But sleep affects both mental and physical health. Sleep helps you think more clearly, have quicker reflexes and focus better. The concept of mindfulness is simple. Here are some tips to help you get started. When someone you love dies, your world changes.

There is no right or wrong way to mourn. Although the death of a loved one can feel overwhelming, most people can make it through the grieving process with the support of family and friends. Learn healthy ways to help you through difficult times. Social connections might help protect health and lengthen life.

Scientists are finding that our links to others can have powerful effects on our health—both emotionally and physically. Whether with romantic partners, family, friends, neighbors, or others, social connections can influence our biology and well-being.

NIH scientists study how physical illness, mental health conditions, caregiving, sleep, and stress impact your emotional health and well-being.

Read more resources from the NIH institutes advancing research in these areas. More resources about emotional wellness ». Site Menu Home. gov Science Education Resources NIH Clinical Research Trials and You Talking to Your Doctor More ».

Search Health Topics. Quick Links RePORT eRA Commons NIH Common Fund. News Releases Digital Media Kits Media Resources Media Contacts Images and B-roll Events Social Media More ».

Quick Links NIH News in Health NIH Research Matters NIH Record. Quick Links PubMed Stem Cell Information OppNet NIDB NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research. List of Institutes and Centers NIH Office of the Director Directors of NIH Institutes and Centers NIH Institute and Center Contact Information More ».

Quick Links NCI NEI NHLBI NHGRI NIA NIAAA NIAID NIAMS NIBIB NICHD NIDCD NIDCR NIDDK NIDA NIEHS NIGMS NIMH NIMHD NINDS NINR NLM CC CIT CSR FIC NCATS NCCIH.

Who We Are What We Do Jobs at NIH Visitor Information Frequently Asked Questions Contact Us More ». Quick Links The NIH Director Take the Virtual Tour NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health ® Impact of NIH Research Science, Health, and Public Trust.

You are here Home » Health Information. Health Information. Your Healthiest Self Emotional Wellness Toolkit En español. Build resilience. To build resilience: Develop healthy physical habits. Healthy eating, physical activity, and regular sleep can improve your physical and mental health.

Take time for yourself each day. Notice the good moments. Do something you enjoy. Look at problems from different angles.

Think of challenging situations as growth opportunities. Learn from your mistakes. Try to see the positive side of things. Practice gratitude. Take time to note things to be thankful for each day.

Explore your beliefs about the meaning and purpose of life. Think about how to guide your life by the principles important to you. Tap into social connections and community.

Surround yourself with positive, healthy people. Ask for help when you need it. Read more Printable. Reduce stress. To help manage stress: Get enough sleep. Adults need 7 or more hours each night, school-age kids need 9—12, and teens need 8— Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost mood and reduce stress.

Build a social support network. Set priorities. Decide what must get done and what can wait. Show compassion for yourself.

Get quality sleep. To get better quality sleep: Go to bed the same time each night and wake up the same time each morning. Sleep in a dark, quiet, comfortable environment.

For example, an Australian survey of young people found that eight in every 10 reported feeling satisfied with their lives, including how they felt about their work, studies, income and relationships. However, this positive picture is contradicted by another survey, which found that about half of all young Australians are grappling with a difficult problem such as depression or alcohol abuse.

Wellbeing is an unclear concept that is hard to pin down with graphs, charts and statistics. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. The following services provide specialised healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria.

The Alexander technique stresses that movement should be economical and needs only the minimum amount of energy and effort. Well-managed anger can be a useful emotion that motivates you to make positive changes.

There are many people you can talk to who can help you overcome feelings of wanting to lash out. Anxiety disorders are common mental health problems that affect many people. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Healthy mind. Home Healthy mind. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. About wellbeing Factors that influence wellbeing Factors are interrelated Wealth is not the key Wellbeing can be elusive Measuring national wellbeing Results depend on what is measured How to achieve wellbeing Where to get help.

