13 Ways to Boost Your Mental Health

We all face mental health challenges from time to time.  No one goes through life without experiencing stress, anxiety or sadness.  Those feelings are all part of the human experience.  And while those feelings typically aren’t serious enough to require professional intervention, they still aren’t pleasant!  That is why we need to have ways to boost our mental health when we just aren’t feeling our best.

Realize that in the same way that you can improve your physical health, you also can improve your mental health.  You have the power to improve your mental health simply by adopting good habits that promote good feelings and sound thinking.

Below are strategies that you can use to boost your mental health.  Try them, and see how much happier you can be!

Get the “Right” Amount of Sleep

None of us fare well when we don’t get the right amount of sleep.  If you don’t get enough sleep, you can’t think rationally.  As a result, inconsequential issues become a big deal to you.  You become grouchy.  You may even be the type of person who simply falls apart when you don’t get enough sleep.

Conversely, no one does well with too much sleep.  When we sleep too much, we feel sluggish.  And we feel unproductive because while we were sleeping, we lost half the day. 

So, getting the “right” amount of sleep is critical.  And what is that right amount?  Well, it depends on the person, but typically we need somewhere between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

To get that “right” amount of sleep, you need to develop good sleep habits.  That means going to sleep at the same time every night.  It also means avoiding the television or any other “screens” during the hour before bedtime. 

In addition, you can calm yourself before going to sleep by praying, meditating or reading something spiritually uplifting.  And be sure not to drink caffeine or alcohol before bed, since both can keep you from having a clear, relaxed mind. 

So, boost your mental health by using good sleep habits to get a great night’s sleep!       

Have a Daily Exercise Routine

Interestingly, physical exercise is good for our mental health.  When we exercise, our bodies release a chemical called endorphins which makes us feel good!  In addition, exercise makes our bodies look and feel better.  And when we look and feel good, we are more confident and happier.

But the key is not to simply exercise on occasion.  Rather, you have to exercise on a daily basis.  Admittedly, that may seem challenging when if you have a job and family responsibilities.

So, you it is critical to make exercise (and your mental and physical health) a priority.  That means scheduling exercise on your calendar like any other appointment. 

For instance, if you plan to go to the gym every day at 5:30 after work, keep that “appointment.”  And if someone needs you at that time, let them know that you have a pre-existing obligation.

Alternatively, fitting in exercise may mean getting up earlier or forgoing watching television in the evening.  I happen to get up an hour earlier each day to fit in exercise.  I’ll admit that on some mornings, I really would like to sleep in!  But my mental and physical health are important to me, so I get out of bed and exercise anyway. 

So, start taking care of your mental health by taking care of your physical health.  If you do, your body and brain will thank you!

Get Out in Nature

Over the years, I’ve lived in a variety of places, from major cities to the suburbs to the countryside.  And what I’ve learned is that places with abundant nature are the best for our mental health.  We aren’t meant to live in concrete jungles.  We are meant to commune with nature on a daily basis.

As soon as you are in nature, you’ll find that you can breathe more easily.  Your heart rate slows.  And you feel more peaceful.  Plants, grass, birds, and trees have a restorative effect on our brains.

So, no matter where you live, find ways to experience nature each day.  For example, if you live in the country, go for a long walk at lunchtime.  If you live in a city, visit the local park for your coffee break.  Find ways to incorporate nature into your daily life, and you will find yourself feeling more relaxed.

Have A Wise Confidant

The people I know who truly struggle with their mental health typically don’t have a confidant.  They don’t have someone with whom they can be honest about how they are feeling and what they are thinking.  And that kind of isolation is not good for our mental health. 

We all need a confidant to tell us when we engaging in wrong-headed thinking.  For example, for the last 20 years, I’ve had a very close friend who has been my wise confidant.  For the last two decades, I’ve told him about everything that happens in my life.  He’s heard the good, the bad and the ugly!  And I credit him with having kept my mental health on track through some of my life’s most difficult periods. 

My friend is wise, compassionate and level-headed.  When my thinking has been unclear, his guidance has offered clarity.  When I’ve felt hopeless, he has offered hope!  Our friendship has taught me the incredible value of having a confidant in life.

It’s hard to stay mentally on track without a sounding board.  You need someone to challenge you when you’re engaging in unhealthy or unreasonable thinking.  And you need someone to bolster your confidence, when you are questioning your abilities.  You also sometimes need someone to say, “It’s going to be OK.  You’ll get through this.”

So, find a wise confidant.  Choose someone who cares about you, and who wants what is best for you.  There is no better way to buoy your mental health than an honest chat with a wise friend. 

Avoid Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Mind-Altering Drugs

Anytime we put something in our bodies that can affect our brains, we are playing with fire.  For example, a cup of coffee seems innocuous.  But drink enough coffee, and the caffeine will make you irritable.

Alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine are all legal substances that affect our brains.  And our moods.  So, if you want to boost your mental health, stay far away from substances that affect your mind. 

That probably sounds like common sense, but how many people do you know who reach for a drink to “unwind.”  Realize that alcohol is a depressant.  It will do more than help you unwind.  It will make you feel downright sad, if you drink enough of it.

Better to deal with any mental health issues you may have with a clear head.  Mind altering substances will only make your situation a thousand times worse.

Care for Others

It may seem counterintuitive, but selfish people are miserable.  You’d think that selfish people would be happy.  After all, they spend their lives taking care of Me, Myself and I.  They don’t expend time doing things for their spouse, children or friends.  Instead, life is about them, and what they want.  And you’d think that would be a recipe for happiness.

The problem with that approach is that we weren’t made to be selfish.  The human brain is designed to get pleasure from being good to others.  When you live for only yourself and your own needs, you naturally become depressed.

So, if you want a quick mental health boost, try doing a good deed for another person.  Look right in your own family!  Do something kind for your spouse or your child.  Perhaps you have a parent or friend who could use your help.  Give to your friends and family generously, and see how much your mood improves. 

It feels good to be good to others.  And it feels even better to give without an expectation of anything in return.  As the John Bunyan quote goes, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

Keep in Touch with Friends and Family

Our world has evolved into a place in which many people no longer live near their families.  Some folks move for jobs, or just for a change of scenery.  And while that ability to move around may be good for our careers (or even just to make life a little bit more interesting), it isn’t good for our mental health. 

Long-term, strong relationships with friends and family are critical for our mental health.  Those relationships give us a support system.  Without them, we can feel quite alone.

I’ve moved a lot in my life, and I know firsthand how mentally stressful and isolating moving can be.  Leaving family members and the friendships you’ve worked so hard to develop isn’t easy.  When you move, you wind up in a new place, without that important support system. 

The good news is that if you absolutely have to move for a job or another personal reason, technology allows you to stay in touch with those you love.  Email and text are great ways to stay in regular touch with another person.  And Zoom is a wonderful way to visit.  For example, my daughter, my mother and I have a Zoom visit every Sunday afternoon.  It’s our version of a three generation “Sunday Dinner,” and it’s the highlight of my week. 

So, even if you live far away from friends and family, use technology to stay in touch with those whom you are closest to.  You’ll be surprised by how regular contact with friends and family can boost your mood like nothing else!

Do Something You Are Good At

Sometimes life circumstances can wear down our confidence.  If things don’t go your way, or you make a mistake, you can feel badly.  When that happens, the best approach is to immediately do something that you are good at.  That way you can give yourself a big jolt of confidence! 

For instance, let’s say that you make a mistake at work.  As a result, you are feeling down and are questioning your abilities.  When you get home in the evening, regroup by doing something that you are great at!  If you are an expert at baking, then make a pie.   Or, if you happen to have a green thumb, go home and spend an hour gardening.  The point is to do something that you are good at to get your confidence back on track.

That is why cultivating a hobby is so beneficial for your mental health.  We tend to gravitate to hobbies in areas where we have natural talent.  So, one person may take up golf as a hobby because he has great hand-eye coordination.  Another person make take up quilting because she is highly creative. 

Those hobbies that you excel at aren’t just ways to pleasantly spend an afternoon.  They are mental health boosters!  By doing something well, you’ll feel more confident in yourself, and that feels good!

Boost Your Mental Health by Avoiding Avoid Social Media

Social media started out as a way for folks to share what is going on in their lives with their families and friends.  It sort of took the place of the infamous “Christmas Letter.”  The funny thing about the Christmas Letter was that it was a way to brag.  People bragged about their vacations and their children’s accomplishments.  And since you only got the letter once a year, no one’s mental health was destroyed by the Christmas Letter.

Social media is the Christmas Letter on steroids.  It is a way for folks to brag on a daily, if not an hourly basis, about how awesome they are.  People brag about their marriages and their kids.  They brag about their vacations, and their social lives.

The problem is that social media is false.  It tells a very limited story about someone’s life.  Let me put it this way: Even the most highly dysfunctional family can be made to look fabulous on social media. 

Unfortunately, those false Facebook and Instagram posts chip away at our mental health.  We look at them and think, “Wow.  That person’s life is amazing.  Why is mine so imperfect?”  The answer is that your life is imperfect because everyone’s life is imperfect.

So, my strong suggestion is that if you are struggling with your mental health, take a hiatus from social media.  Stop comparing your very real life with the fake lives portrayed on Facebook and Instagram.  Instead, focus on your own life, and appreciate the blessings that you have, even if they exist in the midst of imperfection.

