Self-Care Practices That Can Improve Your Mental Health
Mental health struggles don't always announce themselves loudly. Sometimes they look like skipping your morning routine, lying awake at 2am, or just feeling like you're running on empty no matter how much you rest. The good news is that small, consistent self-care habits can make a meaningful difference, not just in how you feel physically, but in your mood, energy, and overall sense of well-being.
Here are several practical places to start.
Keep Up with Physical Health Basics
When mental health suffers, basic physical upkeep is often the first thing to slip, and neglecting it creates a cycle that's hard to break. Dental hygiene, for example, is easy to let go when you're struggling, but poor oral health has been linked to depression and reduced confidence. Starting small helps: just brush and floss daily, and schedule a check-up when you're ready. The same goes for how you present yourself day to day. Wearing clothes that feel comfortable and that you actually like can have a surprisingly real effect on your mood. It doesn't have to be elaborate; even swapping worn-out loungewear for something fresh can shift how you feel about yourself.
Reduce Stress Intentionally
Chronic stress is one of the biggest contributors to poor mental health. Left unaddressed, it keeps the nervous system in a prolonged fight-or-flight state, which affects sleep, mood, digestion, immunity, and more. Some places to start:
Prioritize Sleep. It's Not Optional
The research is clear: poor sleep and poor mental health are deeply connected. The body and mind need seven to nine hours per night to fully recover. You likely can't fix sleep problems overnight, but building better habits consistently does add up.
Here are several practical places to start.
Keep Up with Physical Health Basics
When mental health suffers, basic physical upkeep is often the first thing to slip, and neglecting it creates a cycle that's hard to break. Dental hygiene, for example, is easy to let go when you're struggling, but poor oral health has been linked to depression and reduced confidence. Starting small helps: just brush and floss daily, and schedule a check-up when you're ready. The same goes for how you present yourself day to day. Wearing clothes that feel comfortable and that you actually like can have a surprisingly real effect on your mood. It doesn't have to be elaborate; even swapping worn-out loungewear for something fresh can shift how you feel about yourself.
Reduce Stress Intentionally
Chronic stress is one of the biggest contributors to poor mental health. Left unaddressed, it keeps the nervous system in a prolonged fight-or-flight state, which affects sleep, mood, digestion, immunity, and more. Some places to start:
- Watch your self-talk. Negative internal dialogue is a major driver of chronic stress. Practicing self-compassion and working toward changing harsh self-talk patterns takes time, but the impact is significant.
- Get regular massage therapy. Massage is one of the most effective ways to physically down-regulate the stress response. It reduces cortisol, eases muscle tension, improves circulation, and helps shift the nervous system into a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state. Regular sessions at Michigan Massage and Wellness can be a foundational part of a mental health self-care routine.
- Practice saying no. Overcommitting is a fast track to burnout. Saying no to things that drain you is an act of self-respect, and it frees up the time and energy you need to actually take care of yourself.
- Make time for hobbies. Activities that bring you genuine enjoyment like games, reading, creative work, being outside aren't frivolous. They're a real and necessary part of stress management. Put them in the calendar like any other appointment.
- Address financial stress directly. Money is one of the most common chronic stressors. Creating a budget, reducing unnecessary expenses, and building a plan, even a simple one, can take a significant mental load off.
Prioritize Sleep. It's Not Optional
The research is clear: poor sleep and poor mental health are deeply connected. The body and mind need seven to nine hours per night to fully recover. You likely can't fix sleep problems overnight, but building better habits consistently does add up.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Exercise during the day, not right before bed. Physical activity improves sleep quality significantly.
- Build a wind-down routine: dim lights, lower the noise, put the phone down.
- Omit blue light exposure from screens at least an hour before bed. A physical book and a soft lamp beats doomscrolling every time.
If You Work From Home, Build Your Environment Intentionally
Remote work blurs the line between rest and productivity in ways that quietly take a toll on mental health. A few things that help: get as much natural light as possible (open curtains, move your desk toward the window), supplement with vitamin D especially in winter months, add some indoor plants, and put something on the walls that makes you feel good. Small environmental changes signal to your brain that the space is worth being in — and that matters more than most people realize.
Learning to meet your own needs is a practice, not a destination. Start with one thing on this list, do it consistently, and build from there. And if you're carrying more than you can manage alone, reach out to a friend, a doctor, a therapist, or us. You don't have to figure it all out by yourself.
This post was contributed by Camille Johnson of Bereaver.com, a resource for those navigating grief and loss.
Remote work blurs the line between rest and productivity in ways that quietly take a toll on mental health. A few things that help: get as much natural light as possible (open curtains, move your desk toward the window), supplement with vitamin D especially in winter months, add some indoor plants, and put something on the walls that makes you feel good. Small environmental changes signal to your brain that the space is worth being in — and that matters more than most people realize.
Learning to meet your own needs is a practice, not a destination. Start with one thing on this list, do it consistently, and build from there. And if you're carrying more than you can manage alone, reach out to a friend, a doctor, a therapist, or us. You don't have to figure it all out by yourself.
This post was contributed by Camille Johnson of Bereaver.com, a resource for those navigating grief and loss.
