Support your mental Wellbeing

Looking after your mental wellbeing doesn’t have to mean big lifestyle changes. Research shows that simple daily habits - like consistent sleep, joyful movement, colourful foods, time in nature, and meaningful connection - can boost mood, ease stress, and build resilience. This article explores eight practical, science-backed practices to support your mental health.

1: Sleep Well, Stress Less

We all know sleep matters - and as we age, we feel the impact of a bad night even more - but why is it so vital for mental health? Its primary role is to restore both brain and body. During deep sleep, the brain clears away stress chemicals, regulates emotional circuits and strengthens memory pathways¹. A good night’s sleep not only restores energy but also strengthens emotional resilience¹. Conversely, poor or insufficient sleep has been linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression and emotional reactivity^2,3.

You may think “there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to get more sleep”, however, a recent study has shown that a consistent sleep routine – meaning going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day - is independently associated with a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, regardless of sleep duration⁴. So, while 7+ hours of sleep is still recommended, you don’t have to force more hours; instead, focus on setting up a regular routine to improve both physical and mental wellbeing.

Tip: If you struggle with racing thoughts at night, try a cognitive wind-down ritual. Studies show that writing a short to-do list⁵, keeping a gratitude journal⁶ or even practicing some breathing exercises⁷ can reduce mental chatter and help you drift off faster.

2: Move For Your Mood

It is common knowledge that exercise is good for the body, but what about the brain? When you move your body, your brain releases endorphins – natural mood boosters that ease stress and anger, while lifting overall wellbeing^8,9. Exercise also sparks the release of dopamine, a key “reward” chemical that fuels motivation and positivity¹⁰, and also lowers cortisol, the body’s stress hormone^8,9. This powerful combination helps you to feel calmer, more focused and more resilient to daily stressors. Beyond mood, exercise improves self-esteem, cognitive function and sleep quality^8,9, giving your mind and body a powerful boost.

Tip: Start with movement you actually enjoy. Dancing around your kitchen, walking the dog or joining a fun group class all count as exercise, and research shows that when we choose activities we find enjoyable, we are more likely to stick with them long term^11,12.

3: Eat The Rainbow

It is now well recognised that food influences not only our physical health, but our mental health too. Trillions of microbes live in the gut, forming the gut microbiome¹³. These microbes play a vital role in digestion, immunity, and brain chemistry through constant two-way communication along the gut–brain axis¹⁴. A healthy microbiome is crucial for emotional wellbeing¹⁴ with research showing that greater microbial diversity is linked with better mood regulation^15,16, while imbalances (dysbiosis) are associated with anxiety, depression and stress sensitivity¹⁶.

One simple way to support this diversity is to “eat the rainbow”. Different colours of fruits and vegetables provide unique nutrients and plant compounds that nourish both your brain and gut. For example, purple and blue foods (like blueberries and red cabbage) are rich in anthocyanins, which have been studied for their role in supporting mood¹⁷; orange and yellow foods (like carrots and peppers) contain carotenoids that may help protect brain cells from oxidative stress and support cognitive function^18,19; while leafy greens provide folate and magnesium, nutrients essential for normal psychological function^20,21. A colourful plate doesn’t just brighten your meal, it packs your diet with brain-friendly nutrients and feeds a wider variety of gut microbes. Research consistently shows that more diverse diets are linked to higher microbial richness and resilience²², which supports both physical and mental wellbeing. Even small steps towards eating more colourful plants can bring meaningful benefits for your gut, your brain and your mood.

Alongside eating a diverse range of colourful plants, adding fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, yoghurt or kefir can further support gut health. Research shows that fermented foods not only introduce beneficial microbes but can also increase the diversity of the gut microbiome²³, making them a great complement to a plant-rich diet.

Tip: Create a simple “rainbow tracker” with colour categories (red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple, white) and tick them off as you go. It’s a fun, visual way to boost variety — and you can even try to add one new fruit or vegetable each week.

4: The Nature Prescription

Our bodies are designed for the outdoors, yet modern lifestyles keep many of us indoors. Unsurprisingly, nature is deeply beneficial for our mental wellbeing. Spending time in green and blue spaces - forests, parks, beaches, rivers etc - reduces blood pressure, cortisol and results in greater activation of our parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system²². It may even lower risk of psychiatric illness²⁴.

Sunlight itself adds further benefits;  by regulating circadian rhythms, boosting vitamin D levels, reducing fatigue and even lessening low mood, and increasing happiness^25,26. Moreover, it has strong direct effects on cognition and alertness²⁷, meaning sunlight doesn’t just brighten the world around us; it lifts our mood, sharpens our mind and regulates the rhythms that keep us healthy too.

