How to support your mental wellness: 10 actionable tips

Key takeaways 

• Physical and mental health are deeply connected, meaning everyday habits like eating balanced meals, sleeping deeply, and exercising directly stabilize your mood and focus. 

• Mental wellness is distinct from clinical mental health and focuses on your long-term ability to adapt to daily stressors and navigate emotional ups and downs. 

• Cutting out negative coping mechanisms — such as smoking, excessive drinking, and overworking — can help reduce spikes in stress hormones that worsen anxiety and depression. 

• Nurturing real-world or digital social connections, bonding with pets, and setting firm work-life boundaries provide the baseline support needed to protect your emotional wellness. 

• Recognizing when lifestyle adjustments are not enough is critical. When facing severe burnout, it may be essential to turn to professional therapy, workplace support programs, or income-protecting disability coverage. 

When it comes to overall well-being, physical and mental health go hand in hand. Poor mental health can lead to physical health problems, and healthy living habits can help lower the risk of mental illnesses, like depression and anxiety.^1,2 That's why overall health means caring for your body and your mind. And Americans' mental wellness needs attention: only 34% of US adults say they have excellent or very good mental health, down from 49% a decade ago.³ 

Whether you’re looking for practical ways to feel better day-to-day or you’re an employee exploring mental health support through work, read on. This article explains the difference between mental health, well-being, and mental wellness, explores the factors that affect them, and shares 10 practical ways to improve mental health, mental wellness, and well-being. 

• The difference between mental health, well-being, and mental wellness

• Key factors that can impact mental wellness

• 10 practical ways to improve mental health and overall well-being

How are mental health, mental wellness, and mental wellbeing different?

While these three terms are often used interchangeably, there are important differences in what they mean. 

Mental health affects everyone — from childhood through adulthood — and impacts a person's psychological, emotional, and social well-being, which can affect how we think, feel, and act. When mental health suffers, it may result in mental illness — diagnosable conditions that negatively affect how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.⁴ While the definition of what is and isn't an official mental illness can sometimes be controversial, most mental illnesses are found in people across the globe. This indicates that mental illness is an actual biological condition instead of behavior that goes against societal expectations and cultural norms.⁵ 

Not everyone experiences mental health challenges, but we all have mental ups and downs. Unlike mental health, mental wellness refers to how well we can respond to positive and negative emotions and handle the stress that occurs in our daily lives.⁶ People with mental illness can often achieve better mental wellness, for example, by learning new skills from talk therapy or by responding well to medication.⁷ And while stressors and problems may affect a person's mood, they don’t necessarily impair mental wellness, which has to do with how a person deals with their emotions, thoughts, and actions over the long term, through good times and bad.⁸ 

Well-being refers to general feelings and attitudes about yourself and your life. A person with good overall well-being has a satisfying life, a strong sense of purpose, and the ability to manage stress — despite the inevitable challenges of life.⁹ 

What factors impact mental wellness?

When it comes to their own thoughts and emotions, people often casually use (and misuse) mental health terms. For example, someone might say they were "depressed" when they were having a bad day, or their "ADHD" kicked in when they got bored in class. However, there's a difference between "feeling depressed" and having depression or feeling anxious versus having a generalized anxiety or panic disorder. 

Similarly, not everyone who is distracted suffers from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Depression, anxiety disorders, and ADHD are clinical conditions that must be diagnosed by a doctor. But even if you don't have a clinical condition, you may still have problems coping due to issues that impact your life situation, body, and mental outlook. In the following sections, we will provide mental health tips to help you manage these factors effectively. 

Mental wellness is a complex issue that is impacted by many factors. Some of these include¹⁰:

• Biological: Several biological factors impact mental wellness, including chemical imbalances, genetics, poor nutrition, inflammation, brain injuries, congenital disabilities, substance use, and others. Having a physical illness also impacts mental wellness.

• Environmental: Stress from the outside world can — and does — impair mental wellness. Factors like your living environment, employment, finances, safety, and other issues can all cause mental distress. As Rachel Cherrick, a licensed clinical social worker and clinical trainer with Spring Health, explained on Guardian's Mind, Body, and Wallet® podcast, "I think for so many of us, it's not just one event. It's really this sense of chronic uncertainty. Our brains are really detecting these ongoing threats, and there's often no clear end in sight.”¹¹

• Social: Having good relationships with family, friends, and colleagues, making meaningful contributions to — and being part of — a support system, and feeling a sense of belonging all play important roles in mental and emotional wellness.

