New Year’s resolutions. Many people make them. Almost as many break them. A well-meaning exercise often ends in feelings of overwhelm and failure.

Instead of adopting sweeping goals and massive changes, a CNET article suggests, why not try new daily habits to improve your mental health in 2023? Or better yet, start small and pick one new way to be good to yourself.

Build relaxation into your life

Stress is a given in modern life. But there are multiple ways to deal with it and mitigate the effects of stress on your body. Mindfulness meditation, a way of training your attention, can help you feel more calm and think in more positive ways. Music can help your mindfulness practice. The mental health app Calm has partnered with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to provide free mindfulness tools.

Deep breathing is another time-honored technique to calm your body. Stanford professor Andrew Huberman recommends what he calls the “psychological sigh,” a simple breathing technique that acts like a kill switch for the body’s stress response. By exhaling longer than you inhale, your brain tells your heart to slow down. And calming your body calms your mind.

Practice gratitude

Gratitude has been shown to reduce stress, mitigate depression symptoms, and boost your mood. Listing what you’re grateful for in a journal or writing a gratitude letter can be helpful tools.

Value social interaction

When we spend time with others, we build an emotional support system we can rely on when we need it. If you can’t gather physically, phone calls, text messages, and meeting over Zoom can help.

Tend to your physical health

Our minds and bodies are intricately interconnected. Prioritize sleep, as it is critical to mental health. Sleep deprivation makes it harder to regulate your emotions and cope with stress, which can exacerbate existing mental illness symptoms.

Hydrate and fuel your body well. In addition to eating nutrient-packed meals, try adding foods to your diet that boost happiness. Drink plenty of water, since “hydration is linked to decreased risk of anxiety and depression.”

Make social media work for you

Doomscrolling through your news feed or comparing yourself to others has detrimental effects on our well-being. According to the article, “Constant social media use has been linked to worsened anxiety and depression symptoms, feelings of inadequacy and unhealthy sleeping habits.” Try limiting your social media use – do not use it first thing in the morning or before you go to bed, and choose social media activities that actively bring you joy or relaxation.

Try journaling to express your feelings

Research shows that journaling is a powerful tool to express and understand your thoughts and emotions. Studies have shown that journaling for 15 minutes each day significantly reduced stress and anxiety, as well as helping with PTSD symptoms or depression.

Laugh

Science is on your side. Laughter has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress. Likewise, dancing reduces the stress hormone cortisol in the body.

Improving your mental wellness is a marathon, not a sprint. Why not choose one activity and try to incorporate it into your life? The journey to health comes one small step at a time.

Read the full article here.

Leamey, Taylor. “Use These 7 Daily Habits to Boost Your Mental Health in 2023.” CNET.com, 31 Dec 2022, https://www.cnet.com/health/mental/7-daily-habits-thatll-improve-your-mental-health-in-2023/.

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