Our top mental health tips - backed by research

This guide gives you our best tips for the most experienced method of looking after your emotional well-being - backed by research.

You can view the toolkit below, download it as a PDF or purchase hard copies from our online store.

Our top tips for emotional well-being - with research in mind - green-based text

What works: protect your emotional health and prevent problems

Protecting our emotional well-being is more straightforward than you might naturally suspect. We can all do this consistently, and with basic exercises that help us feel good, we are better prepared to adapt to life.

It's like brushing your teeth every day - important in preventing problems. It is no different with our psychological well-being. That can be enjoyable too!

Every one of our tips has been created to help us look after our emotional well-being, and crucially, every one of them is backed by research evidence, including a remarkable review from the Psychological well-being Establishment.

Our tips will be easier for some and harder for others. Why not check them out and see which ones suit you best?

Trying new things can sometimes be uncomfortable, but they usually get easier the more you practice them.

One thing to remember: it's not the lonesome that makes us great. We as a whole have our cutoff points. What is sufficient for you is perfect.

Get closer to nature

As a whole, we live with stresses and fears, vulnerabilities, misfortunes that plague us, and pressures that cause us to worry.

Nature can influence us in a meaningful way. For millennia we have lived around various creatures and plants. Some people say that nature helps them feel quieter, more confident, and less alone. Our survey found that walking was the number 1 approach for adults in the UK to adapt to pressure during the 2020 pandemic.

In Japan, some individuals use "timberland wash", which can affect their emotional well-being. So visiting a forest or woodland and being exposed to different smells, sounds and surfaces can really help. To get the most out of nature's regenerative effects, try to tune your abilities based on what's around you - such as trees, plants, birds and creatures, and water such as lakes or beaches. Take a deep breath and notice how you feel. The goal is to connect with your normal environmental elements.

For more information and ideas, check out our Flourishing With Nature guide, created by the Emotional well-being Establishment and WWF's untamed good thing.

Learn how to understand and deal with your feelings

Feeling exceptionally steamy can slow down our lives and make it difficult to think clearly or work, rest, study, relax or manage others.

Many of us can tell when we're upset, but we're not sure what we're feeling. Is it regret, horror, shame, abandonment, outrage, or something else? Not in all cases do we necessarily have the foggiest idea why we feel the way we do.

It often helps to focus on our feelings without judging them, without letting ourselves know that we are morons or weak for feeling the way we do. It might seem like a weird and awkward thing to do. Be that as it may, practice and tolerance with yourself will help.

Naming what we feel can also help. All in all, we can say to ourselves, "I'm feeling really nervous and miserable today." Another supportive step might be to work out what led us to this impression – could it be a conflict or dissatisfaction you had? A few ladies might find that their periods occasionally (or consistently) affect their thinking.

It is just as important to speak kindly to ourselves, similarly we might comfort a small child we care about. It tends to be very comfortable. You may feel embarrassed at first, but give it a try - it may very well help.

Some individuals feel significantly better when they record their feelings in a notebook or phone. Before doing this, you should think about how to ensure your safety.

You could give yourself a boost by repeating certain things to yourself several times a day. (This is sometimes called a “mantra.” For example, “I'm on a field trip, developing, and creating.”) Research shows that this reduces pessimistic thoughts and feelings.

Some individuals also feel that a movement called "care" is helpful. Talking to another person can also be helpful - and that's our next thought…

Ask someone you trust for help

A good number of us have figured out how to limit things inside of us and try to overlook difficult feelings. It can take a lot of courage to tell someone how we feel or what we find difficult, especially if we wouldn't normally do something like that.

Just talking to someone you trust can help and feel comforting.

Use your own words. It will make you feel safer and less alone, and this will help protect your emotional well-being and prevent problems.

Speaking up can also change how you see and feel about a given circumstance in a way that you find helpful.

Another imaginable benefit is that talking can strengthen your relationship with the person you're talking to. This will benefit both of you and make it easier for them to come to you when they themselves need support.

Companion consultation data about your mental well-being

Information about consulting a mental health professional about how you feel

Know about using drugs and alcohol to cope with unpleasant moods

A significant number of us use drugs at times to avoid "problem" feelings such as regret, fear or shame.

No one needs to feel terrible; for certain individuals, drugs or potentially alcohol offer brief relief.

Unfortunately, they do not prevent the return of sentiments and can worsen the situation or cause other problems, including damage to mental and physical well-being, relationships, work or studies.

Assuming you think you might be using drugs or booze to cope with the discomfort, it might help you see it without beating yourself up. Being understanding and kind to yourself is really great for your mental well-being.

Another potential stage could be to chat with someone you trust or one of the foundations that offer confidential, free data and advice, including how to reduce the harm of drug use. See Converse with Plain for example.

Similarly, you might seek alternative approaches to coping with difficult feelings, such as finding support in the situation that caused them, if conceivable, and tracking down a familiar face-to-face to talk to. This could be a companion or relative, a partner, an individual working for the foundation's helpline, your GP or an instructor.

Numerous causes around the country offer minimal cost or free treatment. Watch for more hard and bold data about seeking support for your mental well-being from many likely sources.

Some individuals find it helpful to go to "mystery" meetings, such as Opiate Unknown, to tell other people who are/have had comparison meetings. Some of these gatherings are now also on the web.

Try to earn your money and find support for debt issues

Cash problems can be undeniable and there may be no way out of being underwater.

Worrying about paying obligations, bills and basics like food and power can be extremely distressing. Assuming we feel responsible for sending cash back home or are the main earner for our family, we can feel anxious and disconnected.

