10 Simple Habits to Improve Mental Health + How to Start

We are slowing but surely talking more and more about habits to improve mental health. And as a therapist, I am here for it.

The World Health Organization tells us that 1 out of every 8 people are living with a mental health disorder. That data tells us something important: It’s time to start forming healthier habits to improve mental health.

10 Habits to Improve Mental Health

Let’s talk about 10 simple habits to improve your mental health:

1. Unplug from Social Media

According to Statista, we are spending an average of 147 minutes per day on social media. That adds up to more than 6 years and 9 months over the course of a lifetime. And those numbers are going up. Fast.

Our brains are not wired for this much input all the time. It can easily exhaust us. Not to mention how being on social media is associated with higher anxiety and lower life satisfaction ratings.

A great way to improve your mental health is to start unplugging from social media regularly. Set time limits for yourself or take a digital hiatus. Your mind will thank you.

2. Consistent Sleep

Sleep disruptions and inconsistent sleep are common. So common, in fact, insufficient sleep has been declared a national public health problem with more than one-third of adults not getting adequate sleep.

But sleep is restorative. It repairs and repletes cells in the body. It is one of the best habits you can build to improve mental health.

Try having a consistent bedtime routine or going to bed at the same time every night. These changes are small, but effective.

3. Eat Well & Drink Water

Having a balanced, sustainable diet is vital for improved mental health. Reseach has shown time and time again that healthy food equals a healthy mood.

One study even concluded that eating fruits and veggies can be considered an “investment in future happiness.” Make it a priority to eat at least one serving of fruit and veggies daily.

As for drinking more water, I’ve heard the body is made up of like 75% water. To be honest, I don’t really understand how that works. (I’m a social worker, not a scientist.) But what I do know is that hydration is crucial for feeling good.

Even mild dehydration causes irritability, weakness, fatigue, lower mood scores, and more. And that’s just mild dehydration. Imagine what moderate or severe dehydration does to us.

Get a reusable water bottle that makes you want to drink out of it. Then bring it with you everywhere. Shoot for drinking half of your body weight in ounces. Make is a habit to regularly drink water.

4. Get Outside

There is so much research to support getting outside as a way to improve mental wellness. One study says getting outside makes you happier, more resilient, and score higher on life satisfaction ratings.

Getting involved in outdoor recreation can be a great place to start. Going for a walk, a bike ride, a jog, a hike, or any other type of outside time can vastly improve mental health.

Make it a habit to get outside *at least* three times per week. Mr. Golden sun will help your mental blues.

5. Stretch

When is the last time you focused on just stretching your muscles? Maybe before your last soccer game in high school? It’s time to start daily stretches again.

Stretching has been proven to increase serotonin levels. Serotonin is the hormone responsible for mood stabilization and stress reduction. Stretching is an incredibly simple way to boost your happiness.

Try taking two or three minutes at the beginning of your day to stretch it out. Or right before you hop into bed at night. It’s so simple, and a great habit to improve mental health.

6. Practice Gratitude

We can get stuck in this scarcity mindset. Like there is lack in the world. A lack of opportunities, resources, relationships, money, or even love.

The best way to combat this pessimistic, bleak thought process is to practice gratitude.

There are many ways to practice gratitude, but I have two favorites. One, journal on what brings you joy. And two, send a random thank you note to someone. Tell them how they have positively impacted your life or why they are appreciated.

Practicing gratitude will turn your scarcity mindset into one of abundance. And how much better would it feel to know there is never-ending opportunity, resources, relationships, money, and love.

7. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Mindfulness simply means being aware of yourself. The American Psychological Association (APA) has found mindfulness practices lower stress levels, improve emotional regulation, increase intuition, and more.

I often hear people talk about mindfulness as meditation. And while that is one form of mindful practice, that’s not always it. You don’t have to sit in a dark, quiet space and clear your mind. You can, but you don’t have to.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a simple and effective form of mindfulness. Starting at your head and moving down through your body, you will tense each muscle group. Then, after holding for five counts, you’ll release and relax.

Progressive muscle relaxation has proven to be effective for improved sleep, anxiety and depression levels, pain management, and overall quality of life.

I’ve made it really easy for you to use progressive muscle relaxation as a habit to improve mental health. Use this script and recording to start building this habit today.

Find the perfect progressive muscle relaxation script and recording by clicking here.

