How Do I Improve My Mental Health?

How Can I Improve My Mental Health?

Mental health needs to be prioritized at every age and stage of life. That said, many people are unclear on what mental health really means. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. A person’s mental health status impacts how they think, feel, and act. It also determines how they handle stress, relate to others, and or approach important life choices.

Millions of people struggle with their mental health, with the National Institute of Mental Health reporting that more than one in five adults in the United States (59.3 million) live with mental illness.

Still, you don’t need to have a diagnosable condition to start improving your mental health. Your mental health is also influenced by genetics and your past experiences. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can control using daily habits.

Positive Thinking

Our thoughts really can influence reality. Researchers at King’s College in London looked at the power of positive thinking using thought replacement for pathological worry in people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). After replacing worrying thoughts with alternative positive thoughts for one week, participants reported significant reductions in worry when researchers followed up one month later.

Additionally, a 2023 randomized trial published in Nature examined the effect of positive thinking on resilience and life satisfaction of 100 older adults and found that positive-thinking training improved these outcomes. 

Positive thinking doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Using positive thinking can take practice and intention. Some suggestions for getting started include:

• Repeating daily positive affirmations
• Rewording self-criticism with kinder words
• Visualizing peaceful or calming settings when tempted to take a “doom and gloom” outlook
• Focusing on positive thoughts to block anxious, worrying, or unpleasant thoughts

A study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward. The science behind this is that positive affirmations ignite the brain’s reward and valuation regions. If you feel discouraged easily, self-affirmations and positive thinking may restore self-confidence.

Regular Physical Activity

Fortifying the mind can truly start with the body, and certain types of exercises can help improve mental health. Harvard researchers released a study showing that choosing to either run for 15 minutes a day or walk for an hour a day reduces your risk for depression. According to the study, increasing physical activity to incorporate one of the two activities above created a 26% decrease in odds of becoming depressed.

Notably, researchers point out that exercise helps regulate stress hormone levels called cortisol while also signaling the release of feel-good neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and others.

Healthy Eating Habits

Overeating, eating out of boredom, eating a diet rich in processed foods, or skipping meals can all have detrimental effects on mental health. A 2020 study published in Oxford University’s Innovation in Aging journal found that skipping meals is associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in older adults and that people who skip meals are more likely to develop mood disorders. The School of Public Health at the University of Michigan also published a study on the topic that shows that the blood-sugar crash that occurs when skipping meals can lead to mood swings. Additionally, a person’s diet can directly impact their stress and anxiety levels.

Eating regular meals throughout the day to avoid mood dips is important for your mental health. However, overeating or indulging in unhealthy foods can also negatively impact mental health. A meta-analysis looking at ultra-processed food consumption and mental health published in Nutrients in 2022 found that greater ultra-processed food consumption is associated with increased odds of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Fortunately, practicing good eating habits along with consuming a healthy diet can boost your mental health. Research points to high consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes combined with moderate to occasional consumption of poultry, eggs, red meat, and dairy products being linked with reduced risk of depression. This is what we call the typical Mediterranean diet.

Getting Proper Sleep

Getting enough sleep is vital for protecting and improving your mental health. Unfortunately, studies have found that one in four people meet the diagnostic criteria for clinical insomnia.

Sleep is vital because it recharges and resets the brain. Poor sleep makes it harder to cope with even minor stress and regulate emotions. Insomnia and sleep deficiency have been linked to the onset of and worsening mental health problems, risk-taking behavior, depression, and suicide.  

The good news is that there are things that you can do to improve sleep.

• The first step is to aim for between 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. That might mean getting off social media earlier to meet your sleep goals.
• The next step is to have a calming, wind-down routine by including relaxing activities like bedtime yoga or reading into your routine.
• Finally, talk to your doctor if you are consistently not getting enough sleep despite practicing good sleep hygiene. They may want to refer you to a sleep specialist for further evaluation.

Set and Keep Goals

Goal setting is important for mental health because it encourages reflection. It can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself and your emotional needs. Goal setting also helps improve self-esteem and confidence when you achieve them.

It’s important to set SMART goals, which are goals that are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, “Practice bedtime yoga for 15 minutes every night for four weeks to improve sleep.”

Practice Gratitude

Studies have shown that practicing gratitude can reduce stress and improve mental health. People who count their blessings regularly tend to be less stressed and happier. Gratitude can also improve interpersonal relationships. It’s easy to practice gratitude. You can use an old-fashioned journal or a gratitude app on your phone. Simply write down all the things that you are grateful for. Include the small things. For gratitude practice to work, you must be consistent and practice daily.

Stay Connected

Human connection is extremely important for mental health, so it’s important to actively nurture your friendships and relationships. Connection prevents loneliness and subsequently lowers the risk of anxiety and depression. That’s because people in our social network are there for us during tough times and help us cope with difficult life events.

Why Is Mental Health Important?

Mental health matters because everyone deserves the chance to live life to its fullest potential, with positive mental health strongly linked with overall life satisfaction. Mental health can also impact physical health and lifespan.

Mood and mental health can also impact the health choices we make. Unaddressed mental health issues can increase your risks for substance use and addiction, as people may turn to alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs to cope.

When Should I Seek Professional Help for Mental Health?

Being proactive with mental health is important, but improving your diet and doing more physical activity won’t always be enough to improve your mental health worries.

Everyone needs tools to manage mental health in the face of daily stressors. The ways we think and act can influence mental health. However, more serious mental health issues often require therapy or other interventions.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or believe that you’re heading toward a crisis, it’s important to seek professional help. Common types of therapy include talk therapy, behavioral therapy, or medication management.

If you’re concerned that you’re experiencing a more acute mental health issue, structured inpatient and outpatient programs can provide you with dedicated care that can lead to proper diagnosis and treatment.