How to Improve Your Emotional Health

Feeling sad? Wishing you felt more optimistic? Try these mood boosters that will truly improve your emotional health.

Explore the magic of exercise. If you simply commit to 20-30 minutes of exercise each day, your body will feel as if you've been given a mild antidepressant. Experiment until you find a form of exercise (or two or three) that you like enough to want to do. It’ll help you trim down, tone up, and feel better about yourself.

Spend time with people who lift your mood. You probably need time with a close friend or social interactions with another person. Reach out to a coworker, a friend, a neighbor, or a family member and spend time doing something together. If something negative have been dominating your life (work, a bad relationship, tough parenting situation), take some time away from it and talk to a friend who understands.

Laugh. Believe it or not, laughing helps you feel better. Rent a comedy, read a joke book, or call a friend who always makes you giggle. Look online to see if there's a local laughter therapy group. No kidding! Laughter therapy is a real practice, and people seem to benefit greatly from them.

Give yourself a nutritional boost with vitamins D and B and a bit of Saint John's Wort. Supplements may give you just enough support to help you experience a mood shift. All of these vitamins enhance your emotional health. Be careful with Saint John's Wort if you have allergies, though; talk to your doctor first.

Find a therapist. Sometimes we just need a safe space to spill it all, and a therapist can give you suggestions that will be tailored to your life situation. In most cases, your insurance will cover the visits, and you don't have to go forever just because you go once.

Prioritize your emotional health. Your emotional health is linked to your physical health, which also affects your relationships with others. Take care of yourself!