Seven Ways to Improve Your Mental Health
Have you ever felt sad or lonely? Most people have. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association explained that “early in 2024, 30% of adults say they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year, while 10% say they are lonely every day.” Additionally, Gallup research recently found that “globally, nearly four in 10 adults aged 15 and older either endure significant depression or anxiety themselves or have a close friend or family member who suffers from it.”
You are not alone if you ever feel sad. Yet it’s important to know the difference between sadness and depression. Sadness is a normal and short-term emotion that comes as a result of various situations, such as the loss of a loved one, a breakup, a lost job, a bad day (or week) at work, frustration with attaining a personal goal, or a family-related problem. Depression is a mood disorder with persistent sadness, and it usually requires the help of a medical professional (so if this is you, don’t feel ashamed to ask for help).
But rest assured that some sadness and loneliness are normal in life. No one can go through life feeling happy all the time.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a month to “take action, raise your voice, and help change the conversation around mental health.” So, as we focus on mental health this month, let us work on our own because as NOVOS, an organization focused on developing solutions to longevity, reminds us, “a healthy mind directly influences our body’s ability to thrive and live a longer, healthier life.”
We all want to live longer, feel happier, and be more productive, so we must work at it and not allow situational feelings to undermine our happiness. At Performance Inspired, we understand that positive mental health is integral to our overall well-being, so we want to offer seven things you can do—many on a daily basis—to improve your mental health.
- Communicate your feelings
Your friends and family cannot read your mind, but they likely want to know what’s going on with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone when you need a friend or a sympathetic ear. Know that you matter to people, even if they don’t always articulate that. Friends are likely not uncommunicative because of anything you did. Rather, it’s because life gets busy. I have a friend who routinely tells me that she thinks of me often but that she is so busy with her family that she barely has time to go out with friends. This could be the case with you. If you need a friend, speak openly and honestly about it and ask someone to make concrete plans with you. But don’t forget the flip side. You must also be a friend. Take time to ask those close to you how they are and truly listen when they need you.
- Express gratitude or volunteer
Start a daily text thread with close friends and require everybody to mention one thing they are thankful for or one positive thing that happened that day. A friend of mine does this with a few of her friends and she says that it makes a world of difference when life becomes difficult. Plus, it helps put the difficult times in perspective, especially when they can look back on a list of positive events. You could also volunteer your time at a homeless shelter, a soup kitchen, a maternity home, or even just sit with a lonely elderly neighbor. The Mayo Clinic explains that volunteering “improves physical and mental health” and “provides a sense of purpose,” so not only will you help improve the life of someone else, but the satisfaction you get from doing good will benefit you. - Exercise
Exercise boosts your endorphins, which helps boost your mood. Join a gym, go outside for a walk, play a sport, or ride a bike. If you exercise outside, you will gain the bonus of sunlight and fresh air, which do wonders for mood.
- Join a group
Loneliness is one of the top reasons for decreased mental health. In fact, a new study found that “American adults are hitting peak loneliness years before retirement, something not seen in most other countries.” This study found that American adults aged 50 and older are growing increasingly lonely in life. Join a Meetup group, a church group, or take a class. Spending time with people who share similar interests will offer camaraderie and may even give you a sense of purpose.
- Start a new hobby
Do you have an interest you want to pursue or something you have always wanted to learn? Now is the time! Maybe it’s starting a garden, painting, or learning a new sport or an instrument. Make time to do something for yourself. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. And you may even make some new friends along the way.
- Assess your sleep habits
Have you ever felt listless and grumpy when you didn’t sleep well? Chances are you have. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, put down the phone, turn off the TV, and get to bed earlier.
7. Participate in the arts
Visit a museum, attend the symphony, or just close your eyes and listen to some Beethoven or some Bach. Seeing things of beauty or hearing classical music is uplifting and improves your mood. Science Daily recently reported that a viewing works of art can improve “the well-being associated with meaning in life and personal growth.” And Health Day reported that “classical music enhances mood by strengthening the connections between brain regions involved in processing sound and pleasure [because] music synchronizes brain waves between the auditory cortex, which processes sound, and the rewards circuit that processes emotional information.”
We encourage you to try all of these things this month and then to choose a few to implement into your daily life. Your mental health is crucial to your physical health, and it’s up to you to nurture it.
