Mental health is an incredibly important aspect of our overall well-being, yet it’s often overlooked or pushed away. It’s vital that we all work to remove the stigma around seeking help and talk openly about this topic because it affects every single one of us!

There’s no shame in struggling with mental health and there is no need to be embarrassed when seeking support. Mental health has a huge impact on our lives! According to the CDC, it “includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.” In other words, when the mind feels out of sorts, everything can feel out of whack.

This being said, it’s sometimes hard to tell when mental health is waning due to situational stress or if there’s a bigger issue at hand. If you are unsure, it’s never a bad idea to reach out for help. Therapy is a great place to begin! If you believe you are struggling with mental health due to a temporary period in your life, then, along with therapy, there are other ways to take care of yourself. The list below was created with the intention of offering tools for caring for mental health. It is a supplement to therapy and other healing modalities. It is not a substitute for medical advice or professional medical care. These are tools, not cures. Please use what serves you and leave the rest, but when in doubt, always consult with a professional!

5 Habits for Mental Health

Get 7+ hours of sleep a night

Getting enough sleep every night can significantly impact your health. It has been found that sleep helps to maintain cognitive skills, which include attention, learning, and memory. Consistent inadequate sleep has been shown to directly and negatively impact mental health. Additionally, without enough sleep, coping with minor stressors can negatively affect our ability to properly perceive the world.

One way to ensure that you get enough sleep at night is by putting your phone away an hour before bed. Although this method can be challenging and the idea of “unplugging” can even be daunting at times, it allows your body to relax. It has been found that the blue light from electronic screens suppresses the production of melatonin, one of the hormones that control your sleep cycle. Being exposed to blue light right before bed not only makes it harder to fall asleep, but it can make it harder to wake up as well.

Checking notifications on your phone or perusing Twitter or Instagram can increase cortisol levels (stress hormones). Even if the content isn't triggering, the act of scrolling tells the brain that it should be awake. Limiting scrolling to daytime hours and not right before bedtime can help to improve sleep and mental health.

2. Get sunlight in the morning ASAP

Extensive research validates and explains the benefits of getting sunlight first thing in the morning. Sunlight helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm (sleep schedule). Waking up with the sun sets our internal clock, which makes it easier to fall asleep in the evening. However, getting sunlight in the morning isn’t just about tending to sleep health. Natural light lowers the production of cortisol, the stress hormone that makes a huge impact on the body and mental health. Sunlight helps to regulate this hormone that is often out of control and over-producing. Moreover, Sunlight activates serotonin (the happy hormone we all want), which plays a significant role in our overall well-being. In addition to lowering cortisol, and increasing serotonin, sunlight boosts Vitamin D levels. The production of vitamin D is vital for mental health, especially when it comes to warding off seasonal depression.

If natural light is not something that you have easy access to, there are lights called sun lamps, which mimic the sun and allow individuals to feel the benefits without walking outside. According to MedicineNet, for a sun lamp to be effective, it should have at least 2,500 lux. Lamps are not a substitute for natural sunlight, but they are still beneficial, especially for those who don’t have access to easy light in the morning or live in a cloudy place.

Either way, whether you’re getting light from the sun or a lamp, giving yourself 5 minutes of light therapy in the morning can improve your mental health. Sunlight helps keep a healthy mind. Find a way to get outside or use a sunlamp in the morning to reap the benefits and support your health.

3. Move every day

By prioritizing exercise and movement in your day-to-day life you not only prioritize your mental health but also your physical health. Most of us know that movement is important, but how exactly does it relate to the mind? An article by Harvard Medical School explains that exercise can help reduce the brain's “fight or flight” response which creates stress in the body and can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles. The study showed that for someone with ADHD, 20 minutes of cycling can temporarily help their symptoms. This is just one of many articles that observe how physical movement affects the brain. In short, the research is clear and extensive: The mind and body are deeply connected and strongly influence how the other feels and responds.

So, when it comes to taking care of mental health, physical movement is a must. However, when you work full-time, take care of a family, and/or have a lot going on in your life, planning when to get movement in your day can feel overwhelming. Not to fret! Movement can come in many shapes and forms and does not mean that you need to go on a 6-mile run every day...or ever. Little movement breaks throughout the day can make a big difference. You might try taking a 15-minute walk on your lunch break, doing a few stretches at your desk every hour, or trying a quick YouTube workout.

