3 Habits That Could Be Affecting Your Mental Health

Are you concerned about mental and emotional health in Colorado? Read on... 

Oftentimes, when we think about what could harm our mental health, our minds go to major life events—the loss of a job, the end of a relationship, or the death of a loved one. But even small habits that often go unnoticed can also play a major role. Below are three common habits that could be negatively affecting your mental health:

1. Not Getting Enough Sleep

If you've ever struggled with insomnia or missed sleep for any other reason, you know that sleep impacts your mental health in numerous ways—it can affect your cognitive skills, mood, and behavior. As such, failing to get enough sleep can increase your risk of anxiety and depression and make it more difficult for you to focus, solve problems, make decisions, remember things, and control your emotions and impulses. Try sticking to the same sleep schedule, keeping your bedroom cool and dark, and performing a relaxing activity before bed (e.g., taking a warm bath or reading). Limit screen time, silent images and loud noises before bed.

2. Being Inactive

In today’s busy world, it can be difficult to find time to exercise, but it’s important to stay active. Not only can exercise improve your physical health, but it can also boost your mental health. In fact, studies have shown that regularly exercising could likely reduce your risk of anxiety and depression.

3. Scrolling Through Social Media

Oh, the controversy of social media in 2025! Social media can be beneficial—it can help you stay connected to long-distance family and friends and keep up with current events—but research suggests that spending too much time on it can lead to anxiety and depression and insomnia! To reduce your screen time, try setting a timer, turning off notifications, or deleting apps from your phone.

Start Improving Your Mental Health

In addition to breaking the negative habits described above, one of the best things you can do to boost your mental health is speak to a therapist, counselor, or coach. Fortunately, you can entrust your care to Wild Precious Life Therapy. Once I’ve learned more about you and any issues you may be experiencing, I’ll be able to provide you with customized advice for how to eliminate negative habits from your life and start implementing more positive ones. Contact me today to schedule your first appointment to help you start sleeping better.