7 Tips To Boost Your Mental Health

7 ways to boost your mental health and feel less stressed.

- Lisa Turner

It’s normal to experience occasional jitters or a case of the blues. But if you’re one of the millions of people who struggle daily with sadness, anxiety, tension, stress, or mood swings, you don’t have to feel bad. Natural wholebody solutions can help boost mood and bolster your mental health. Here’s what to do:

1 Go ride a bike.

Exercise improves mental and emotional well-being, relieves stress, increases blood circulation to the brain, and releases endorphins—brain chemicals that improve mood and boost energy. Additionally, aerobic exercises like bike riding, jogging, swimming, walking, dancing, and even gardening can reduce anxiety, stress, and depression, and may improve self-esteem and cognitive function. Recommended: 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, three times a week. If you’re not into cycling or running, a brisk walk has the same effect. It doesn’t have to be continuous; three 10-minute walks are thought to be as beneficial as a 30-minute walk.

2 Zen out.

Chronic stress takes a heavy toll on mental health; it’s linked with depression, anxiety, and mood disorders, and has even been linked with increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. You can’t control the world around you, but you can learn to cope with your personal triggers. Techniques that have been proven to work:

MEDITATE. Mindfulness-based meditation is especially effective at reducing stress, burnout, depression, and anxiety, and meditators may also experience greater attention, awareness, and improvements in cognition.

IGNORE THE INBOX.

One study found that checking emails more frequently increased anxiety and stress; limit visits to your inbox to three times a day, and respond to your email in chunks, instead of every few minutes.