July 15, 2021

Simple Exercises to Improve Your Mental Health Today

By Mckenna Smith, Intern & Rachel Myrer, Extension Assistant Professor

woman meditating

 Our mental health is influenced by a variety of factors, but it’s good to remember that simple tweaks can alter your mood. It’s important to step back, slow down, and smell the roses every so often. When life is simply slowed down, it seems to be more enjoyable. Nobody is lucky enough to live a stress-free life, but there are ways to simplify it. Below is a list of simple suggestions for improving your mental well-being in the short term. Sometimes you will only have the time or power to do one task a day from this list, but that’s better than none. Every day you try is a success! 

Simple Exercises to Improve your Mental Health: 

  1. Show Self Compassion- When you’re feeling down it is easy to be extra hard on yourself. Try to show yourself compassion in difficult moments and remember, “I’m doing my best and I’ve got this!” Nobody is perfect. Be kind to yourself, you’ll thank me later (Rosenthal, n.d.).
  2. Go Outside- Set down your electronics and step outside. Feel the grass between your toes and take a breath of fresh air. (Browning, 2020)
  3. Exercise- Get your heart pumping and allow those endorphins to flow through you! (Mental Health.gov, 2020)
  4. Breathe Deeply and Slow Down- Be mindful of your environment and what you’re thinking and feeling. Mindfulness is a wonderful skill to develop to improve mental health (Rosenthal, n.d.; Segal et al., 2021).
  5. Connect with Someone- Whether you send a text to someone, write a letter, give someone a call, or serve someone, it’s important to connect. Connection enhances our mood by making us feel loved and accepted (Rosenthal, n.d.).
  6. Complete One Productive Thing- Complete one task like making your bed, brushing your teeth, or doing a load of laundry. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and will boost your mood.
  7. Make a Gratitude List- Gratitude helps you remember all that you do have. It’s important to not only look at the things you lack, but at the things you’ve received. The saying goes, “Have an attitude of gratitude.” It will improve your mental well-being and encourage you to recognize what you are grateful for (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021).

I hope these simple tasks will help you improve your mood. Use what works best for you and keep at it! Mental health affects each person in a different way, and it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Reach out to others for support and talk to a professional if you need help.

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