A pro tip when it comes to movement is to do something that you enjoy! When you enjoy the movement you are doing then it feels less like a chore and more like something you want to do. If you don’t know what you like, trying new things is also a good way to improve mental health. Plus, trying something new is also good for mental health. It’s a win-win. Movement is also one of the fastest ways to get yourself out of a funk. You don’t need research to tell you it’s good for you. Try it for yourself and see how it feels. It may be challenging at first, but we almost always feel better after we’ve moved our bodies. Find a way you love to move, commit to it, and watch how your mental health benefits from your physical routine.

4. Choose a daily self care habit

Self-care. What a buzz word! I know, I get frustrated with the term, too. But here’s the thing: when we do something small for ourselves daily, those little things make a big difference. The key word in this tip is “habit”. Self-care is not about taking a bath one time and calling it good. It’s about continuously, regularly, doing something in honor of your well-being – every day. What kind of self-care you practice can change as there are many types of self-care habits. When thinking about self-care, it is an act that helps to ground us and bring us back to what is truly important. Sometimes, that’s meditating, journaling, or reading. Other times, it’s watching a favorite show on Netflix. Again, you don’t have to do the same practice every day. Rather than thinking you have to take a bath every day, ask yourself what would it feel like to make a habit of doing one thing every day that feels good for your well-being.

The repetition of habits strengthens the pathways associated with them, meaning that those habits become integrated into our day-to-day functioning. Practicing positive self-care habits daily leads to self-love. Doing things we love brings us joy. When we make self-care and doing things we love a priority, we are re-wiring our brain towards gratitude, happiness, and positive mental health. Retreats and the occasional spa day are nice. However, it’s when we make self-care a daily habit that we really begin to see an improvement in our well-being.

5. Stay connected with family and friends

Connection is one of the best ways to maintain your mental health. According to the World Economic Forum, when individuals feel a sense of loneliness or isolation for extended periods of time, their brains and bodies are negatively affected. Additionally, these feelings can create lasting effects on the body that lead to disease. That’s right. Isolation actually weakens the immune system and creates physical health concerns. Connection is necessary for life. An article produced by the Agape Treatment Center found that 71% of individuals go to friends and family for support when they are feeling a sense of overwhelm and stress. This only solidifies humans' natural desire for social connection. Without support from fellow humans, it is clear why people may find themselves in a darker place.

We can support our mental health by checking in with a friend, venting about our stressors to a safe person, and/or reaching out to a therapist. Even a five-minute conversation can boost a mood. Phone calls are great, but in person connection is better! Making plans once a week, or every two weeks with friends and/or family helps to maintain relationships and keeps our sense of connection strong. Everybody needs different levels of connection and interaction, but “no man is an island.” We all need other people to remain fulfilled. Whether it’s meeting for a coffee, going for a walk, or having a movie night, there are many ways to spend time with others. What you do isn’t as important as how often you do it and with whom. Make space in your life to connect with those people in your life who care about you and make you feel seen and safe. Healthy connection with others helps support a healthy connection with ourselves, which in turn leads to a healthy mind overall!

Mental health is not something that should be taken lightly. It is okay to have off days. You aren’t going to feel great all of the time, and we all struggle in some way to keep steady mentally. However, having outlets for yourself when you are feeling this way is important. As mentioned, sleep, sunlight, movement, healthy habits, and connection are crucial! However, what you need for your mental health may depend on the day. Sometimes shutting off your phone and going to bed early is the best form of self-care. Other times, going to a gathering with friends may be what you need. There is no wrong answer to what may work best for you. Give yourself the time to experiment and see what brings you joy and comfort. I hope these tips are helpful, but remember, if a good night’s sleep or a walk in the sun isn’t cutting it, reach out for help. There is no shame in therapy, and as someone who has been in therapy most of my life, I highly recommend it. Regardless of how you care for it, mental health deserves your attention. MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!

Sources:
https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-mental-health

https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

https://www.sclhealth.org/blog/2019/09/why-it-is-time-to-ditch-the-phone-before-bed/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/morning-sunlight-exposure-3973908

https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-light-benefits#benefits

https://www.everydayhealth.com/self-care/

https://www.agapetc.com/why-connection-is-so-important-for-mental-health/