8 Evidence-Based Habits to Support Mental Wellbeing

If you’ve ever faced ongoing stress, you know how it can wear down your mental and emotional energy. Prolonged stress keeps the nervous system stuck in “fight or flight” mode, making everyday life feel harder than it should.

With around 70% of Australians experiencing life-changing stress, from illness and accidents, to trauma and emotional strain¹, mental health challenges often follow.

The good news? Simple, science-backed habits can help calm your stress response and support your mood. They’re small enough to start today but powerful enough to make a lasting difference.

Why These Habits Are Worth Doing For Your Mood

Mental wellbeing isn’t just about feeling happy; it’s about coping, staying connected, and getting through the day. When going through a tough time, it’s easy to forget how much your mood can affect your focus, relationships, and even your physical health. That’s why having the right daily habits in place matters.

Below are eight simple, research-backed habits that are safe to use alongside professional care. They’re designed to calm your nervous system, ease the effects of stress, boost your mood, and support you through tough times.

Habit 1. Wake Up and Water Your Brain

Your brain is mostly water. When you’re even a little dehydrated, your mood and focus can dip. A 2014 study found that people who drank less than 1.2 litres of water improved their energy and alertness levels just by increasing their intake to 2.5 litres of water daily.² 

Try these hydration tips to make it easier for yourself:

• Drink 500ml before 9 am: one glass after you wake up, one glass after your morning coffee.
• Carry a 1 litre water bottle throughout the day.
• Set reminders in your calendar to drink water
• Aim to refill your water bottle at least once and finish it before the end of your day.

Habit 2. Let the Light in

Natural light is like a mood vitamin. It helps your body produce serotonin, the brain chemical linked to feeling calm and happy.³ That’s why shorter, darker days can lead to low mood or “winter blues.”

Try this: Get outside in the morning for 10–15 minutes, even if it’s cloudy. Morning light helps reset your internal clock and lift your mood.

Live somewhere dark or work nights? Bright light therapy (like using a 10,000 lux light box for 30 to 60 minutes daily) has been shown to help with both seasonal mood dips.⁴

Habit 3. Fuel Your Mood with the Right Nutrients

When you’re under stress, your body burns through nutrients faster, especially magnesium. Low levels of magnesium are linked to mental health challenges like anxiety and low moods.⁵

Increasing magnesium levels has been shown to support mood balance, as a standalone nutrient, or alongside other treatments, such as some mood medications.⁵

In addition to magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc, and vitamin C have been shown to improve low moods and symptoms of high stress, as discussed further in this article.

Try this: Take a high-quality magnesium supplement, such as MetaRelax, especially during times of high stress. And don’t forget to eat plenty of leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and legumes, which are all excellent sources of magnesium.

Habit 4. Connect Through Conversation

Even a short catch-up can calm the nervous system. In a recent Australian study, regular connection was the strongest predictor of mental well-being compared to other habits for brain health, including exercise, puzzles, or time in nature.⁶ 

Try this: Send a quick message, say hi to a neighbour, or call a loved one. A two-minute chat can reset your whole day.

Habit 5. Speak Kindly to Yourself

Your self-talk can either be a harsh critic or a supportive coach. When self-belief is low, that inner voice often turns negative, which can affect your mood. The good news is, research shows that you can build self-confidence by helping your brain better process positive feedback, whether it comes from yourself or others.⁷

Try this:

• Catch yourself in moments of self-criticism and reframe it. Swap “I always mess up” for “I’m learning as I go.”
• After completing a task, rate how confident you felt.
• Reflect weekly on moments when you felt confident, and what helped you feel that way.
• Carry confidence from one area (like work) into another (like learning a new skill).
• Use affirmations that reinforce your strengths: “I handled that well because I was prepared."

If low confidence continues to affect your wellbeing, psychological therapies can help you better understand and respond to your thoughts and feedback in a healthier ways.

