31 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health in May

Mental Health Month comes around every May – usually when the weather is just starting to become nice in many parts of the country. It might seem like a good time for spring cleaning – but not for your windows or your closet.

You may have cobwebs and dust bunnies hiding in places you don’t even know about and they may be affecting your mental health. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to maintain positive mental wellbeing–including these 31 tips:

1. Track gratitude and achievement with a journal

Include three things you’re grateful for and three things you were able to accomplish in a day. You don’t even need a pen and paper! Get out our smartphone and get to work. Helpful apps, like Notes on an iPhone, make it really easy to keep up with a daily journal.

2. Start your day with a cup of coffee

Did you know that coffee consumption is linked to lower rates of depression? If coffee isn’t your thing, try another good-for-you drink – like green tea.

3. Set up a getaway

It could be camping with friends or a trip to the tropics. The act of planning a vacation and having something to look forward to can boost your overall happiness for up to 8 weeks!

4. Work your strengths

Do something you’re good at to build self-confidence, then tackle a tougher task.

5. Keep it cool for a good night’s sleep

The optimal temperature for sleep is between 60˚ and 67˚ Fahrenheit, plus cooler sleeping environments are believed to help with weight loss, too!

6. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” -Martin Luther King Jr. Think of something in your life you want to improve, and figure out what you can do to take a step in the right direction.

7. Experiment with a new recipe, write a poem, paint or try a Pinterest project

Creative expression and overall well-being are linked.

8. Show some love to someone in your life

Close, quality relationships are key for a happy, healthy life.

9. Boost brainpower by treating yourself to a couple pieces of dark chocolate every few days

The flavanoids, caffeine, and theobromine in chocolate are thought to work together to improve alertness and mental skills.

10. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” -Maya Angelou. If you have personal experience with mental illness or recovery, share on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr with #mentalillnessfeelslike or #NotAlone. Check out what other people are saying here.

11. Sometimes, we don’t need to add new activities to get more pleasure

We just need to soak up the joy in the ones we’ve already got. Trying to be optimistic doesn’t mean ignoring the uglier sides of life. It just means focusing on the positive as much as possible.

12. Feeling anxious? Take a trip down memory lane and do some coloring for about 20 minutes to help you clear your mind. Pick a design that’s geometric and a little complicated for the best effect. Check out hundreds of free printable coloring pages here.

13. Take time to laugh

Connect with a funny friend, watch a comedy or check out cute cat videos online. Laughter helps reduce anxiety.

14. Go off the grid

Leave your smart phone at home for a day and disconnect from constant emails, alerts, and other interruptions. Spend time doing something fun with someone face-to-face.

15. Dance around while you do your housework

Not only will you get chores done, but dancing reduces levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), and increases endorphins (the body’s “feel-good” chemicals).

16. Go ahead and yawn

Studies suggest that yawning helps cool the brain and improves alertness and mental efficiency.

17. Relax in a warm bath once a week

Try adding Epsom salts to soothe aches and pains and help boost magnesium levels, which can be depleted by stress.

18. Has something been bothering you? Let it all out…on paper. Writing about upsetting experiences can reduce symptoms of depression.

19. Spend some time with a furry friend

Time with animals lowers the stress hormone – cortisol, and boosts oxytocin – which stimulates feelings of happiness. If you don’t have a pet, hang out with a friend who does or volunteer at a shelter.

20. “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when you bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen.” – Henry David Thoreau. Practice mindfulness by staying “in the present.” Try these tips!

21. Be a tourist in your own town

Oftentimes people only explore attractions on trips, but you may be surprised what cool things are in your own backyard.

22. Try prepping your lunches or picking out your clothes for the workweek

You’ll save some time in the mornings and have a sense of control about the week ahead.

23. Work some omega-3 fatty acids into your diet

These fatty acids are linked to decreased rates of depression and schizophrenia among their many benefits. Fish oil supplements work, but eating your omega-3s in foods like wild salmon, flax seeds or walnuts also helps build healthy gut bacteria.

24. Practice forgiveness

Even if it’s just forgiving that person who cut you off during your commute. People who forgive have better mental health and report being more satisfied with their lives.

25. “What appear to be calamities are often the sources of fortune.” – Disraeli. Try to find the silver lining in something kind of cruddy that happened recently.

26. Feeling stressed? Smile

It may not be the easiest thing to do, but smiling can help to lower your heart rate and calm you down when you’re feeling stressed.

27. Send a thank you note

Not for a material item, but to let someone know why you appreciate them. Written expressions of gratitude are linked to increased happiness.

28. Take 30 minutes to go for a walk in nature

It could be a stroll through a park or a hike in the woods. Research shows that being in nature can increase energy levels, reduce depression and boost well-being.

29. Do your best to enjoy 15 minutes of sunshine,

and apply sunscreen. Sunlight synthesizes Vitamin D, which experts believe is a mood elevator.

30. “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” -Albert Einstein Try something outside of your comfort zone to make room for adventure and excitement in your life.

31. Reach out for help

There’s no shame in asking for help!  Talking with a mental health professional can help provide you with the tools you need to stay well.  You can connect with a mental health provider at Centerstone anytime by calling us at 1-877-HOPE123 (1-877-467-3123).

Source: Mental Health America. 31 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health. Retrieved April 16, 2018, from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/31-tips-boost-your-mental-health

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