Habits That Help Your Mental Health, With Or Without Therapy

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Pick your own brain or not, there’s still plenty you can—and should!—do to help you regulate your emotions, think more optimistically, and stay grounded when life starts life-ing. So whether you’re actively working with a professional, decidedly anti, or mostly somewhere in between, most experts will agree that these behaviors will support your mind.

Get Outside

Time and time again, research has shown that a connection to green spaces (trees) and blue ones (bodies of water) can boost well-being. Sneak in outdoor walks, spend full days in nature, or just eat your lunch al fresco.

Move Your Body

Exercise of any kind, but especially cardio and strength training, consistently proves itself as a DIY treatment for anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. (Time-wise, the weekly 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity is always recommended, but anything beats nothing.)

Prioritize Sleep

Science agrees that everything feels worse when you’re running on empty. Build a proactive sleep routine (no phones near bed, dark shades, temperature in the range of 60 to 68 degrees) to get seven to eight hours per night to help stave off anxiety, stress, and rumination.

Eat Whole Foods

A diet rich in nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and low in refined sugars and grains helps support healthy brain function and reduce your risk of depression. Fish is your friend, people.

Maintain Close Bonds

A major review of adult friendships found that they can predict, or at the very least, be tied to positive wellbeing. But it takes more than just having besties to benefit: Putting in effort to support the quality of your connections is part of what makes them so rewarding. Text or call your peeps the moment you think of them, before you lose track of time.

Limit Doomscrolling

It received its name for a reason. Recent research has connected hours of social media time to decreased life satisfaction and mental wellbeing, and to more psychological distress. Have a book on hand for the moments when you’re reaching for your phone with no real purpose—it’ll be more interesting, trust.

Challenge Yourself

A slew of studies point to learning as a grown-ass adult—think, a new sport, hobby, or language—to keep your brain sharp and emotional wellness flying high. In fact, picking up fresh life skills—such as sharpening your communication tactics, learning to be more self-aware, and developing coping mechanisms for stress—has been shown to curb anxiety by boosting self-esteem.

Next Article: The Right Way To Break Up With Your Therapist

Illustrations By Lauren Tamaki

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