Five Simple Ways to Boost Your Mood During Mental Health Awareness Week
This year, MHA Week has the theme of ‘action’, encouraging people to move beyond awareness and take practical steps to support good mental health.
With Mental Health Awareness Week here (May 11–17), the conversation across Britain is shifting. This year, we’re moving beyond simply starting a dialogue and leaning into a more urgent theme: Action. It’s no longer just about acknowledging the weight we carry, but about the practical, tangible steps we can take to lighten the load before it becomes unbearable.
The statistics tell a sobering story of a nation under pressure. According to recent research from the Mental Health Foundation, a staggering 74% of adults have felt so stressed over the past year that they reached a breaking point—feeling either completely overwhelmed or unable to cope with the demands of daily life.
In a world that often demands we keep calm and carry on, the goal of this year’s campaign is to empower us to pause instead. Rather than waiting for a crisis to hit, we are being encouraged to integrate small, preventative habits into our routines. Whether it’s a daily walk, exercising regularly, setting firmer boundaries with technology, or simply reaching out to a family member or friend, these practical shifts act as a vital safety net for our wellbeing.
Ralph Montague, Founder of The Longevity Clinic, Wellbeing Expert and author of ‘STOP!! Stressing Out.. The Beginners Guide to Relax’, says that improving your mood does not always require dramatic life changes, but start with small and consistent actions that can create more control in your daily life.
He suggests five simple ways to boost your mood, not just during Mental Health Awareness Week, but hopefully to continue well into the future:
1. Step outside before reaching for your phone
Ralph Montague says, “Your morning behaviour sets the tone for the rest of the day. If the first thing you do is reach for your phone, check your emails and doom-scroll through TiKTok, you’re immediately giving your nervous system something to react to.”
Ralph suggests, “As an alternative, put your phone on airplane mode before you go to sleep and then allow yourself a few hours (at least one hour, though ideally two to three hours!) in the morning with you phone left in airplane mode, before you get into some natural light outdoors, get your steps in and take a few slow breaths before you start your day. Even just ten minutes outside can help you feel more awake and more present. With the weather perking up, there’s no excuse!”
2. Move your body, but do not punish it
“Movement is one of the fastest ways to shift your mood” Ralph says. “But this doesn’t necessarily mean an hour of circuits or spin. A brisk walk for just 10 or 15 minutes or some stretching in your living room can help change your state of mind.
Movement is good for a variety of reasons, with overall stress and wellbeing being one of the main ones. Moving around means that your energy is being transferred to that, rather than putting it all towards the negative energy you’re carrying around. Exercise releases endorphins and you might find something you really thoroughly enjoy!”
3. Create one calm pocket in your day
Ralph continues, “It is unrealistic for me to tell you to just get rid of all of your stresses, as everyone has different tolerances. What I can tell people, however, is that everyone needs at least one pocket of calm in the day where the body can learn to switch itself off. This could be ten minutes with a cup of tea sat in the garden in the morning, or it could be a long bath with no distractions in the evening. What it it and when it is, is completely up to you however it just needs to happen, whatever it is you choose!
Find something that makes you feel calm and something that gives your brain a break from the worries and the overthinking, and try and incorporate this into your everyday life.”
4. Stop feeding your stress with stimulants
Ralph tells YCB, “When people feel low or exhausted, people will reach for something that will typically give them a quick fix for a short period of time. This could be caffeine, alcohol, sugar or even a cigarette. The problem with these is that they can keep the body in a more wired state, rather than calming it down.
If you’re someone whose mood feels a bit all over the place, then keep a food diary and look at what types of macros you’re feeding into your body. You might surprise yourself, and feed more stimulants than you typically thought. Try cutting little bits out each day that you think might be a trigger, whether this be your morning coffee, your 2pm sugar fix to power through the afternoon or building your meals with more protein.”
5. Do one thing that gives you a sense of progress
“A low mood can often be associated with a feeling of being stuck, and not achieving anything. However, some people may be setting unrealistic goals each week. One of the quickest ways to help shift this feeling is to complete one small thing that gives you a sense of progress and purpose.
It might be clearing out a drawer that’s been on your mind for months or doing some life admin like booking a dentist appointment. You don’t need to fix your whole life within 24-hours to feel a sense of achievement, you just need to prove to yourself that you can tick off little things on your to-do list.” Ralph concludes.