{"id":860766,"date":"2026-08-19T11:50:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T11:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/860766\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T11:50:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T11:50:16","slug":"good-mental-health-signs-expert-backed-habits-and-routines-to-improve-your-wellbeing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/860766\/","title":{"rendered":"Good mental health signs: Expert-backed habits and routines to improve your wellbeing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Abby<\/p>\n

August 19, 2026 \u2014 7:00pm<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s often tempting to dwell on the negative<\/a>, especially when it comes to mental health. The signs of mental illness, like depression or anxiety<\/a>, are often the focus when we talk about our psychological wellbeing. But what about the positives?<\/p>\n

Psychologist Chris Cheers says the term mental health itself carries a negative connotation.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody takes a \u2018mental health day\u2019 because things are going brilliantly. That tells us something,\u201d Cheers says.<\/p>\n

\"GoodGood mental wellbeing includes doing lots of little habits every day.Getty Images<\/p>\n

A more helpful framework is thinking of our mental healthcare as an ongoing process of small daily habits.<\/p>\n

So, we asked experts to tell us the signs and habits commonly associated with good mental health.<\/p>\n

You have a morning and evening routine<\/p>\n

Cheers says you can\u2019t control your day, but you can have some autonomy over its start and end.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t just mean waking up or going to bed at a specific time. I mean having little rituals that set you up for a good day, and a good sleep,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

In the morning, Cheers explains, you might prioritise writing in a journal, listening to music while having your coffee or doing some stretching.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Mental<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cFor an evening routine, it\u2019s anything that helps you wind down: tea, calling a friend, reading, deep breathing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese routines matter because the more predictability you bring into your day, the calmer your nervous system becomes,\u201d Cheers says.<\/p>\n

But maintaining regular sleep times can also be beneficial.<\/p>\n

A 2025 study<\/a> found that people consistent in bed and wake times had a 38 per cent lower risk of depression and 33 per cent lower risk of anxiety compared to irregular sleepers.<\/p>\n

You check in with yourselfRelated Article\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Doing a regular check-in with your body is an easy way to see if it is telling you something, particularly when life gets busy or if you have been taught to avoid giving certain emotions airtime.<\/p>\n

\u201cI teach almost every client \u2013 and use myself \u2013 what I call a \u2018body check-in\u2019. You take a breath, bring your attention to your body, and ask three questions: How do I feel? Why does it make sense that I feel like that? What do I need?\u201d Cheers says.<\/p>\n

Listening to and trusting your body is a step towards good mental health, he says.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re compassionate<\/p>\n

Katie Dobinson, a clinical psychologist at This Way Up at St Vincent\u2019s Health Network Sydney, says an indicator of good wellbeing is unique to individuals and their circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaintaining one\u2019s mental health helps to prevent mental illness and worsening quality of life,\u201d Dobinson says.<\/p>\n

One example, she suggests, is having compassion for yourself when you make a mistake. This also includes letting yourself ask for support when you need it.<\/p>\n

\"PrioritisingPrioritising healthy relationships and community is essential to good mental health.Getty ImagesYou have a sense of purpose<\/p>\n

Dobinson says it\u2019s important to have a sense of purpose or meaning in life<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Research shows that people who feel a sense of purpose in their life deal better with stress<\/a> and are more likely to experience greater mental health<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis could look like working towards a new goal at work, maintaining connection with loved ones, pursuing learning and knowledge, or practising a new skill,\u201d Dobinson says.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Or] being able to engage in both essential and meaningful activities. This may be in daily self-care activities, engaging in meaningful study, work or volunteering, or pursuing tasks that matter to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

You have a communityEditor’s pick\"Men<\/a><\/p>\n

Maintaining healthy relationships is a crucial component of mental wellbeing, Dobinson says.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrioritise the relationships in your life that are important, that foster a sense of safety, that are supportive, and can help you in tough times,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

About one in three Australians<\/a> report feeling lonely. Dobinson suggests trying a new hobby or interest to meet like-minded people.<\/p>\n

A 2023 study published by Nature Medicine<\/a> <\/a>suggests that engaging in a hobby is good for your wellbeing. Researchers analysed studies involving more than 93,000 people across 16 countries and found those with hobbies reported better health, including fewer symptoms of depression.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood mental health involves social connection,\u201d Dobinson says.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re realistic<\/p>\n

Being realistic includes being realistic about your mental health and goal setting.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing realistic and balanced with your thinking. This can often involve being able to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and learning to see things from a balanced perspective,\u201d Dobinson says.<\/p>\n

It also means you have good and bad days; you can\u2019t completely avoid negative or anxious thoughts. And realistic planning means you have something to look forward to.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving goals and plans for the future increases our motivation, brings us happiness, and helps to focus our mind on important tasks. Planning things to look forward to, or setting a goal to overcome a past challenge, can be healthy ways to improve your general wellbeing,\u201d Dobinson says.<\/p>\n

You have coping strategies<\/p>\n

It\u2019s human to experience difficult emotions or setbacks, Dobinson says, but if you have a mental tool kit of coping strategies, it\u2019s a sign of generally healthy mental wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Fostering a sense of resilience can help you cope with life\u2019s difficulties.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Determining<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t experience negative emotions or stress, but that you\u2019re able to navigate these stressors, ask for help, and adjust over time,\u201d Dobinson says.<\/p>\n

Another indicator is being comfortable seeking support from a health professional when needed. So never be afraid to ask for help.<\/p>\n

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox<\/a> every Monday.<\/p>\n

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\"AbbyAbby Seaman<\/a> is a digital producer and lifestyle writer at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"August 19, 2026 \u2014 7:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":860767,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[64,63,137],"class_list":["post-860766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860766","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=860766"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860766\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/860767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860766"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=860766"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=860766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}