are thankful for will fill your brain with positive thoughts rather than negative ones and will retrain it to look for good in each circumstance even during trying times.

Journal

Writing things down enhances your ability to process information and work through difficult events. Jotting down your feelings has been proven to benefit your mental health. It is a good way to keep track of your moods, worries, and fears, and helps you identify triggers and patterns of behavior. Journaling about things you are grateful for can help boost your mood and increase your feelings of well-being,

Learn how to deal with stress

Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness, and progressive muscle relaxation can slow down your breathing, lower your blood pressure, reduce muscle tension, decrease stress, and bring you back to a state of balance. It is also important to learn how to set healthy boundaries. Knowing when to say no can reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and boost feelings of well-being.

Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated

Eating nutrient-rich foods and drinking plenty of water can have a positive impact on your mental health by improving your energy and focus throughout the day. Make sure to include brain-healthy choices in your snacks or meals such as blueberries, leafy greens, nuts, and foods rich in omega-3s.

Get adequate sleep

You were not created by God to run yourself ragged and burn yourself out. Even God rested (Genesis 2:1-3). Sleep plays an essential role in mental health. Your body and mind need it to recharge and restore themselves. Stick to a regular sleep schedule and aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Look for the humor in things

Learn to enjoy life and see the humor in things. Look for something to smile or laugh about every day. Laughter can help you see things in a different light and is a great way to reduce stress.

Research indicates that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body, and calm your mind. The Bible informs us about the benefits of a happy heart. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22, NIV

If you have questions about this article on ways to improve mental health or would like to set up an appointment to meet with one of our faith-based counselors, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.