Feelings like this can make it difficult to adjust to anything, including cash problems themselves.

There are things we can do to prevent money problems from causing problems with our emotional health.

We might feel embarrassed about what we're going through, which might make it harder to tell anyone and let go of our feelings about it.

Indeed, we are never alone with cash. Research shows that they are one of the most well-known and serious sources of stress for some individuals.

Regardless of how difficult it is to change our finances, taking our concerns to someone else who is not involved and whom you trust will likely help us feel less alone and overwhelmed. This could help us see new ways forward.

If you are struggling with money and commitment, it is often helpful to discuss this with a specialist at a foundation that offers free financial advice. They are very knowledgeable about what can go wrong with individuals' finances and what could help.

It is really helpful to ask for help before any obligation becomes unmanageable. Be that as it may, getting help with everyone's voluntary advantage.

Here is an overview of associations that deal with free money advice, produced by the Cash and Psychological well-being foundation.

Chatting with one of these free master guides can also make you learn about other opportunities, such as the benefits you qualify for, your legitimate privileges, ways to reduce your liabilities, and alternative cash-saving tips.

Get more out of your rest

Anyone who has struggled with rest will understand the difference it makes to our bodies, brains and ability to adapt to life.

As a whole, we all experience times when we seriously need to rest, and some of us live in conditions that make a decent night's rest unimaginable.

For some individuals, rest is in many cases the main thing that persists when we struggle with our emotional well-being.

Adults need somewhere in the range of 7 to 9 hours of rest per night, including enough sleep and plenty of deep rest.

In case you struggle with rest, think about simplifying a few changes.

For example:

Relax into a sleep routine to help you start slowing down before you actually nod off

Stay away from TV and multi-screens, liquor and caffeine before bed. This will help you nod off and stay unconscious. You might also want to avoid fiery activity before bed.

Put in the hay and get up consistently around the same time, including the end of the week.

For more ideas, try this guide to relaxation and emotional well-being. It includes information on possible support apps and getting professional help if self-improvement doesn't work for you.

Be considerate and help create a better world

In the event that you feel despondent at any point, you will know how much it helps to connect with another person even just a little bit.

Trading a smile or kind words can be comforting and can lift our state of mind.

Research shows that being benevolent is really great for both parties. Being benevolent can boost our minds, help us feel more capable, strengthen our relationships with others, and even make us more adaptable to pressure.

In case you have no idea where to start, you can try small but meaningful thoughtful gestures like posting a smile or a few kind words to someone else. You could fill their hearts with joy, but it also makes you feel better—warm relationships with others are essential to our emotional well-being.

More motivation of thoughtful gestures

Likewise, we can help others by undertaking charitable endeavors and getting along with others while working for good causes. These things can help us feel connected to others and our general surroundings. It can make us feel like we can have an impact. All of this is great for our emotional well-being.

• Be considerate and vote for the Emotional wellness Establishment!
• Help us continue our essential work by choosing to raise part of the £250,000 from Simplyhealth on our behalf.
• Dial now
• A cheerful themed card expressing "time to share"

Keep moving

Our bodies and minds are connected, so taking care of ourselves actually helps us prevent problems with our emotional well-being (it works the other way around too).

Moving the body - for example, sports, cultivation, movement, cycling, walking the dog, cleaning or visiting an exercise center - are extraordinary ways to work on our mental and real well-being.

Practice releasing happy go lucky chemicals that reduce feelings of stress and resentment. It also helps us think more calmly about our body. It can also further develop our rest. In the event that it affects others, such as is important to a group, class, or meeting we see regularly, it can also support our psychological well-being.

We don't need to be strong competitors or live to reap the benefits of true dynamism. From walking to exercise and ball to the rec center, the best activity is the one we appreciate.

Eat good food

Food and drink affect our bodies, minds, and mindsets—for better or for worse.

Sugary treats and drinks can give us a fleeting "high" or feeling of comfort that can be powerful. Before long, however, they leave us feeling exhausted or nervous. Caffeine in espresso, tea, or somewhere around called caffeinated drinks can also make this difference.

A fair diet with lots of vegetables and natural products is the basis of good physical and mental condition.

How we eat is also important. Hosting parties with others can help develop connections – with family, companions, accomplices and companions. This is really important to protect everyone's mental health and prevent problems.

Food can also stir up our feelings. Some individuals overeat or undereat when disturbed. It could help to have a conversation with someone we trust and get professional help, assuming we really want it.

To be interested and perceive new encounters

We can all stop in a natural way, similar to how we invest our energy and our opinion of ourselves and the world.

This can be complacent, our assumptions influence what actually happens, good or bad. For example, we might share with ourselves, “Things will never get better” or “I'm vain” in response to what others have shared with us.

It can help to see these contemplations and evaluate new ones, such as "I can make things better" and "there is so much I can do."

Life can be really fascinating, exciting and rewarding when we are able to try new encounters and explore different ways of doing things.

It could very well be largely as simple as what we have for breakfast or a class when we walk the dog. It could also require some preparation, similar to a business opportunity. We might find another place that turns out to love, find an ability we didn't realize we had, or meet another significant other.

Plan things to anticipate

Life throws all kinds at us and in difficult situations we can feel miserable and not have the energy to deal with what comes next.

Things to anticipate, including fun exercises, can help us adapt to difficult places.

Organizing the things we value can expand our sense of confidence, which is important for our emotional well-being. Our arrangements can be for anything from small indulgences like tea or your number one TV program or dance class, to an excursion with family or companions or watching your number one movie, sports group or singer.