How to Protect Your Mental Health: 12 Research-Backed Well-Being Strategies

Sep 26, 2025

September is Suicide Prevention Month, making it a meaningful time to pause, check in with yourself, and gather healthy strategies you can use year-round. Protecting your mental health is essential, and knowing how to cope - even in small ways - can make a big difference.

The encouraging news is there are many evidence-based practices, from movement to gratitude, that have measurable effects on mood, resilience, and overall well-being.

If you or someone you know is in crisis: In the U.S., call or text 988 or chat via988lifeline.orgfor free, confidential support 24/7. If there's immediate danger, call 911.

Understanding and Protecting Your Mental Health

Mental health is the foundation for how you think, feel, and interact with the world. It influences your ability to cope with stress, build relationships, and make decisions. Like physical health, it naturally fluctuates over time.

Unfortunately, nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, and more than 1 in 3 high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. These numbers reflect how widespread mental health challenges are. They are not isolated struggles, but shared experiences that touch families, workplaces, and communities.

When left untreated, mental health conditions can be profoundly disruptive. Depression is a worldwide concern and can negatively affect daily life, overall health, and personal relationships.

Protecting and strengthening your mental health in any season can lead to clearer thinking, improved focus, stronger relationships, and a more stable sense of self.

12 Well-Being Strategies for Mental Health (and How to Start)

Protecting your mental health doesn't require a total life overhaul. Simple, repeatable habits can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and help you build resilience over time. The key is consistency - and you don't have to wait to get started.

Below are 12 research-backed strategies, each paired with a practical step you can try right away to boost your mental health.

1. Move Your Body

Physical activity isn't just good for your heart and body. It directly benefits your mind, too. Movement releases endorphins, regulates stress hormones, and can give your brain a break from racing thoughts.

Data suggest that future depression cases could be prevented if adults engage in at least one hour of physical activity per week. There are options for all fitness levels, from taking a brief walk to trying a beginner yoga class. Even small amounts of movement, such as easy stretches, can buffer stress and lift your mood.

Try this: Schedule three 10-20 minute walks this week. Pair them with music or a podcast you enjoy, or see if a friend is available to chat.

2. Try Testing Your Strength

Lifting weights or doing bodyweight resistance exercises teaches you to push through discomfort and builds strength when done properly. This is a skill that can increase confidence and carry over into managing stress and setbacks.

Studies have found that resistance training produces a moderate reduction in depressive symptoms across age and health status. Pending your health status, be sure to consult your doctor or a physical therapist for guidance before beginning these exercises to avoid injury.

Physical therapy or other rehabilitation services are particularly important after injury or illness.

Try this: Start simply and easily with bodyweight moves like wall push-ups, squats, or rows with a towel.

3. Protect Your Sleep

Sleep is the body's reset button. Without quality rest, stress hormones rise, mood regulation falters, and decision-making becomes harder. This can take a toll on your mental and physical health.

According to the CDC, U.S. adults who regularly sleep less than six hours are 2.5 times more likely to report frequent mental distress than those who sleep a recommended amount.

Try this: Keep a consistent bed and wake-up time, even on weekends. Avoid screens an hour before bed.

4. Take Up a Hobby

Participating in enjoyable leisure activities and hobbies can have a profound impact on protecting your mental health. Not only do hobbies provide an outlet for creativity and relaxation, but they also offer opportunities for socialization and finding meaning.

Spending time doing activities you enjoy is restorative for your mental health. It enhances positive thoughts, reduces stress, and provides a sense of accomplishment.

Try this: Choose a new activity to try, from an art class at your local community center to an online tutorial for gardening.

5. Spend Time in Nature

Time outdoors provides natural stress relief and restores attention. Exposure to green spaces is linked with reduced anxiety, greater vitality, and stronger overall well-being.

People who spend time outdoors each week are significantly more likely to report good health and feelings of wellness. When you spend time in nature, try to focus on the present and practice mindfulness for even better mental health.

