Written by Brandon Okey. Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy.

There are many practices you can incorporate into your daily life that will help to improve your mental health. Whether you’re looking to better yourself, trying to reach a goal, or overcoming a challenge—improving your mental health is always beneficial.

1. Spend Time Outside

Business insider reported research that suggests the health benefits of spending time outside. Spending some time in nature can ease depression and anxiety disorders. Depending on your work environment and daily routine, it can be tough to get much, if any, time outside. Whether it’s simply going for a short walk or hiking a mountain—being outside is beneficial to your health.

2. Practice Gratitude

A study done at Harvard on positive psychology research found that gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps you to relish experiences, improve physical health, and build stronger relationships—all of which can help to increase your mental health as well.

3. Exercise

Exercising regularly release chemicals like endorphins and serotonin into your brain that can improve your mood. Doing a vigorous exercise can have an instant impact on your mood and incorporating exercise into your daily routine can increase your well being long term.

4. Laugh

They say laughter is the best medicine for good reason. Laughter actually stops distressing emotions. Like exercise, laughter releases endorphins or the feel-good chemical.

5. Straighten Your Shoulders

Having good posture can actually improve your mood. In a study done by Health Psychology, it was reported that people would kick a bad mood and improve self-esteem by bettering their posture.

6. Prioritize Sleep

Not getting enough sleep or oversleeping can greatly impact your mood. Having good mental health and regular sleep patterns are very connected. Sleeping can enhance your ability to learn and retain memory—both of which can contribute to your mental health.

7. Go Offline

If you’re feeling some anxiety, try a little detox from certain media. Taking a break from social media and going offline can help you to clear your mind and turn your focus to more important things. It may also give you a break from dealing with the comparison that so often comes along with social media interactions.

8. Make Time for Yourself

Mental health is greatly improved when you are taking care of yourself. Whether making time for yourself means going for a run, doing some meditation, or just treating yourself to some alone time—taking care of yourself is vital to improving mental health.

9. Do Something for Someone Else

Volunteering time and energy is a great way to improve mental health. Giving to others helps you make connections and take the focus off of yourself. Spend time with someone in need and get some perspective.

10. Avoid Alcohol and Drugs

Minimize your alcohol intake and avoid drugs—both of these can aggravate problems and potentially lead to addiction. For more information on dealing with addiction, contact the experts at Ardu Recovery Center.

Brandon Okey is the co-founder of Ardu Recovery Center and is dedicated to empowering people on their journey to sobriety.