Run Through This Mental Checklist to Feel Better When You’re Feeling Down

Going through a tough time? Yup, we’ve all been there, and sometimes, it’s hard to dig yourself out of a hole when it’s so deep. Run through this mental checklist to feel better when you’re feeling down!

Keep reading for your go-to list to feel better when you’re down! This checklist has everything you need to remember to boost your mood, improve your health, and spark joy instantly

Mental Checklist to Feel Better When You’re Feeling Down

Here is the best mental checklist to feel better when you’re feeling down! This list is complete with the benefits of doing these activities and more! When we’re upset, it’s difficult to think clearly and work through our muddled thoughts. This information is at your fingertips for convenience!

Have You Slept Well

This is the number one thing you need to ask yourself if you’re feeling down. Sleep is vital to human health and greatly influences mood. While we sleep we undergo important restorative processes, flushing out toxins, reducing inflammation in the body, and boosting mood. In fact, lower sleep is linked to emotional outbursts, increased depression, and even heart disease. 

Getting sleep ensures your mind is clear and your body is ready to take on the day. Make sure you have gotten enough rest. Remember while naps can’t replace a nighttime snooze, there are many ways to nap like a pro!

Did You Drink Enough Water

We wake up, we sweat a bit, we skip out on morning coffee, etc.; all of these things lead to dehydration. Yup, in the morning after sleeping, we are slightly dehydrated. As stated here, even slight dehydration is a huge issue.

Slight dehydration causes irritation, dry mouth, lower energy levels, and headaches, all of which can contribute to a bad mood. The next time you feel down for no reason, check in with yourself and see when the last time you drank water was.

Did You Eat Well

We’ve all heard that terribly cliche phrase, you are what you eat, right? Unfortunately, it’s pretty true. What we eat becomes the building blocks our body uses to do everything. It becomes energy to move, the fuel to breathe, and the nutrition to repair and rebuild our body.  Just think, if you are working out your muscles, you need protein to recuperate, to repair and grow your muscles bigger and stronger. 

If you’re feeling down, take a look at your diet. Meals full of processed foods have been shown to reduce mental and physical wellness. Try to reach for whole foods, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains when you’re hungry. Eat good sources of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. Check out this guide on a good diet here!

Have You Controlled Your Screen Time

Too much screen time is horrible. Not only is social media a bad place for your mood, with comparisons and unreachable ideals, but the light from screens can reduce our ability to get a good night’s rest. 

Try to limit your screen time to boost your mental health. Using your phones and computers for long periods of time during the day has been linked to depression and anxiety. Apps are designed to have to keep clicking and scrolling, so notice that and try to set time limits daily!

Have You Gone Outside

Going outside is an instant boost in happiness chemicals. The great outdoors is a brilliant way to boost mental health easily. Time outside has been linked to higher cognitive function, more energy, boosted levels of vitamin D, increased immune system health, and an increase in mood. 

If you’re feeling mediocre, check in with your time outdoors vs indoors. Try a change of scenery and head outside for a bit. This can help refresh the mind, get blood pumping in the body, and clear away any mental funk.

Did You Reach Out to Anyone

We are social creatures. Even I, an introvert, need that bit of social interaction to feel my best. When was the last time you reached out to someone? The last time you asked how are you doing or how’s it going.  Reaching out and being reached out to in turn helps to create a sense of community.

Endeavor to talk to people in your life more, especially when you’re feeling down. Communicate how you feel, joke around together, and simply cultivate a sense of unity with the people you love to have in your life.

Did You Make Plans

Some of us are spontaneous, some of us have long-term plans, and some of us go with the flow. It’s actually quite beneficial to our mental health to have a few plans though! This gives us something to look forward to, even in tough times.

Try to make plans more often. This can be something big, like going on a week-long trip, or something small, like getting a cup of coffee after work. No matter what the plans are, make them, note them down on your calendar, and await the day your plans come with eager anticipation.

Have You Exercised

I used to think telling people to exercise if they were sad was the equivalent of telling you to rub some dirt on it when you get hurt. While you can’t exercise the depression and anxiety away, working out does in fact have many mental health benefits. It can help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pessimism greatly.

This is because exercise releases dopamine into the body. It improves blood flow, allowing your mind to clear and your heart health to improve. Exercise is a way to physically work through mental blocks. It gives you an outlet for any pent-up frustrations, or negative emotions, and can help you feel better, physically and mentally. Again, not a fix-all for mental health issues, but a much appreciated help!

The Takeaway 

Run through this mental checklist to feel better when you’re feeling down. Negative emotions can be easy to spiral in. It’s hard to see a way out of a pit you’re stuck in. This list is a good way to look for areas in your life that are actively working against you. Try to check in with yourself and go through this list to see what you can do to help improve your mood and health!

Remember that health comes from within, so eat healthy foods, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. Daily habits become the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Take care of your gut health too! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.