Try this: Take at least one break each day to go outside, and visit a local park or take a hike on the weekend.

6. Make Eating Decisions to Support Mood Stability

What you eat affects how you feel.

Nutrient-rich diets support brain function, regulate neurotransmitters, and reduce inflammation - key factors in mood stability.

One study found that one-third of participants who followed a Mediterranean-style diet achieved depression remission.

Whatever your nutrition preferences, you can find healthy recipes online to incorporate into your weekly schedule.

Try this: Swap one meal you eat often for a Mediterranean option - such as yogurt, fruit, and nuts for breakfast.

7. Volunteer for a Cause You Believe In

Helping others creates meaningful purpose and connection, both of which are powerful protectors against loneliness and feelings of despair.

Volunteer work also builds social ties: Not only do socialization and a sense of community reduce stress, they also improve your overall health.

Longitudinal data show that older adults who volunteer weekly have 43% lower odds of developing depression. No matter your age, the time, effort, and skills you contribute to others is valuable.

Try this: Commit one or two hours a month to volunteer at a food pantry, pet shelter, or community group. Or, start small: Simply help out a neighbor who needs a hand.

8. Put Guardrails on Social Media

Social media can connect us in some ways, but overuse often fuels anxiety, loneliness, and an unhealthy need to compare yourself to others. Setting limits for the time you spend on social media sites protects your attention, mood, and overall mental health.

One study of 230 college students showed that limiting social media to 30 minutes per day for two weeks significantly reduced anxiety, depression, loneliness, and fear of missing out. Replace your social media time with more fulfilling pursuits such as reading, walking, or other hobbies.

Try this: Set app time limits and create a nightly "news curfew."

9. Use Your Breathing to Calm Stress

Breathing patterns directly influence the nervous system. Controlled breathing can reduce anxiety and create a sense of calm in minutes.

A Stanford study found that practicing five minutes of cyclic sighing (longer exhales) daily improved mood more than mindfulness meditation.

Try this: Inhale twice through the nose (small breath, then fuller one), then exhale slowly through the mouth. Repeat for five minutes.

10. Build a Gratitude Habit

Feeling gratitude shifts attention away from stress and trains the brain to notice positives. Simple mental practices or written affirmation exercises can strengthen resilience and boost well-being.

Noticing, recognizing, and appreciating even small things each day can add up to grateful emotions and improve your mental health overall. This can include anything from hearing a bird chirp during a quiet moment to a kind smile from a stranger.

Try this: Each night, jot down three things you appreciated during the day. You'll find you start to pay attention to them more as you go about your daily activities!

11. Create a Well-Being & Safety Plan

Stress and crisis moments make clear thinking difficult. Having a plan in writing ensures your coping strategies and supports are close at hand when you need them most.

Since its launch in 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has handled over 16 million calls, more than double compared to the pre-launch era. Crisis planning works best when done before the need arises.

Try this: Have a friend you can partner with through life's ups and downs. That way, if the down times hit, you can reach out for support without fear of bothering a friend - because you're there for them too.

12. Don't Hesitate to Seek Professional Support

Mental health struggles don't always resolve on their own, and they can often grow worse without treatment. Seeking help early improves outcomes, reduces suffering, and shortens recovery time.

In other words, the sooner you get help, the better your prospects for restoring mental health and well-being.

Try this: If symptoms last two weeks or interfere with daily life, contact a mental health professional. Write notes so you don't have to think about it: "I've had low mood, poor sleep, and trouble focusing for two weeks. I'd like to discuss options."

Protecting Your Mental Health Starts with Small Steps

Your mental health matters every day of the year. By practicing simple strategies like regular movement, expressing gratitude, quality rest, and staying connected through hobbies and volunteering, you can build resilience and stability to carry you through life's ups and downs.

And remember: you don't have to do it all alone. Reaching out to a mental health professional or crisis resource is a sign of strength, not weakness. Support is always available, and taking that step can make all the difference.

Behavioral Health