About wellbeing Wellbeing is not just the absence of disease or illness. Factors that influence wellbeing Every aspect of your life influences your state of wellbeing. Researchers investigating happiness have found the following factors enhance a person's wellbeing: happy intimate relationship with a partner network of close friends enjoyable and fulfilling career enough money regular exercise nutritional diet enough sleep spiritual or religious beliefs fun hobbies and leisure pursuits healthy self-esteem optimistic outlook realistic and achievable goals sense of purpose and meaning a sense of belonging the ability to adapt to change living in a fair and democratic society.

Factors are interrelated The factors that influence wellbeing are interrelated. Wealth is not the key Money is linked to wellbeing because having enough money improves living conditions and increases social status. Wellbeing can be elusive Wellbeing is important, but seems a little hard to come by.

Measuring national wellbeing Measuring wellbeing in a population is difficult because the interpretation of wellbeing is so subjective — how you feel about your life largely depends on the way you see it. For example, it is helpful to keep track of how many people: Have cancer. Are single, married or divorced.

Exercise on a regular basis. Smoke or drink. Are on unemployment benefits. Are victims of crime. Are unable to read or write. Results depend on what is measured Survey results tend to differ depending on what was measured.

How to achieve wellbeing Develop and maintain strong relationships with family and friends. Make regular time available for social contact.

Try to find work that you find enjoyable and rewarding, rather than just working for the best pay. Eat wholesome, nutritious foods. Do regular physical activity. Become involved in activities that interest you.

Cutting back might seem difficult, but with the right boundaries it can become almost automatic. Try turning off notifications for specific hours in the day, like for an hour after waking up or before going to sleep.

Phone-free mornings and evenings will redirect the attention that would normally go to your phone, to other positive habits. If completely turning off notifications seems drastic, start small, like experimenting with Do Not Disturb mode for 30 minutes at a time.

Less time spent on your phone will give you more time to promote positive mental health in your life. Goal-setting is great. But setting unrealistic ones is a fast-track to disappointment, unnecessary pressure, and stress. Remember to have a set of short-term and long-term goals.

The short term ones will help you feel accomplished more often, boost self-confidence, and propel you towards the success you want down the line. Long-term goals will help you see the bigger picture and keep you on-track.

Practicing altruism means showing concern for others and giving without an obligation, or expecting anything in return. One of the best ways to start is by turning up your empathy. The way you speak about mental health matters.

Speaking about mental health in a stigmatizing way can lead to misunderstanding and even prejudice against people who are struggling with their mental health. Those who struggle then have to combat shame — which can get in the way of receiving the treatment they need and deserve.

Removing the shame from mental health dialogue is key to ensuring it is seen as a real health issue, and those who need help feel comfortable reaching out for it.

Sometimes we can do all of these things and still need a little extra support. These are moments where we can lean on mental health professionals for their knowledge and guidance.

Talking to a counsellor can be one of the best ways to feel supported during stressful periods in life. Counsellors are trained to give you the right tools to cope in a healthy way, and can help unpack complicated thoughts and emotions as they come up.

Engaging in activities that improve mental health is essential to living a healthy and happy lifestyle. Incorporating these 13 things into your life is a great place to start. Here are 13 simple ways you can promote positive mental health in your life 1.

Take time for yourself Taking care of ourselves should always be a part of our to-do lists. Engage with your community The feeling of belonging is essential in promoting positive mental health for ourselves, and our community.

Practice vulnerability Vulnerability can feel scary and uncomfortable for many. Taking ownership of your life No one likes feeling out of control. Meditate Carving out just 5 to 10 minutes of your day to focus on your breathing and calm your thoughts can go a long way.

Avoid drugs and alcohol Drugs and alcohol can significantly heighten symptoms of anxiety and depression , especially when used as a coping mechanism. Lessen screen time Smartphone addiction is real. Set realistic goals Goal-setting is great.

Speak about your mental health positively The way you speak about mental health matters. Giving is really about kindness, not just money or material things.

These might include making things for a charity or engaging in creative play that involves acts of kindness. They could support local charities, visit care homes, take part in fundraising days, or create a project from scratch.

This is about spending time with people, building in time for relationships and connection to others and sharing experiences, both everyday and special. It could be something as simple as children talking to their family or arranging a day out with a friend. Some ideas: Offer activities in school such as peer-mentoring and circle time.

