17 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental And Physical Well-being

There are heaps of quick fixes on how to make yourself feel better (like these 5-minute self-care activities) instantly.

But when life gets on top of you and you feel super stressed, nervous, and frustrated, you need more than a little self-care activity.

You need to find ways to reduce stress and look after your health long-term.

Bit like a diet. Eating healthy just for a few weeks or months doesn’t make you lose weight in the long run.

Over the years, I found many ways to make myself feel better when I noticed that my mental health and physical health were suffering.

Here are my X favorite things I do regularly to regulate my stress hormones.

Give them a try!

Disclaimer: Some of the links here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. I hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.

How To Make Yourself Feel Better: 17 Easy Ways To Improve Your Well-being

1. Drink Lots of Water

Simple, yet so effective.

The first thing I do when I wake up is have a glass of lemon juice mixed with water. It makes me feel more awake instantly and kills the thirst I have in the morning.

Other benefits of drinking lemon water:

Source of Vitamin C
Prevents headaches
Prevents dry skin and lips
Gets rid of fatigue
Releases constipation
Detoxing effect

Being dehydrated can cause dizziness and tiredness so remind yourself throughout the day to drink enough water and see the positive effects it has on your health.

The same goes for the nighttime – have some water before you head to bed.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Want to improve your mood for good? Create a calming evening routine that prepares you for a good and long night’s sleep.

I stopped watching Netflix shows that are ‘too adventurous’ as they keep my mind occupied for half the night and I miss out on some much-needed sleep.

3. Limit Time Spent On Social Media

Do you compare yourself a lot to other people and feel like your life sucks? You might just spend too much time on social media.

While it’s a great source to stay in touch with friends and family and see what they’re up to, it also makes you have less time for yourself and the activities that benefit YOU.

While you scroll through social media channels, you give other people your valuable time that should be spent on you and your goals.

Think about all this time you could have if you weren’t on your phone so much!

4. Create A Community

Having a social support system around you is crucial for making yourself feel better.

Make sure you regularly spend time with people who make you feel safe, understood, and comfortable.

This doesn’t have to be a big community – it can be a family member, a few close friends, or your neighbor.

And not everyone has to fulfill the ‘same role’. You might like to catch up with one of them for a coffee, but with the other one you enjoy a run through the forest.

Knowing you have someone you enjoy spending time with will make you feel less lonely.

5. Practice A Hobby

Find something you enjoy doing and block some time out to practice this activity.

This could be anything from visiting a Zumba class over playing an instrument to writing poetry.

Listen to your inner voice and give yourself space for your creativity and ambitions.

I recently went for a pottery class and absolutely loved it! I will have to find some time to make this a regular thing.

6. Spend Time Outside

I don’t know about you but as soon as I go for a walk in the forest, smell the fresh air, and hear the birds chirp, I instantly feel happiness.

There’s something so relaxing about nature.

So I try to spend as much time as I can outside. I would pick outdoorsy activities over going to the mall every day of the year (unless I REALLY need to buy something).

7. Walk Barefoot

I’m not someone who walks through the streets in bare feet but when I’m in mine or someone else’s backyard (or a park), I definitely take my shoes off and feel the earth beneath me.

Not only does your mood improve, barefoot walking also has other benefits like:

Reducing inflammation
Reducing cortisol
Increasing energy
Reducing fatigue
Increasing healing speed
Reducing blood pressure
Restoring balance in the body

8. Stop Eating When 80% Full

Have you read or heard about the ‘Hara hachi bu’ method before? I hadn’t until I watched the Netflix documentary ‘Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones’.

It’s so interesting!

You basically stop eating when you feel 80% full. For someone who used to finish her plate (and sometimes would even go for a second round), it was hard to adjust to this at first.

But now it’s become normal and I feel great!

Don’t need to tell you about the weight advantages but another great bonus: you have some leftover food for the next day LOL!

You can also buy the ‘Blue Zones’ book, if you prefer reading over watching.

More Ways To Improve Your Mental Health

9. Be Mindful

Managing stress looks different to everyone, but the first step is to identify what’s causing it.

