On 10th October, we mark World Mental Health Day – a global opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues and advocate for mental wellbeing. This year, we’d like to focus on two fundamental pillars of mental health: the food we eat and the daily habits we cultivate. By making conscious choices in these areas, we can take meaningful steps toward protecting and improving our mental wellbeing.
Understanding Mental Health Today
According to the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, one in six people have experienced a common mental problem such as anxiety or depression in the last week. The good news? There are evidence-based, practical strategies you can implement today to support your mental health journey. Just like brushing your teeth every day is important for preventing dental problems, we need to take similar care of our mental health.
Part 1: Nutrition and Mental Health – Foods That Support Your Mood
The Food-Mood Connection
What we eat and drink affects how we feel, think and behave. Your brain is an organ that needs a mix of nutrients in order to stay healthy and function well, just like the other organs in your body. One of the most overlooked yet essential factors for mental health is nutrition.
How Does This Work?
Your brain requires specific nutrients to function optimally and regulate your emotions. Protein contains chemical amino acids, which your brain needs to produce neurotransmitters (chemicals that help regulate your thoughts and mood). When we understand this connection, it becomes clear why diet is not just about physical health, but mental wellbeing too.
Building a Balanced Mental Health Diet
Strive to eat a balanced diet including lots of different types of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereals or bread, nuts and seeds, dairy products, oily fish and plenty of water. The Mental Health Foundation emphasises that a balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fruit is essential for good physical and mental health.
At the same time, it’s worth being mindful of what you’re limiting. Sugary snacks and drinks can give a temporary “high” or sense of comfort, but they soon leave us feeling exhausted or jittery. Caffeine in coffee, tea, or so-called energy drinks can also have this effect.
The Social Aspect of Eating
Interestingly, how we eat matters just as much as what we eat. Having meals with other people can help to grow relationships, with family, friends, partners, and colleagues. This is really important in protecting everyone’s mental health and preventing problems. Sharing food creates connection, which is fundamental to our wellbeing.
Part 2: Daily Habits to Reduce Stress and Improve Wellbeing
While nutrition forms an important foundation, what we do each day matters equally. Protecting our mental health is easier than you might think. We can all do it every day, and with simple activities that help us feel good, we’re better able to cope with life.
Five Research-Backed Daily Habits
- Keep Moving
Our bodies and minds are connected, so looking after ourselves physically also helps us prevent problems with our mental health. Moving our bodies with sport, gardening, dancing, cycling, walking the dog, cleaning or going to the gym are great ways to improve our mental and physical health. Exercise releases “feel good” hormones that reduce feelings of stress and anger. It also helps us feel better about our bodies and can improve our sleep.
The Mental Health Foundation emphasises that we don’t have to be professional athletes or sporty to get the benefits of being physically active. The best exercise is simply the one we enjoy.
- Get Closer to Nature
Nature can have a really calming effect on us. Some people say nature helps them feel calmer, more hopeful and less alone. Research found that going for a walk was UK adults’ favourite way of coping with stress during the pandemic in 2020.
To get the best out of nature’s healing effects, try tuning your senses to what’s around you the trees, plants, birds and animals, for instance, and water such as ponds or the seashore. Take a deep breath and see how you feel.
- Prioritise Sleep
Sleep is often the first thing that suffers when we’re struggling with our mental health. Adults need between 7 and 9 hours’ sleep a night, including enough dreaming sleep and enough deeper sleep.
To improve your sleep, try developing a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid TV and mobile screens, alcohol and caffeine before bed, and go to bed and get up at around the same time every day, including weekends.
- Be Kind and Help Others
Being kind is good for both sides. Being kind can boost our mood, help us feel more capable, strengthen our connections with others and even make us cope better with stress. Small but meaningful acts of kindness, such as offering a smile or a few kind words to another person, can make their day but also help you feel better for it.
You can also consider volunteer work or getting together with others to work for good causes. These things can help us feel connected with others and the world around us. It can give us the sense that we can make a difference. All of this is good for our mental health.
- Be Curious and Open-Minded
We can all get stuck in familiar ways, like how we spend our time and what we think about ourselves and the world. It can help to notice these thoughts and try out new ones, such as “I can change things for the better” and “there is so much I can do”. Life can feel more interesting, lively and rewarding when we are open to trying new experiences and experimenting with how we do things.
Want to feel supported while building healthier habits? Our e-Surgery Health Challenge Facebook group is here for you. With monthly challenges, prizes, and a community that celebrates every win, it’s the place to start, stick with, and enjoy your health journey.
A Note on What Works for You
Our best mental health tips can be easier for some and harder for others. Why not give them a try and see which ones suit you best? Trying new things can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but they usually get easier the more we practise them. Remember that none of us are perfect. We all have our limits. What’s good enough for you is great.
Your Mental Health Matters
This World Mental Health Day, we encourage you to reflect on your current habits around nutrition and daily routines. Small changes such as adding more vegetables to a meal, taking a 15-minute walk, or calling a friend can accumulate into meaningful improvements in how you feel.
Remember, mental health is not a destination but an ongoing journey. Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you build these supportive habits. If you’re struggling, reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Take care of your mind. It deserves it.
Additional Resources
For more information and support:
- Mental Health Foundation: www.mentalhealth.org.uk
- Mind: www.mind.org.uk
- NHS Mental Health Services: www.nhs.uk/mental-health
- Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/ or Call 116 123 (available 24/7)
This blog post is for informational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. If you have concerns about your mental health, please consult with a qualified healthcare professional.