Suggest the children come up with activities that will encourage them to talk in person rather than via text or Snapchat! Meal-times around the table provide great opportunities to chat and share news about their day. Exercise is about being active, not necessarily about going to the gym!

Walking the dog, taking the stairs instead of a lift or escalator, going for a cycle ride with a friend are all good ways of being active. Some ideas: Provide a daily opportunity to be active, both indoors and outdoors. Building in ways to exercise and be physically active that children and young people enjoy increases the likelihood that they will do them daily and continue to do them beyond the scheduled time.

Taking the time to stop and notice things in our environment is surprisingly good for our wellbeing. Children and young people who notice and enjoy their surroundings on most days are significantly less likely to have low levels of wellbeing — of all the Five Ways, this seems to have the greatest impact.

Practising mindfulness can also be a positive way to take notice and appreciate simple things. Some ideas: Observe nature — set up a feeding station to watch birds or, in the spring, look out for them collecting materials for their nests.

Set up an infra-red camera to capture the wildlife that visits the school grounds at night. Give opportunities for country walks, trips to the coast, planting and growing. Young people get a great sense of achievement when they have the chance to acquire new skills.

Some ideas: Provide opportunities to explore and learn about interests, hobbies and crafts such as cookery, knitting, crochet, sewing, photography and woodwork — a great chance for parents and families to be involved.

Adopting the Five Ways as a daily part of school life can help to cultivate an ethos that promotes wellbeing. Evidence suggests that small improvements in wellbeing can help to decrease some mental health problems and, importantly, help everyone to flourish.

Here's an overview of some of the key things you can do to improve your overall sense of well-being. Living a life with meaning and purpose is key to improving your psychological well-being. Instead, you might make it your purpose to be kind every day. Or, your purpose might involve making the world better by encouraging others to take care of the environment or adopt pets from the shelter.

Maybe your purpose is to be an advocate for those who are hurting, like bullied students, the homeless, or victims of abuse. You can find purpose in many ways and build a life that has more meaning. Begin by thinking about the legacy you would like to leave behind. Then, establish some objectives that can help you reach those goals.

Working toward your goals will give you a reason to get out of bed every day, beyond earning money. Thinking positively also improves your psychological well-being. In turn, as your psychological well-being improves, it becomes easier to think positively and feel good overall.

Fortunately, you can begin creating that positive cycle with a few simple strategies:. Take a few minutes and write down all the good things that could happen to you in the future. Imagine how you could be spending your time and who you would be spending it with if you were living your best life.

You also may want to devise a plan on how you can make that happen. Make small, measurable goals that will help you achieve that better future. Then, put a plan into place. When you're working toward a better future—even if the steps are really small—it gives you a sense of purpose and something to look forward to.

Spend time thinking about some of the best memories of your life. Whether it's a family vacation you went on 10 years ago or an award you won at work two years ago, recalling the happiest times in your life can bring more positivity to your mindset.

Recognizing the good things that have happened to you over time—the people you have built memories with or the good times that you have experienced—is an important part of improving your well-being.

They serve as reminders of the fullness life has to offer, especially when circumstances may be pulling you down. Doing nice things for other people reminds you that you have the power to make a difference in the world.

Giving to others also helps you think more positively and feel happier. Helping a neighbor in need, volunteering for a community activity, or raising money for a charity are just a few simple ways to improve your psychological well-being.

Also, look for ways to be kind to others in your everyday life. Doing so benefits you in several ways. In fact, researchers indicate that individual acts of kindness releases both endorphins and oxytocin —the feel good hormones—as well as creates new neural connections.

Consequently, kindness can become a self-reinforcing habit that takes less and less effort to perform. There's also some evidence linking kindness and healing. So, look for ways to be kind to others and your body and mind will thank you.

Mindfulness , which means staying in the moment, has been linked to a multitude of benefits, ranging from increased happiness to better resilience. Although mindfulness is a skill that takes practice and dedication, over time you can get better at learning how to be present and in the moment.

Doing so has a number of benefits too. For instance, studies suggest that mindfulness helps people manage stress, cope with serious illnesses, and reduce anxiety and depression. In fact, people who practice mindfulness are better able to relax, have improved self-esteem, and possess more enthusiasm for life.