• Individual: A personal sense of purpose, strong communication skills, and the ability to deal with outside stressors may positively impact a person's mental state.

There's room to improve: 35% of Americans say they do a fair to poor job of taking care of their mental health, and 42% say the same about getting enough exercise.¹² 

10 things you can do to help promote positive mental wellness

Some mental health issues require the use of prescribed medications, typically in combination with psychotherapy from a licensed expert. However, there are also steps that any person can take to help improve their own mental and physical wellness.^13,14,15 

1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet: Multiple studies have found that eating too much refined sugar or processed food impacts brain functioning and stresses organs like the pancreas. These foods create negative insulin responses that cause surges in stress hormones, like cortisol, and increase inflammation. These biological responses can exacerbate anxiety, along with depressed and negative moods. However, good nutrition and only eating when you're hungry can help regulate blood sugar and energy levels, leading to better moods and focus.

2. Get enough quality sleep: People with lower mental wellness often have trouble sleeping and experience more insomnia and sleep apnea than those with higher mental wellness. Researchers have found that a good night's sleep — especially deep, REM sleep — is critical for the brain to process emotional information. For adults, this looks like seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Not getting enough sleep hinders the brain's ability to merge positive emotional data, which in turn can lead to more negative thinking and behaviors. 

3. Exercise regularly: Exercise is a natural stress reliever. Regular movement supports overall health and can improve sleep quality. When you are physically active, it changes the body's chemistry in a positive way, boosting dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels, which can help improve mood and concentration. And even a short daily walk can significantly support mental health. Exercise also removes tension from the body and helps relax muscles, which can help lead to good sleep. Playing a sport can offer similar benefits while also adding in an element of social connection. 

4. Stop smoking: People who have poor mental wellness tend to smoke more than those with higher mental wellness. The reason is often physical. People with mental health conditions like depression and anxiety may produce lower dopamine levels, which influence positive feelings in the brain. Nicotine triggers dopamine production, so cigarettes can help provide temporary relief. However, smoking is not only bad for physical health; researchers are finding it can also worsen depression and anxiety. 

5. Avoid alcohol: Many people turn to alcohol to cope with stress, anxiety, and depressed feelings. However, alcohol is a depressant, disrupting the neurotransmitters that impact your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. While a drink may temporarily help a person feel relaxed or less anxious, the effect wears off quickly and can lead to increased negative feelings. Research indicates that people who drink a lot are at risk of having more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychosis. 

6. Stay connected: There's nothing like having a friend. Strong relationships and positive social connections can help improve both physical and mental health. Feeling connected to others has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, strengthen the immune system, and reduce inflammation. If you are not in a place where you can build face-to-face relationships, technology can help. Studies have found that online friendships can provide many of the same health benefits as in-person relationships. Another good way to connect is to look for an online community of people who share your unique interests, or volunteer with an organization that supports a cause you care about. 

7. Get a pet: Studies show that animals — particularly dogs and cats — can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depressed moods. Even watching a fish tank has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve mental wellness. Pets also provide a sense of purpose and connection, which are important for staying positive and can often help individuals get more exercise. Playing with a pet also can raise the brain's feel-good chemicals — like dopamine and oxytocin. But, of course, a pet is a long-term commitment, and you should not get a pet unless you are willing and able to care for the animal properly. 

8. Practice stress relievers: Practices like yoga, journaling, meditation, and breathing exercises are all proven methods for reducing stress, which can help improve your mental state. 

9. Balance work and life: While working long hours is often encouraged by our culture, it is not healthy — physically or mentally. It's important to set realistic priorities and boundaries, such as not working past a specific time at night or making sure you take a lunch break, so that work doesn’t interfere with rest or relationships and lead to burnout. Finding and pursuing hobbies you enjoy and are excited about can make it easier to separate yourself from work. Hobbies can also help you build and maintain connections. 

10. Seek professional help if needed: While the practices listed in this article can help improve mental wellness, sometimes they simply aren't enough, or you may need more immediate help. When other methods don't help, consider reaching out to a mental health professional. They can provide the guidance and resources needed to help set you on a more positive path. 

If you're not sure where to turn, check with your employer. Many companies provide employee assistance programs (EAPs) that can help workers cope with stress-related issues, as well as addiction, depression, anxiety, and other common mental health issues. 

Sometimes, dealing with mental health issues can require taking time off that could last for weeks or even years. Taking extended time off can lead to loss of income, which is a potent stressor itself. Have you considered how you would manage financially if time away from work lasted longer than anticipated?