6 Pillars of Mental Health
If you've been wanting to do more for your mental health but don't have the time, money or even desire to see a therapist, there are several habits you can invest in on your own to boost your mood and improve your wellbeing.
Although this list is not exhaustive, here are 6 principles of self-care that you can easily work on yourself—without the help of a therapist.
1. Sleep
Sleep is the bedrock of mental health. And while insomnia can be a symptom of mental illness, it is now recognized that sleep problems can also contribute to the onset and worsening of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. During sleep, the brain undergoes crucial processes of repair and consolidation, which enhance memory and emotion regulation. By prioritizing quality sleep and aiming for 7-9 hours per night, we’re beefing up our resilience to life’s stressors and equipping ourselves with the ability to face each day with clarity and strength.
One of the best ways to allow your biological clock to naturally kick in is to establish a sleep schedule. In other words, go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning. This is key to improving the quality and consistency of your sleep.
If you're finding that you put off your bed time because you're worried that you won't be able to get to sleep, start addressing some of your behaviors that may be impacting your sleep quality (too much caffeine late in the day, not enough movement, alcohol consumption or scrolling your phone in bed). Get real with yourself and remember that it's hard to make positive changes if you can’t first acknowledge your bad behaviors.
Lastly, there is compelling research suggesting that even a little light in the bedroom can keep you from getting a good night's sleep and can even increase your chances of developing depressive symptoms. So try wearing an eye mask, keep electronics and night lights out of your bedroom and invest in some black out curtains.
2. Light
Our clients know that we talk a lot about the benefits of taking morning walks in the sunlight. It's less about exercise and more about getting morning light into your eyes. Why? Research shows that exposure to sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood. A mere 10-15 minutes of sunlight in the morning (without sunglasses) also sets your body's internal clock—circadian rhythm—which helps you fall asleep naturally at night.
This simple activity increases energy, improves sleep and positively impacts your immune system, metabolism and concentration by stimulating the release of cortisol soon after waking. Just make sure you don’t look directly at the sun and damage your retina :)
If you’re confused by this idea because you’ve always thought of cortisol as the “stress hormone,” research tells us that cortisol surges are a positive thing and are associated with alertness, relaxation, reductions in stress and “may play a role in promoting positive affect.”
3. Movement
Engaging in some form of daily movement, whether it's a mindful walk, a yoga session or a heart-pumping workout, floods the brain with endorphins, your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters. Studies consistently link regular exercise to reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as improved brain agility and creativity.
If you are resistant to the idea of taking up a rigorous exercise routine, consider walking, which is a doable activity for most. When you combine walking and mindfulness, which is essentially moving through the environment with awareness, there are added physical and mental health benefits, such as reduced blood pressure and improved stress resilience.
The goal is to walk without distractions from another person, your phone or from music or podcasts playing in your ear. You can fully participate in your walk by paying attention to your surroundings and by tuning into your senses. For example, focus on the way your feet feel as they hit the ground, bring awareness to the rhythm of your arms swinging at your sides and pay attention to each inhale and exhale. By breathing in your surroundings, you'll be able to momentarily put aside your current stressors and see that there is much more to life than what is consuming you at the moment.
4. Nutrition
"Let food be thy medicine," said Hippocrates, and for good reason. Consuming the right amount of quality calories can directly impact our mood, energy and cognition. While quality is unique to everyone, a balanced diet rich in colorful fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts and healthy fats like olive oil provides the nutrients needed for optimal brain function and a healthy gut microbiome.
Our brain functions best when we eat foods full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress, which is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants that promotes cell damage. Processed foods and diets high in refined sugars, for example, can cause inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Numerous studies have also found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function as well as a worsening of symptoms of depression.
Click here for tips on how to eat for better gut health.
5. Stress Control
We know that it’s impossible to rid our lives entirely of stress—it’s part of living a productive life. The trick is to approach stress with a different mindset and learn how to dial down our stress response so that it doesn’t consume us and keep us from living our best life.
While you can find an endless supply of resilience-building strategies online, here are a couple ideas to help get you started:
Worry Time
Even though we may think that worrying is helpful because if we worry about something long enough, it will eventually work itself out, worry only makes us more anxious and tired. The truth is, the more we compulsively churn away, the more at risk we are of turning our everyday stressors into chronic stress, which can impact our mental and physical health.
One way to break up with toxic overthinking is to set aside a daily "worry time.” You can start by either setting aside 20-30 minutes (not before bed) or by planning two 15-minute sessions to do nothing but worry. During this time, you can think about how you're going to problem solve or jot down new insights about the nature of your worries. Avoid using your bed, couch, or desk for this purpose because you may begin to associate those places with stress. Instead try choosing an uncomfortable spot like a hard chair.
Radical Acceptance
Increasing your ability to tolerate stress usually starts with a change of attitude. Radical Acceptance, which is a concept taught in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), is the idea that in order to prevent painful suffering, you must fully accept your emotional or physical distress—without judgement. In other words, by choosing to radically accept the things that are out of our control, we prevent ourselves from becoming stuck in unhappiness, bitterness, anger…
Although it sounds counterintuitive, fully accepting your situation can actually help you feel better. One reason is that the habitual ways in which we deal with stress, like pretending everything is ok or stuffing our emotions, are actually doing us more harm than good by keeping us in a state of denial.
If you’d like to learn more about this concept, read this NY Times article, Radical Acceptance Can Keep Emotional Pain From Turning Into Suffering
6. Social Connection
We know that human connection is crucial to our mental health and wellness. Research has found that folks who feel more connected to others have lower levels of anxiety and depression, higher self-esteem and empathy and better emotion regulation skills. We also know that approximately half of U.S. adults report loneliness, with some of the highest rates among young adults. Because stress and loneliness are intertwined, it's worthwhile to think about how you can improve your existing relationships and cultivate new ones.
Last but not least, try taking a break from your social media feed and calling a friend instead. Consider getting out of your comfort zone by joining a book group, exercise class or dinner club. If that feels like too much, think about ways in which you can cultivate casual interactions. For example, try smiling at someone in the grocery store or start a conversation with someone you regularly cross paths with. Remember, you are wired for human connection. And the smallest gestures can make a big difference in the way you perceive yourself, interact in the world and build meaningful connections.