10 Simple Habits To Improve Your Mental Health Daily

Over 40 million adults struggle with anxiety each year, and 10 million suffer from depression. Most of the time, these are due to daily stressors that we overlook.

According to Oludara Adeeyo, “Mental health is about the functionality of your brain and all that impacts it.”

Mental health isn't talked about enough, but it is a very crucial issue. It is something we all deal with, that has a serious impact on our day to day activities.

I've faced it myself. A whole year of burnout and stress, with my mental health in the gutters. Until I found simple habits that improved my mood and well-being.

In this article, I'll cover 10 practical tips backed by science that will help to reduce your stress, improve mood levels, and boost your overall mental health.

1. Start the Day with Gratitude:

Most of us wake up feeling tired and drained, especially when it's a week day, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Train your mind to always feel happy. Practice being thankful. Find ways to love yourself and be confident. That could involve praying or even just affirming positive words to yourself.

One tip I act on everyday is smiling in the mirror. One or two simple praises can change how you feel.

Aside from this, you can also keep a gratitude journal and list three things to be grateful for. No matter how small it how big they are, own it.

2. Practice Mindfulness & Deep Breathing for Mental Clarity:

One thing that can calm anyone down is meditation. Taking some time to collect your thoughts and do a simple breathing exercise can make all the difference.

Why? Because the thought of doing nothing, even for just a little while, can help to reduce stress and improve your mood levels.

Also, paying attention to the present moment helps to keep your thoughts in check. That solo act of mindfulness can help you become more aware of your feelings, and manage them better.

Meditation can be done in different ways. Whether by listening to meditation guides, playing calm music, or even just practicing a breathing exercise - it plays a huge role in improving your mental health.

3. Do Exercises to Boost Mental Health & Lower Stress:

As we engage in physical activity, the dopamine and serotonin levels in our system rise. These hormones control our feelings of happiness, and increased levels mean less anxiety, more relaxation and an improvement in our mental health.

Doing simple exercises like walking, yoga, stretching or jogging helps to boost mental clarity and allows you to make decisions easier and better.

Find out more about workouts to help improve your wellbeing.

It's a little wonder why most people love to go to the gym in the morning. It stops you from being idle, boosts your hormone levels, and improves productivity.

4. Prioritize Quality Sleep:

Lack of sleep is a major cause of stress, anxiety, and depression. Studies show that most adults sleep less than 6 hours per night, which affects mental well-being.

To improve sleep quality:

Reduce your screen time before bed

Set a bedtime routine. Practice sleeping for 6-8 hours daily.

Avoid caffeine heavy meals before bedtime

Sleep in a comfortable position.

Better sleep = Better mental health

5: Reduce Social Media Consumption:

The biggest reason for mental health issues is the constant pressure we put on ourselves. We see perfect lives online and forget that they are just one part of the story.

Doom scrolling on social media has a large impact on our health, from constant comparison to addiction and even learning negative things, out mental health can suffer greatly from excessive use of social media apps.

To avoid this,

Set healthy social media boundaries.

Limit yourself to certain apps.

Have a timeframe for each app by setting data limits or alarm systems.

Practice meeting people face-to-face as opposed to texting.

Find a hobby. 

Excessive social media consumption can lead to horrible mental health issues, if not taken care of properly.

6. Eat a Brain-Boosting Diet: 

I'm sure you know that our brain health plays a big factor in overall mood levels. The healthier the brain is, the less mental issues you get.

One of the best ways to improve the brain and boost its functioning is by eating the right meals. There are a lot of things that can be improved by taking in beneficial supplements, so it is important to eat foods that boost mental clarity.

Examples of these are foods rich in omega-3 like whole grains, and dark chocolate. Supplements that contain ginkgo biloba are also helpful in boosting mental clarity.

7. Stay Hydrated:

You know that phrase, "A hungry man is an angry man," right? Well, the same thing goes for water. Hydration plays a major impact on mood and wellbeing.

Aside from the implications on the kidney, dehydration can negatively affect your mental health and make you lose focus. Not drinking enough water can cause mood swings, dizziness and extreme fatigue.

Usually, it is advised to drink between 2-4 litres of water in a day to stay alert and act at optimal function. Taking less than this can cause negative impact on your mental health and leave you feeling stressed.

8. Make Time for Social Connections:

Everyone needs someone. No matter how much humans try to claim independence, a core part of our system relies on having someone close by. Whether a family member, friend or romantic partner, humans need social connections.

It boosts emotional health, leaving you feeling happy, refreshed and energised. A huge part of depression stems from the feeling of being lonely and uncared for, so it is obvious that humans need the connection from other people to feel happy.

As adults, life gets busy and it is easy to lose sight of social interactions but always try to remember that no man is an island. Find simple ways to stay connected with the people that matter, even when busy.

9. Practice Journaling:

I personally recommend this, and not just because I'm a writer, but because of its impact on stress relief.

Writing everyday can greatly alleviate your mood and help you feel refreshed. Think of it as a way to unload everything unto paper, and calm down. It has repeatedly been proven that writing about your fears and anger can greatly help in self reflection and as a medium to relieve stress.

With writing, you can be whoever you want and write whatever you want. For me, I prefer to write gratitude journals, self affirmations, or even just to brain dump.

Whatever the reason, journalling can be very helpful to boost mental health. Check out this free list of journaling prompts to start your day.

10. Do Something You Enjoy:

Beyond all these tips, one of the most important is to find something that relaxes you everyday. After a long day at work, all you want to do is de-stress and unwind. A simple way to do this is to find a hobby and use it as a form of self-care.

Whether it's by reading, writing, playing games, listening to music, painting or playing an instrument, just find something that makes you happy and relaxed.

While it doesn't have to be everyday, try to make it as often as possible. The brain can easily recognize when you're doing something fun and this can help to boost your mood.

Conclusion:

Practicing daily mental health habits can improve your well-being and reduce stress over time. Whether it's by journaling, eating right or staying hydrated, there are many ways to improve our mental health naturally.

So, pick one habit (or three) to start doing today and with time, you'll notice the improvement in your health.

Which of these 10 habits do you already practice? Comment below.