Have a Gratitude Practice

It is easy to feel discouraged if you only focus on what is going wrong in your life.  And I’ll admit that during some periods in our lives, it can be extremely hard to find anything that is going right!  For example, ten years ago, I went through a period of profound stress.  My stress was so great that my hair began graying, and I had constant stomachaches and headaches. 

But in the midst of that terrible period, I did my best to focus on what was good in my life.  I gave my attention to my daughter who brought me great joy.  I also appreciated my friends who were so supportive.  And I did my best to ignore my problems and maintain a good attitude.

In short, I gave my attention to what I was grateful for in life, and I ignored the aspects of my life that were awful.  And that is the key to maintaining your mental health – focus on the good.

In fact, that is what a gratitude practice is.  It’s a practice in which we train our minds to focus on what is good in our lives, and to ignore the garbage. 

During some periods in life, that is easier than in other periods.  For instance, my life these days is relatively easy.  I have bumps in the road, like anyone else.  But for the most part, my life is quite pleasant.  So, being grateful these days is easy!  However, I know that when the inevitable problems arise, I can keep my mental health intact by being grateful for those things that are very good in my life.

Find a Hobby That You Love

Admittedly, there is a lot of drudgery in life.  We work at jobs to pay the bills.  Then there are the mundane tasks of cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping that have to be done on a daily and weekly basis.  And it can be very discouraging if life is solely about drudgery and work.

That is why it is important to have hobbies that bring you joy.  For instance, I love music.  So, playing my flute and the piano are two hobbies of mine.  I also love to read, so I have a book on hand at all times.  I try to read or make music whenever I have a break in my day. 

By spending parts of my day doing hobbies that I enjoy, my life just “feels” better.  It doesn’t seem like my life is solely about housework and making money.  And that is a massive boost to my mental health! 

So, find a hobby that you love.  That hobby may be painting.  Or it may be tennis.  Perhaps you love to garden.  It really doesn’t matter what the hobby is.  What matters is that it gives you pleasure when you do it.  The more time you spend each day doing things that you love, the happier you will be.

Limit How Much News You Watch and Read

Keeping abreast of current events is a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, you can’t live like an ostrich, with your head stuck in the sand.  As a fully functioning member of society, you have to have some idea about what is going on politically and socially in your country and in the world.

On the other hand, reading and watching too much news isn’t good for your mental health.  The reality is that most of the news is depressing.  And that isn’t due to media sensationalism.  The fact is that stories about pleasant people living uneventful lives isn’t newsworthy.  Dramatic, life-changing events are what is newsworthy!

So, if you want to keep your mental health on the right track, the key is to read and watch enough news to be informed – but not depressed.  And frankly, there is no reason to be depressed about the news anyway.  Most of it just doesn’t apply to you, personally. 

For example, let’s say that there are social issues being reported in the news that are worrisome.  They probably don’t directly affect you. And your being upset about those issues isn’t going to help anyone. 

In fact, there are only two things that you can do two things in response to upsetting current events.  You can choose to make your part of the world a better place by conducting yourself at the highest ethical level possible.  And if you live in democratic country, you can vote for elected officials who share your values (or you can run for office yourself!).  But otherwise getting bent out of shape about current events is pointless.  We each have enough on our plates to worry about in our own lives. 

So, don’t suffer from anxiety, worry or frustration due to the news!  Instead, keep your mental health at its best by limiting your daily news intake.

Boost Your Mental Health by Praying or Meditating

Sometimes our mental health suffers because we allow our emotions to take over our thinking.  And when we allow our emotions to rule out thinking, rational thought goes out the window.  It is at times like these that we need to take a step back and get some control over our thinking and emotions.

The best way to regain control of thinking is through either prayer or meditation.  When we pray or meditate, we force our brains to stop having highly emotional, negative thoughts.  And we instead give our attention to something positive. Just that simple act of stopping our negative thinking and focusing our brains on something positive is life changing. 

For instance, I have a “slow boil” personality.  I can be pretty patient. But once someone pushes me too far, I get irate.  And I don’t enjoy being mad at anyone.  It gives me no pleasure at all.

So, over the years, I’ve worked hard to use prayer and meditation to allow me to step back when I get angry and regain control over my emotions.  The act of stopping and turning your mind to your breath (as in meditation) or to God (as in prayer) allows you to stop those negative emotions in their tracks.  You then can focus on something positive and revert back to rational thinking. 

Being upset or frustrated is not good for our mental health.  Try using prayer or meditation on a regular basis, so that you can keep yourself mentally on the right track.

We all, at times, need to find ways to boost our mental health.  If you are feeling down or frustrated, consider adopting some of the approaches above to get back to having a positive mood and to feeling good about life generally.  (To read about 30 habits for happiness and better health, click here.)