Health & Wellness

Boosting Your Daily Mental Health

Mental Health Awareness Month, observed every May, is a time to raise awareness and break the stigma about mental health, and support people with mental illness. More than half of adults in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental illness—a variety of conditions that affect one’s mood, behavior, feelings or thinking—at some point in their life.

Mental health plays a huge role in your overall health and well-being. It affects how you think, feel and act, and helps determine how you make healthy choices and cope with stress. Because it’s such a crucial component of your wellness, focusing on maintaining or improving your mental health is important. 

Here are five ways to boost or prioritize your mental health every day:

• Express gratitude. Taking five minutes daily to write down the things you are grateful for has been proven to lower stress levels and can help you achieve a more positive mindset.
• Get moving.Exercising regularly can benefit your brain function, reduce anxiety and improve your self-image.
• Spend time outdoors. Getting outside, especially when it’s sunny, can greatly improve your mood, which benefits your mental health.
• Be kind.Helping others and being kind not only helps the recipient, but can also benefit your mental health. Simply holding the door for someone or giving a compliment can go a long way.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Fatigued individuals typically experience drowsiness, mood changes, loss of energy and appetite, headaches, and a lack of motivation, concentration and alertness. Strive for seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

Seek help from your primary care doctor or a mental health professional if you’re concerned about your mental health. 

If you need mental health-related crisis support, or are worried about someone else, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988 and chatting online at 988lifeline.org.