Author: Laura Fish, MS, LMFT – Marriage and Family Therapist, Consultant, and Trainer in Early Childhood Mental Health
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurafishtherapy

When a person sits down with me in therapy and asks how to feel better, I focus on concrete, everyday habits. Based on years of working with the evolving science in the field of mental health, here are three simple practices you can start now to improve your mental health.

Each one is backed by research and by what I’ve seen help my clients – this isn’t just theory.

picture of a cartoon brain holding a barbell overhead to depict training your brain like a muslce

1. Train your brain like a muscle

Treat your brain as you would a muscle: give it a mental workout.

I encourage clients to start with a short meditation practice. Decades of research show that mindfulness and meditation rebuild the brain and calm stress.

For example, an eight-week study found meditators grew gray matter in memory/emotion centers (hippocampus, prefrontal cortex) and shrank the amygdala (fear/anxiety center), while reporting less stress [1][2]. In plain terms, meditation literally rewires your brain for calm.

I also encourage the use of brain games for mental health – Sudoku, crosswords, strategy games or new hobbies such as learning a language. One trial of older adults with mild memory problems found that doing web-based crosswords regularly actually improved cognition and slowed brain shrinkage compared to a control group [3].

The key is variety: meditate one day, learn a language or puzzle the next. If you get good at something, it likely isn’t challenging your brain enough. This work should be effortful. It’s creating new neural pathways.

My clients often report that after a few weeks of “brain training,” they feel sharper and more resilient to stress.

Short Video for this section:
Impact of Meditation on “limbic circuit” reactivity (Dr. Fedor Panov, Mount Sinai neurosurgeon)

This 10-minute talk offers a very clear neuroscience-based explanation of how meditation changes brain circuitry.

two seniors, one woman, one man, walking and smiling to depict moving every day

2. Move every day

Regular movement is vital: even a 15–30 minute walk boosts blood flow, lifts mood, and sharpens the mind.

In my practice I say any movement counts – a brisk walk, swaying, gentle yoga, dancing to music, or climbing stairs can make a big difference. Exercise sends more oxygenated blood to the brain and floods it with mood-lifting chemicals, improving mental health. In fact, Harvard researchers note that “exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which help a range of cognitive functions” [4].

In one study, adults who did about an hour of moderate exercise (walking, dancing, stair-climbing) scored higher on memory tests the next day than when they were sedentary [4]. Based on my experience, clients who move each day often report feeling more alert and calmer by midday. And, overall, they report more balance with their mental health.

Of course, upleveling from moving to exercising will compound the benefits.

Meaning, a gentle walk gives you a boost, for sure, but moving into Zone 3 or Zone 4 (more rigorous) exercise provides myriad additional benefits. Start slow and move up. I will show you how.

One final note on movement: you must move throughout the day. This one got me! I’ve exercised for over 40 years, almost daily. BUT…I’m a sitter. I used to sit for work with my clients all day. And, my prep for work was sitting.

Since the research came out showing that long, unbroken sitting harms metabolic and heart health even if you exercise, and that brief walking breaks every 20–30 minutes lower blood sugar, insulin, and blood pressure [12][13], I now use the 10 minutes between sessions with clients to move my body.

Sometimes I juggle tennis balls, twirl my batons, do pushups, high knees, jumping jacks, or walk around a bit. Just move!

Short Video for this section:

Mindful Movement: Module 4 – 10 Minutes (St. John’s Health)

This video shows a mindful movement practice – bridging exercise + presence – which is especially useful when your mind is stressed and movement helps regulate.

Sitting At Work All Day May Be Harmful, Even If You Exercise (WTAE-TV News Segment)
A short TV news clip summarizing research that sitting for long periods raises health risks even in people who work out, and why movement breaks during the day matter.

cartoon brain with a bunch of images depicting mental clutter

3. Cut out the mental junk – and nourish yourself

Limit the junk that clutters your mind and replace it with nourishing habits.

Doomscrolling and binge-watching stressful content, like the news, actually makes anxiety and sadness worse. Research confirms this: one review found doomscrolling is linked to worse mental well-being and life satisfaction, and another recent study showed it triggers higher existential anxiety [5].

In contrast, intentionally breaking the habit can relieve stress and improve all mental health. For example, one step is simply setting a phone curfew at night or turning off social feeds during meals. I tell people: you need “digital boundaries” so your brain isn’t on high-alert all day [6].

The reason? The images from watching the news may create more stress than just listening to it. Think about this for yourself: when you feel stressed about something after you watch the news, do you conjure up pictures in your mind associated with the report? Visuals often cause more chaos in our nervous system and loop longer than audio-only. Try it out!

I only listen to headline news each day: from several sources I trust. Family members have chastised me saying I’m not being a good citizen. I’m not keeping “informed.”

To which I retort: I am informed; I am not immersed.

The 24-hour news stations create an addiction like behavior in people. Have you ever noticed it’s just the same stuff cycled over and over? Put the TV/IPAD down and just listen to news instead.

The result? I am concerned by what I hear on the news, not stressed by it.

Nourish Your-Self

While cutting negativity is crucial, we also add positive “fuel.” Think of food as brain fuel: diets rich in whole foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts, healthy fish) nourish your brain and mood. Nutritional psychiatry studies show that people eating a traditional Mediterranean-style diet have about a 25–35% lower risk of depression than those on a typical Western diet [7]. (By contrast, diets high in sugar and processed foods are linked to worse mood and memory [8].)

In practice, I encourage clients to track the quality of their food: minimally processed, highly processed, or non-processed/whole foods. The quality of your food might matter more than the quantity. Meaning the calories in/calories out conversation isn’t as important as what you are eating. For example, 200 calories of broccoli have a different effect on the body and brain than 200 calories of Cheetos. You get my point here, right!

Alongside this, strong social ties are a potent mental boost. The World Health Organization reports that people who feel lonely are roughly twice as likely to become depressed as those with good connections [9]. And as Vivek Murthy puts it:

“Loneliness is the subjective feeling that you’re lacking the social connections you need. … What’s missing when you’re lonely is the feeling of closeness, trust, and the affection of genuine friends, loved ones, and community.” [10]

He further adds: “While loneliness engenders despair and ever more isolation, togetherness raises optimism and creativity. When people feel they belong to one another, their lives are stronger, richer, and more joyful.” [11]

In my groups, we often schedule one “check-in” a day with someone – and people notice they feel safer and happier when they do. Together, healthy food and good company help your brain and heart recover much more than empty screen time ever will.

Short Video for this section:

Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (Surgeon General Advisory)

This video (and accompanying PDF advisory) offers a clear, medically grounded explanation of how loneliness and social isolation affect health.

the words, "Yes you can" written in the sand on a beach with a wave coming in

You’ve got this!

In my work with trauma, combining these steps often unlocks faster healing. Small changes compound: for instance, a week of daily walks plus a 5-minute morning meditation often makes therapy breakthroughs happen sooner.

If I were starting today, I’d pick one habit first (maybe a morning meditation) and add the others over days. Remember, these strategies are backed by science and what we’ve seen in real people. By treating your brain well, moving every day, and cutting out the junk, you’ll lay a strong foundation for better mental health.

For additional free articles, tools, and tips, try my resources section of my website for more essential tools: Resources — Laura Fish Therapy And, if you need support in caring for your mental health, I’m happy to help! Contact me today.

References