4 Daily Habits to Improve Your Mental Health

I've shared my Morning and Night Routines before and today I wanted to talk about four habits that I've been striving to do daily that has helped improve my mental health! Lately I've been feeling anxious and stressed and it was clear I wasn't prioritizing my mental health. It's so easy to get caught in the mindset of minimizing your mental health needs to be "strong" or to show up for others or feeling the need to grind to accomplish your goals whatever the cost. Especially in the South Asian community, taking care of our mental health has been and sadly still is so stigmatized that we were never really taught what to do when we experienced stress, or anxiety, or depression! If you struggle with your mental health know that you are not alone and that it is okay to seek help! I'll be sharing a post soon on "Finding a Therapist" so stay tuned! In addition to therapy, there are a few daily practices that you can adopt to help improve your mood. These practices are shown to improve your mood, help you better cope with stress, increase levels of serotonin, supports cognitive flexibility, and support overall emotional wellness.

1. Express Gratitude

As part of my morning routine, I write down 3-5 things in my journal I am grateful for. Gratitude is strongly associated with happiness and fulfillment so why wouldn't we want to incorporate more gratitude in our lives! This simple practice has helped me to feel and think more positively!

2. Daily walks/work outs

*Almost* everyday during lunchtime Anup and I go on a 30 minute walk or bike ride on the pier. Getting outside and moving our bodies is such an important part of our daily routine because it's time we get to spend with one another and because it gives us the opportunity to take a break from work to de-stress.

3. Sleep

Sleep is crucial to our emotional health. I notice that when I don't get my full 8 hours of sleep I am irritable and distracted, so this is your reminder to start and maintain a consistent sleep schedule! Learn more about sleep here.

4. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the state of being aware of the present moment. You can be mindful while eating, cooking, walking, or reading! Practicing mindfulness is key for preventing and managing stress when it arises.

This week try setting a realistic and attainable goal of adopting one of these habits into your daily routine and see how it makes you feel! Check out my post about tracking daily habits here!