9 New Year’s Resolutions that Put Your Mental Health First

2021 is right around the corner … finally! Are you making resolutions this year? Here are nine New Year’s Resolutions that put your mental health first.

Catch Your Zzz’s

It’s no secret that getting enough sleep supports your physical well-being, but it also affects your mental health too. Insufficient sleep can increase your risk of a number of unfavorable conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression. Some psychiatric conditions (including bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression) can cause sleep problems. In addition, insufficient sleep can even exacerbate the symptoms of many mental conditions including depression, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorder.

So how much sleep do you need? It depends on your age. The National Sleep Foundation suggests the following:

Your Age		Recommended Hours of Sleep from the NSF
Newborn	0–3 months	14–17 hours
Infant	4–12 months	12–16 hours
Toddler	1–2 years	11–14 hours
Preschool	3–5 years	10–13 hours
Elementary School Age	6–12 years	9–12 hours
Teen	13–18 years	8–10
Adult	18–60 years	7–9 hours
	61–64 years	7–9 hours
	65 years and older	7–8 hours

 

If you make “practice better sleep hygiene” as one of your New Year’s resolutions, here are a few tips you can use to help you accomplish this:

• Try to go to bed at the same time every night
• Avoid blue lights for 1-2 hours before bed (You can learn more about warm lights in this post: Do Warm Lights Help You Sleep Better?)
• Sleep in a cool, dark room (cool refers to a few degrees cooler than room temperature)
• Exercise during the day
• Spend some time in the sunshine (it helps to reset your circadian rhythm)

Exercise More

Exercise not only helps you sleep better at night, but it also supports your mental health in other ways too. Studies show that aerobic exercises help to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Exercise also:

• Boosts your mood
• Reduces stress
• Reduces the likelihood of social withdrawal
• Boosts self-confidence

Examples of aerobic exercise include running, jogging, dancing, walking, hiking, swimming, and playing tennis.

If you make “exercise more” as your resolution, remember that exercise regimens don’t have to be arduous. There are plenty of fun ways to add more physical activity into your daily routine. Even walking your dog an extra 10 minutes can add up over time.

Find a New Hobby

Did you know that hobbies are good for your mental health? According to the Australian Government Health Department, hobbies can boost self-confidence, promote feelings of relaxation, reduce stress, and improve overall happiness.

Here are a few examples of popular hobbies:

• Sports and exercise
• Music
• Art, including drawing, sculpting, painting
• Knitting and crocheting
• Baking
• Reading
• Journaling
• Gardening
• Fishing

You don’t need to be an expert to participate in a hobby. It’s about spending time doing an activity you enjoy.

Meditate

According to Mental Health America, meditating is great for your mental health. It can reduce stress, reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and even help lessen chronic pain.

If “meditate more” is your resolution, you can find many ways to include more meditations into your weekly routine:

• Apps like Headspace
• Books
• Online guided meditations

Get a Planner

Getting organized can help you organize thoughts and reduce anxiety from last-minute scrambling or missed appointments. Keeping a planner can also support your mental health because you can stay on top of appointments, medication schedules, etc. Using a planner (either paper or through an app) can help you stay organized when your life — and health — feel overwhelming.

Volunteer

Did you know that volunteering also supports your mental health? According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, volunteering decreases the risk of depression.

If “volunteer more” is one of your New Year’s resolutions this year, you don’t even have to leave home. Here is a list of 20+ virtual volunteer opportunities.

Get Back to Nature

Spending time in nature can also support your mental health. Sunshine and fresh air can reset your circadian rhythm, which helps you get enough sleep. The experts at Harvard suggest that even 20 minutes spent outside can make a big difference.

If “spend time in nature” is one of your resolutions, read this article to explore a few ideas for spending time outside.

Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

Giving thanks and cultivating an attitude of gratitude can increase your happiness, according to the experts at Harvard.

If “be more thankful” is one of your New Year’s resolutions, you can boost your gratitude by writing more thank you notes, meditating, and keeping a gratitude journal (and re-reading on days you feel blue).

How to Keep a Gratitude Journal (for You and Your Kids!)

Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to combat anxious thoughts. In fact, writing in a gratitude journal is shown to improve emotional resilience and reduce stress. There are many ways to keep a gratitude journal, but here are some tips:

• Journal first thing in the morning to start the day on a positive note
• End the day with a quick reflection about things you were grateful for over the course of the day
• If your child can’t write yet, she or he can draw pictures instead

You can download our free printable Gratitude Journal. Print out the journal and let your child explore the concept of gratitude. With 50+ pages, your child will have nearly two months of journaling!

Practice More Positive Self-Talk

How you talk to yourself matters, and incorporating more positive self-talk can make a big difference.

If “practice more positive self-talk” is one of your New Year’s resolutions, here are ten to get you started:

1. I am capable and strong.
2. Attempting to do X took courage, and I am proud of myself for trying.
3. Even though this wasn’t the outcome I anticipated, I learned a lot about myself during this process.
4. I am proud of how far I have already come even if I still have a ways to go.
5. I can get through this.
6. Tomorrow is another opportunity to try again, and I can utilize the lessons I learned from today.
7. I will do my best.
8. I can’t control what other people say, do, or think, but  I can control my thoughts, words, and actions.
9. This is an opportunity for me to try a new way to do X.
10. I am learning from this situation, and I can grow as a person.

The Best New Year’s Resolution: Ask for Help When You Need It

Even with all of these resolutions, it’s not always enough. The best thing you can to do support your mental health is to ask for help if you need it. As a multidisciplinary practice, we can support a variety of mental health conditions with therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, coaching, and more.

Here at Next Step 2 Mental Health, we provide comprehensive mental health care for adults (and children too!). We’re just a call or click away. Call 502-339-2442 or send us a message to request more information.