And for that, you need to be mindful.

Live more in the moment and try to enjoy every minute of it. Don’t think about the past too much and stop worrying about the future.

Soon, you’ll feel how much more relaxed you are.

I’m reading Bill Perkin’s ‘Die With Zero’ at the moment, in which he speaks about your limited life energy and how you should be careful what you want to spend it on.

Super enlightening!

Take This 30-Day Mindfulness Challenge To Live With More Intention And Purpose

10. Avoid Processed Foods

Processed foods have been changed from their natural state and can contain a lot of:

Added preservatives
Artificial coloring
Chemical flavoring
Texturing agents
Salts
Sugars
Fats
Nutrients

Sounds disgusting, right?!

Not only does your body not receive the natural nutrients it needs, processed foods also put you at risk of getting cancer…

Also, these kinds of foods are easier to digest which means your body burns fewer calories and puts on more weight as opposed to having natural food.

Processed foods example:

Microwave meals or ready meals
Cakes
Biscuits
Crisps
Sausages rolls, pies, pasties
Bacon, sausage, ham, salami
Cheese
Breakfast cereals

Instead, choose natural and minimally processed foods like:

Whole-grain rice and pasta
Whole wheat bread
Oats
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Nuts
Chicken breast
Beans
Seeds
Fish

11. Use The Car Less

While I live overseas for a temporary time only, I chose to not own a car.

Not only do I feel less stressed about having to pay insurance and taxes as well as maintaining the car and selling it at the end, but I also got more active.

I walk a lot, ride my bike, or use public transport. Yes, it takes longer to get to places, but it’s a different and fun way to explore your surroundings.

It keeps me fit and makes me feel better about myself.

12. Listen To Music

Oh, the music! It helps me so much to get through the day and feel more relaxed.

I appreciate every artist who puts in the effort to create a song.

Whereas I usually like to listen to electronic music, I recently discovered Jazz, Blues, and Classical music which help me calm me down and make me focus on my tasks.

13. Take Cold Showers

Every time I have a cold shower, I wonder why I don’t do this more often. The benefits speak for themselves:

Increased endorphins
Improved metabolism
Better circulation
Helps fight off common illnesses (like the cold or flu)

14. Volunteer

Ever noticed how good you feel when you help someone else?

That’s because you feel rewarded and your self-confidence gets a massive boost.

Every time you help someone, know that you make a difference in their lives and make the world a better place.

Ask your local church or the Red Cross if they have any positions available.

15. Practice Yoga and Meditation

I can’t stress how much Yoga, deep breathing exercises, and my journal help me feel good and calm.

If you want to get started journaling but have no idea what to write, check out some of these journal prompts:

Or Get A Full Year Worth of Journal Ideas With The 365 Daily Journal Prompts Bundle (Digital Download)

16. Do Brain Exercise

Honestly, I have to do this more but life gets so busy and through work, I’m feeling like my brain is already full.

I read a lot and listen to podcasts to get some new input and sometimes I get myself to:

Do a crossword puzzle
Do Sudoku
Work on my Spanish skills with Duolingo

If you have any other suggestions on how to keep your brain active, let me know in the comments! I kinda run out of ideas. 😀

17. Work On Your Mindset

Working on your mindset and feeling satisfied isn’t easy and it takes a long time to get to this point.

Journaling has helped me tremendously to work on my mindset and realize fundamental things.

Try to:

Not compare yourself to others
Be honest (especially with yourself)
Realize that everything will fall into place
See challenges as learning curves and stepping stones
Set boundaries (for yourself and others)
Stay optimistic
Fill your mind with uplifting thoughts
Stop pleasing others
Not care what others think of you
Not judge others (you don’t know their story or their circumstances)

Your life energy is limited. So put it to the things you can change and focus on yourself instead of others.

About The Author

Saskia is a mom, blogger, and freelance writer. She loves sharing tips on how to live a more positive and simple life through self-care, personal growth, and journaling.

Find out more about her here or connect with her on Instagram to get more inspiration.