8. Connect with Loved Ones (In-Person)

The power of human connection is undeniable. The vulnerability expert, Brené Brown, says, “Connection is why we are here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives meaning to our lives, and without it, there is suffering.”

Connect with your life partner, your friends, your family members. Whoever fills you with love and positivity. Make it a habit, and your mental health will drastically improve.

9. Take Deep Belly Breaths

Believe it or not, there is a right way to breathe and a wrong way to breathe. And since you have to do it no matter what, you might as well breathe correctly.

Many people have gotten stuck in the habit of using shallow breaths. Meaning, they’re only breathing into the top part of their lungs. Instead, focus on breathing into your belly, allowing your diaphragm to expand with each inhale.

There is an endless list of psychological benefits of deep breathing like reduced fatigue and stress. It also improves attention and mood.

Take time to do this every day. A great place to practice deep belly breaths is when your head hits the pillow.

10. Ask for and Accept Help

Somewhere along the line of life, we feel like asking for help is a sign of incompetence or inadequacy. Like admitting we can’t do it all exposes some sacred part of us.

The truth is, asking for help should be seen as exemplary. It should be seen as strong. And if someone offers you help, accept it. With open arms.

Think about it this way if your best friend comes to you and says, “Hey, I need help with building my business. Are you available?” You would jump at the opportunity to support them.

So I’ll ask you: Why would you deserve any less than that?

How to Start Building Healthy Habits

All those habits are fine and dandy, but they mean nothing unless you can actually start working them into your day-to-days. So let’s chat about that. 👇🏼

One at a Time

Starting 10 new habits all at once is a recipe for disaster. When you start too many new things at once, none of them actually get accomplished. Start building one new habit at a time.

Do this by going back to the list above. Which one is most exciting to you? And more importantly, which one is most doable?

Focus all your attention on making time for your new practice. Once you do that, and it starts becoming less of a chore and more of a habit, move on to the next.

Have Patience

Habits are like a muscle we have to build. You’re not going to gain muscle instantly. Work on strengthening that muscle every day, and eventually it starts to grow.

According the habit expert, James Clear, it takes about 2 months to form a habit, on average. That can feel like a really long time. But be patient and start building that muscle slowly but surely.

Replace, Don’t Break

Once something becomes embedded in your routine, it’s really hard to break that habit. In fact, it can take more than 250 days to break a bad habit.

The solution it to replace it, not break it.

This is my favorite example of replacing, not breaking: When I wake up in the morning, I have a habit of immediately grabbing my phone. Usually, I’d turn off my alarm, click through my email, and scroll social media.

I quickly realized I was getting sucked into my phone before my feet even touched the ground in the morning. That’s not how I wanted to start my day. So, I used the replace, not break mentality.

I knew I was going to reach for my phone right away. But I needed to change the habit into a positive one, rather than starting my day in the negative, doom scrolling abyss. In my Notes app, I made a daily gratitude list.

Instead of immediately clicking through my social media apps, I begin my day by picking up my phone, clicking into my Notes app, and typing the date and two specific things I am grateful for.

I replaced the habit.

Intentionality

Forming a new habit to improve your mental health isn’t going to happen automatically. If that was the case, we wouldn’t be so far into the trenches of mental illness.

We have to be intentional about how and when we start forming new habits. Start with small and work your way up to building bigger and better habits.

Be SMARTer

I’m a big fan of setting goals. I’m an even bigger fan of setting SMARTer goals. SMARTer is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timely, evaluated, and reviewed.

Research supports the idea that when we write down our goals, form action commitments, have an accountability partner, and conduct weekly progress reports, we are far more successful at accomplishing our goals.

When you are trying to build habits to improve mental health, make SMARTer goals for the best success.

The Wrap Up: 10 Simple Habits to Improve Mental Health

There are a bunch of habits that can be worthwhile to add into your daily routine. Hydrating, getting outside, and practicing gratitude are just a few.

You know that building simple habits to improve your mental health is important for happiness. It take times, patience, intentionality, and perseverance make something a habit, but I’m confident you can do it.

Read next: 12 Things You Need to Know About Therapy from a Therapist

If you want to build better habits for improving mental health, check out this resource: I Got 99 Coping Skills and Being a B*tch Ain’t One teaches you how to use healthy coping skills to start living your best life.