Things to try

Pets can provide comfort, companionship, and more often than not, a laugh, when you need it most. Science also backs up the benefits of having a pet on your mental health. Spend some time playing with your pet and enjoying each other company. If you don’t have a pet but love animals, consider volunteering at a shelter or visiting a neighbor or a friend with a pet.

Creating a sleep routine (also referred to as practicing sleep hygiene) is something nice you can do for yourself to wind down at night and improve your chances at getting enough sleep (7-9 hours) and high quality sleep. Setting a "device curfew", going to bed at the same time each night, keeping your bedroom cool and dark, and doing calming activities like taking a bath, journaling, reading, or meditating are all good things to try. Charging your phone outside of your bedroom is also great if you can manage it—getting an alarm clock can help!

Though getting a massage might sound overly indulgent, it can provide healing benefits like calming your nervous system, increasing circulation, relieving muscle tension, eliminating toxins, and boosting immunity. Massage has also been shown to decrease cortisol (a stress hormone) and increase levels of oxytocin (known as “the love hormone.”) Though it's always an option to book at a spa, you can also try self massage or ask a partner.

Stress or worry might lead you to interpret situations negatively, be overly self-critical, or doubt you ability to deal with stressors. To reframe negative thoughts, avoid thinking of them as facts and consider other possibilities. Doing this over time can help reduce the negative emotional response to stress. The world is hard enough, you don't need to be hard on yourself, too.

If you're going through a challenging time, think about who you feel comfortable with, and what interactions might feel supportive so you can tell people what you need—whether it's talking about how you’re feeling so you can release some pent-up emotions, or finding comfort by time together with no words exchanged.

If you feel things getting worse instead of better, notice you've lost interest in people and things you used to enjoy, or have trouble doing everyday things like eating, getting dressed, and getting out of the house, you may be experiencing a more serious mental health issue and it’s important to seek out help from a therapist or psychiatrist who can help you find relief. It can be hard to recognize changes in symptoms, so consider tracking them in a journal or mood-tracking app. If you or a loved one is having thoughts of self-harm, talk to someone you trust or call or text 988 to get free and confidential support from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Learn about more crisis resources

Write about how you’re feeling—not only what makes you happy, but also what triggers stress or pain. Experiencing a range of emotions helps regulate stress response, which can mean a healthier immune system. Journaling can also help you take action—you can identify things you want to do more or less of, identify situations you want to change or get help with, and figure out ways to deal with stress in the moment if you know what situations to look out for. While it is tempting to just use your computer, it can be more beneficial to go back to the old pen and paper. The good news is, you only need to journal a few times a week, for 10-20 minutes to get benefit.