Habit 6. Prioritise Sleep: Your Brain’s Reset Button

Sleep clears out stress hormones, sorts through emotions, and recharges your mind. Without good sleep, intrusive thoughts and low mood creep in more easily.⁸

Try this: Create a wind-down routine: dim the lights, avoid screens, and aim for 7–9 hours. Nutrients like glycine and zinc (found in products like MetaRelax) may help if stress is making sleep harder.⁹

Habit 7. Cool the Fire of Inflammation

Chronic stress triggers inflammation, and when that inflammation affects the brain, it can impact memory and mood. This article explains the science in more detail, but simply put, high brain inflammation is like trying to think clearly in a smoky room.¹⁰

Try this: Eat anti-inflammatory foods, like berries, leafy greens, and omega-3s from flaxseed or oily fish. Each colourful bite helps clear the mental fog. Working with a Healthcare Professional  can help you understand the causes of excess inflammation and develop a clear plan to help restore balance.

Habit 8. Join a Group, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

Loneliness is heavy, but connection lightens the load. Group activities, like walking or running meet-ups, crafting groups, or even joining a choir, can boost mood and reduce anxiety. This is especially true for older adults, but it helps at any age.¹¹

Try this: Pick something low-pressure and fun. Even joining once a month can give your brain a sense of belonging.

Tiny Habits For Mental Balance

Small steps matter; think of each habit as planting a seed. With time and care, those seeds grow into stronger emotional resilience and clearer mental wellbeing. You don’t have to do all eight habits at once. Just choose one that feels manageable right now. As it becomes part of your routine, adding the next one will feel more natural.

And if you need guidance, don’t hesitate to speak with a Healthcare Professional. When life feels overwhelming, remember: you don’t have to fix everything today. You just have to start with one step at a time. 

References

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Stress and trauma. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; 2024. Accessed June 12, 2025. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health/stress-and-trauma
2. Pross N, Demazières A, Girard N, et al. Effects of changes in water intake on mood of high and low drinkers. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 11;9(4):e94754. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094754.
3. Sansone RA, Sansone LA. Sunshine, serotonin, and skin: a partial explanation for seasonal patterns in psychopathology? Innov Clin Neurosci. 2013 Jul;10(7-8):20-4. PMID: 24062970.
4. Chen ZW, Zhang XF, Tu ZM. Treatment measures for seasonal affective disorder: A network meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2024 Apr 1;350:531-536. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.028. 
5. Botturi A, Ciappolino V, Delvecchio G, et al. The Role and the Effect of Magnesium in Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 3;12(6):1661. doi: 10.3390/nu12061661. 
6. Pollard CM, Alati R, Lawrence D, et al. The association between participation in mental health protective behaviours and mental well-being: cross sectional survey among Western Australian adults. SSM Ment Health. 2025;7:100441. doi:10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100441
7. Katyal S, Huys QJM, Dolan RJ, Fleming SM. Distorted learning from local metacognition supports transdiagnostic underconfidence. Nat Commun. 2025;16(1):1854. doi:10.1038/s41467-025-57040-0
8. Harrington MO, Karapanagiotidis T, Phillips L, Smallwood J, Cairney SA. Memory control deficits in the sleep-deprived human brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024;122(1):e2400743122. doi:10.1073/pnas.2400743122
9. Shishkova VN, Nartcissov YR, Titova VY, Sheshegova EV. Molecular mechanisms defining application of glycine and zinc combination in correction of stress and anxiety main manifestations. Pharm Pharmacol (Mosc). 2022;10(5):404–415. doi:10.19163/2307-9266-2022-10-5-404-415. 
10. Dardani C, Robinson JW, Jones HJ, et al. Immunological drivers and potential novel drug targets for major psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative conditions. Mol Psychiatry. 2025 Apr 25. doi: 10.1038/s41380-025-03032-x. 
    
11. Quinn EA, Millard E, Jones JM. Group arts interventions for depression and anxiety among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nat Ment Health. 2025;3(3):374-386. doi: 10.1038/s44220-024-00368-1.