Montare Behavioral Health

Mental Health Activities for 2023

by | Apr 27, 2023 | Mental Health

Woman taking advantage of the best mental health activities to stay mentally healthy

Many people don’t think much about their mental health until a crisis occurs. Unfortunately, but the time a problem becomes evident, considerable damage may already have occurred. When you make mental health activities a part of your daily life, you may be able to prevent minor concerns from becoming major difficulties.

Why Are Mental Health Activities Important?

To increase your strength, you need to lift weights or engage in other types of exercise. To maintain a healthy weight, you need to follow a nutritious diet plan and stay active. Additionally, to ensure that your car keeps running, you have to perform basic preventive maintenance. 

These statements seem to be self-evident, but sometimes we fail to apply a similar proactive mindset to our own mental health.

Mental health activities can help you manage stress, function more productively, and enjoy better overall quality of life.

What are Some of The Best Mental Health Activities?

Here are 10 mental health activities that can help you maintain or improve your psychological well-being:

  1. Eat healthy foods: Food is the fuel that sustains your body and your mind. A nutritious diet alone won’t protect your mental health. However, it can be an essential component of a comprehensive approach. Aim for a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables (especially green, leafy veggies), fish (especially salmon, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids), nuts, and legumes. 
  2. Sleep well: Failing to get a proper amount of sleep can have a devastating impact on your mental health. Most adults need eight hours of good sleep every night. Creating a consistent routine can help. A routine can include things like going to bed at the same time, avoiding large meals or caffeine before settling in for the night, and keeping your phone and other screens out of your bedroom.
  3. Visit with friends: Staying connected with friends and family can have a significant positive impact on your mental health. Regular phone calls, texts, emails, Zoom conversations, and in-person gatherings can all be valuable ways of remaining in touch with people you care about (and who care about you).
  4. Stay active: This one could have been titled “exercise”. However, we realize that, to many people, that can sound too much like work. Incorporating activity into your daily schedule doesn’t mean you have to train like a world-class athlete. Go for walks. Ride your bike. Work in the garden. Find an activity that you enjoy, and you’ll be much more likely to stay with it.
  5. Volunteer: Volunteering is a great way to stay active and connected, with the added bonus of doing something good for others. Focusing on the needs of other people is also a great way to gain a new perspective on your own challenges. As is also the case with our advice about staying active, it is important to find a volunteer opportunity that you value and enjoy.  
  6. Meditate: Meditation is an excellent mental health activity for a variety of reasons. The benefits of this practice include managing stress better, alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, developing patience and tolerance, improving the quality of your sleep, lowering your blood pressure, and enhancing your ability to focus.
  7. Keep a journal: Journaling forces you to take a step back and view your activities with a bit of distance. This can help you identify the causes of problems, note positive steps that you took, and consider behavior patterns that you may want to improve. Keeping a journal can also help you express your feelings and process your experiences in a healthy and productive manner. 
  8. Take a class: Learning something new is a great way to stimulate your mind and help you avoid feeling stagnant. Whether you participate in person or online, classes can also help you stay connected with other people. As with staying active and volunteering, focus on finding a class on a topic that you enjoy and that you legitimately want to learn more about. It doesn’t have to be work-related – this is something that you’re doing for yourself, not your career.
  9. Spend time offline: Put down your phone. Close your tablet. Turn off your computer. Scheduling an occasional “digital detox” can be a wonderful mental health activity. The online world offers an array of benefits. However, it’s also no secret that a never-ending barrage of news, opinions, text messages, and social media posts can have a corrosive impact on mental health. 
  10. Get help: The previous nine suggestions can help you prevent small problems from spiraling out of control. But sometimes, self-care isn’t enough. If you have developed anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or another mental health concern, you may need to speak with a professional or enter a treatment program.  

Please remember this: Entering mental health treatment isn’t a sign of failure. Instead, it is clear evidence that you have hope for a brighter future, and the courage to do what it takes to turn that hope into reality.

Writing in a journal is one of the best mental health activities

Additional Mental Health Resources

Keeping up with the latest news and advice from reputable sources can also be a vital mental health activity.  Here are some resources that can help:

Contact Our Los Angeles Mental Health Treatment Facility

If you have been struggling with anxiety, depression, or another mental health disorder, we are here for you. Our mental health treatment center is a trusted source of quality care and comprehensive support for adults whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness and co-occurring addiction. With the help of our skilled treatment professionals, you can regain control of your thoughts and behaviors so that you can start living the healthier life you deserve. 

To learn more or to schedule a free intake assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.