Tip: Add short “sunshine breaks” into part of your day – take your coffee break outside to enjoy the sunshine, spend time in nature and get some fresh air. Even spending 20 minutes outside has been shown to reduce stress and improve wellbeing^28,29.

5: Connection is Protection

Human connection offers more benefits than we often realise. Social laughter triggers the release of endorphins and increases feelings of bonding^30,31, with strong social connections being linked to lower risk of depression and anxiety, and even a longer lifespan^32,33. Moreover, oxytocin (the “bonding hormone”) rises during positive social interactions – like hand-holding, hugging, and supportive conversations – which lowers stress responses, reduces blood pressure, and strengthens feelings of trust and connection³⁴. So, the next time you share a laugh or a hug, you’ll be boosting your mood, resilience and overall wellbeing too.

Tip: Plan one meaningful social ritual each week, and maybe even combine it with a hobby you enjoy, so you can benefit from both play and bonding.

6: Play more, Smile more

Fun isn’t frivolous – it’s essential. Engaging in enjoyable activities activates the brain’s reward system, boosting dopamine and lifting your mood³⁵. Play and hobbies have been shown to lower stress hormones, like cortisol, and reduce depressive symptoms while increasing positive emotions^36,37, and even anticipating fun can spark excitement, purpose and wellbeing³⁸. In other words, making time for hobbies, play and fun is a science-backed way to nurture your mental wellbeing.

Tip: Plan joy into your week – schedule at least one activity you genuinely look forward to, whether that’s painting, a dance class or a games night with friends!

7: Unplug to Recharge

Our phones are brilliant tools, until they start running us instead of the other way around. If you have ever promised yourself “just 5 more minutes” of screen time, then you know how slippery that slope can be. This not only wastes valuable time, but also harms mental health; high screen time and/or social media use has been linked to poor sleep, lower self-esteem and anxiety, particularly in young people^39,40. Reducing screen time, especially at night, supports melatonin production leading to better sleep⁴¹, and as we’ve seen, sleep is essential for mental wellbeing. Limiting screen time also makes space for richer, in-person interactions which research shows strengthens emotional regulation and our sense of social belonging⁴². Phones are unavoidable in our modern world, but it’s evident that controlling their use is essential for our mental wellbeing.

Tip: Set app limits on social media or games, and use the extra time for something that truly boosts your wellbeing - a walk outside, catching up with a friend, or enjoying a hobby.

8: Mindfulness for Mental Fitness

We have all heard the term ‘mindfulness’ thrown around, but what does it really mean? Mindfulness is a state of purposeful, non-judgemental awareness of the present moment⁴³. It has its roots in ancient spiritual traditions, namely Buddhism, but has since been introduced into the Western world of psychology and medicine, albeit leaving behind the philosophy, ethics and systems that Buddhism upholds⁴³.

The introduction of this practice comes after many studies have shown it to be beneficial in supporting mental health by improving subjective wellbeing and behavioural regulation, while reducing psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity⁴³. Mindfulness meditation, specifically, has been found to be negatively associated with depression, anxiety and stress⁴⁴. Whether you choose to approach mindfulness as a spiritual practice or simply as a tool for its proven benefits, it can be a powerful way to support and strengthen your mental wellbeing.

Tip: Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method to ground in the present moment. It’s a simple tool you can use anywhere to calm the mind, reduce anxiety and reset your focus in just a few minutes.

Take a deep breath and notice:

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can feel

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

Bonus Tip: Making Habits Stick

Building new habits can feel daunting. Here are 4 suggestions to help make your new wellness routine stick⁴⁵:

• Break it down: Rather than starting with an hour in the gym, begin with 10 squats/star jumps/press ups while the kettle boils

• Use cues & triggers: When your new screen-time app tells you “Time’s up!”, use that as a cue to pick up a book or jot down your thoughts in a journal

• Make it social: Involving others boosts accountability and enjoyment; set a shared goal with a friend and celebrate together upon completion

• Make it tempting: Link a new habit with something you enjoy, like saving your favourite podcast for outdoor walks

Supporting your mental wellbeing doesn’t require a dramatic lifestyle overhaul. Often, it comes down to focusing on a few key areas that, together, make the biggest difference. Here are four to keep in mind:

• Rest and recharge – Prioritise good sleep and spend time in nature to restore the brain, reduce stress hormones, and build emotional resilience.

• Move and nourish – Exercise in ways you enjoy and eat a colourful, varied diet to fuel energy, mood, and gut–brain health.

• Connect and belong – Spend quality time with others and nurture meaningful relationships to strengthen emotional wellbeing.

• Balance and joy – Protect your downtime from screens, make space for hobbies, and practice mindfulness to spark joy and ease stress.