How to Create a Daily Routine That Supports Mental Health

Building a daily routine that supports and promotes mental health and well-being begins the night before. Sleep is the cornerstone of good mental health. Good sleep hygiene looks different for everyone and begins with figuring out what your optimal hours of sleep are and then giving yourself the best possible chance of hitting that number every night. Sleep quality is as important as the number of hours slept. Having a comfortable pillow, bed setup, room temperature, light level, and sound level can greatly impact your sleep quality. Thinking about these factors and experimenting with different setups until you find your optimal one can greatly improve the number of hours you sleep and the quality of your sleep. Something that can improve sleep and our overall sense of well-being is exercise. You don’t need to go to the gym or walk 10,000 steps, but a light routine of stretching or some other coordinated movement helps reduce stress chemicals and calms the mind.

It might be a cliché, but cooking yourself at least one meal a week or more nourishes the body as well as the mind and signals to yourself that you are worth the effort. Going to the grocery store and looking at the fresh food and planning your meal signals that you care about yourself. Another true cliché is that it is important to stay hydrated, and this means drinking beverages that are caffeine free. Staying hydrated is super important for brain function. Dehydration causes impaired brain functioning, impaired nervous system functioning, and impacts mood regulation. In addition to feeding, moving, and hydrating the body, we should also be sure to take care of our hair, skin, and nails. Having a wellness routine that includes cleaning, exfoliating, and moisturizing our hair, nails and body can become time spent focusing on pampering ourselves. Such routines can become time set aside with intentions that help reduce stress and shut out negativity. We need time each day to quiet the noise and focus ourselves. We also need to be sure we are shutting off our autopilot and checking in with ourselves with a daily reflection of what went well and what we would like to improve for tomorrow.

Part of our reflection should include an exploration of if we set and held boundaries at work and in our personal lives. Did we uphold our personal standards? Are our standards realistic, and they do they allow for trial and error? Are we keeping perfectionism at bay? Do we know that mistakes are a learning opportunity? These questions help us connect with ourselves and set healthy expectations for ourselves and others. When we understand ourselves and set healthy expectations of ourselves and others, we reduce disappointment and resentment. Understanding our needs, including our social needs, is an important part of our well-being. Knowing where you sit on the introversion-extroversion spectrum can ensure that your time spent with others and alone recharges your social battery. Having the wrong amount of social connection greatly inhibits peace of mind. Thinking about your needs thoughtfully and proactively greatly improves overall well-being. Centering yourself and being intentional allows you to look at what works in your life and what doesn’t.