What's more, studies have found a link between mindfulness meditation and changes in the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and emotion. This discovery is not surprising because mindfulness requires you to pay attention to your thoughts, your actions, and your body.

Whether you send letters to people telling them how much you appreciate them or you write about the things you feel thankful for in a journal, expressing your gratitude will keep you focused on all the good things in life. You can even express gratitude on social media.

Learning to be grateful in everything you do will become a way of life. You'll discover you can be thankful for little things like the beauty of sunset as well as the big things like a new job or a visit from friend. Finding things to be thankful for everyday is a simple but effective way to boost your psychological well-being.

Feeling capable and confident is important. Try reflecting on your past achievements and the qualities that helped you succeed. Write down these things as a reminder of what you have to offer the world. And, if there's an area that needs improvement, don't be afraid to list that too.

Working on improving yourself is a great way to impact your overall well-being. Letting go of past hurt and anger is key to good psychological well-being. Instead, forgiveness is about releasing yourself of the anger that's holding you back and keeping you bound to that person.

Forgiving another person frees you to put your energy into more positive things rather than ruminating on past hurts and offenses.

If the person who wounded you is still a threat to your overall well-being, it also may help to erect some boundaries to safeguard yourself from further unnecessary pain. Studies show that loneliness takes a serious toll on your emotional and physical health. According to the U. Surgeon General, being lonely is as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

Just being around people, however, isn't the solution. The quality of relationships matters more than the quantity when it comes to improving your psychological well-being.

Have coffee with a friend, eat dinner with your family, and call a loved one just to chat. Strong social support also is important to staying psychologically healthy. If you lack a support system, take steps to meet more people.

Join community activities, get acquainted with your neighbors, or reach out to old friends. This episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares what it means to be 'wholly human,' featuring GRAMMY award-winning singer LeAnn Rimes.

Click below to listen now. Psychological well-being is a key part of feeling happy and being able to function day-to-day. It's easier than you may think to develop healthy habits that can foster your emotional health.

Start small and try practicing one or two strategies to maximize your psychological well-being, such as writing down a few of your strengths or happy memories. Over time, you will see the effects that these practices have on your positivity and overall mental health.

van Dierendonck D, Lam H. Interventions to enhance eudaemonic psychological well-being: A meta-analytic review with Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-being. Appl Psychol Health Well Being. Ryff CD. Psychological well-being revisited: advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia.

Psychother Psychosom. Niemiec CP. Eudaimonic well-being. In: Michalos AC, ed. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer Netherlands; Kubzansky LD, Huffman J, Boehm J, Hernandez R, et al.

Positive psychological well-bBeing and cardiovascular disease: JACC health promotion series. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Trudel-Fitzgerald C, Millstein RA, von Hippel C, et al. Psychological well-being as part of the public health debate?

Insight into dimensions, interventions, and policy. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.

There are lots of things you could try to help build stronger and closer relationships:. if possible, take time each day to be with your family, for example, try arranging a fixed time to eat dinner together. try switching off the TV to talk or play a game with your children, friends or family.

volunteer at a local school, hospital or community group. Find out how to volunteer on the GOV. UK website. make the most of technology to stay in touch with friends and family. Video-chat apps like Skype and FaceTime are useful, especially if you live far apart.

do not rely on technology or social media alone to build relationships. It's easy to get into the habit of only ever texting, messaging or emailing people. Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:.

Read about exercise guidelines and workouts to help improve your fitness and wellbeing. read about running and aerobic exercises to help get you moving and improve your fitness. read about strength and flexibility exercises to increase muscle strength, improve balance and reduce joint pain.

if you're a wheelchair user, read fitness advice for wheelchair users. do not feel you have to spend hours in a gym. It's best to find activities you enjoy and make them a part of your life. Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by:. Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.

try learning to cook something new. Find out about eating a healthy, balanced diet. try taking on a new responsibility at work, such as mentoring a junior staff member or improving your presentation skills.

work on a DIY project, such as fixing a broken bike, garden gate or something bigger.