Engaging Mental Health Games and Activities for Better Well-being

Maintaining good mental health sometimes feels impossible, especially when previous efforts have failed. But what if improving your mental well-being could be fun? Enjoyable activities, games, and mental health challenges can help you boost self-esteem and practice self-care while doing something you love.

Whether you’re looking for mental health activities for your own use, want to promote Mental Health Awareness Month in your healthcare practice, or are a mental health professional looking for activities to use with clients, these ideas should be enough to get you started.

Physical Activities for Mental Well-being

Participating in physical activity is a healthy way to reduce anxiety levels, boost mood, regulate the nervous system, and increase energy levels. All of these benefits can help alleviate the symptoms of countless mental health disorders.

Regular Exercise

Incorporating frequent exercise into your routine could have a positive impact on your mental and physical health, but not everyone is a fan of lifting weights at the gym or doing high-intensity cardio.

Instead, you may find a type of exercise you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, or yoga. Even low-intensity exercises can improve your cardiovascular health and relieve stress. Explore ways to turn exercise into something you enjoy, such as participating with a friend, doing a workout video at home, or going to a new studio in town.

Outdoor Activities

Getting outside is another great way to improve mental health and overall well-being. Spending time in nature helps reduce stress, boost your mood, improve cognitive function, and facilitate social interactions. Being in the sun may also reduce symptoms associated with mental illnesses like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and increase vitamin D levels.

Try incorporating any of these activities into your routine:

• Gardening
• Hiking on trails
• Enjoying a local park
• Going on walks on your lunch break
• Playing pickle ball or tennis
• Taking your dog to the dog park

If you do not have much time on work days or the weather is uncomfortably hot or cold, aim to spend just five minutes outdoors. You may notice significant improvements in your psychological well-being.

Creative Mental Health Activities

Creative mental health activities allow you to express yourself, improve self-esteem, and activate the parts of your brain that process emotions.

Even if you don’t consider yourself an artistic person, just participating in creative activities is often enough to boost well-being. It’s not about how talented you are or how good the final product looks; what matters is that you took the time to express yourself and focus on your personal wellness.

Arts and Crafts Projects

Artistic endeavors give you a focused outlet to participate in creative self-expression, turn off your brain, and work with your hands. The act of making art can pull you away from other mindless activities that may be hurting your mental health, such as mindless scrolling or video games.

You don’t have to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. Any of the following activities will allow you to express your creative side:

• Painting
• Knitting
• Crocheting
• Pottery
• Drawing or doodling
• Coloring in an adult coloring book
• Creating a collage

Once you finish a project, you may feel a sense of accomplishment and focus, which can also boost your mental health. Be careful not to judge your creation; just view it as a fun, casual effort to improve your mental well-being.

Music and Dance

Music and dance are other forms of creative expression that have been shown to be beneficial for emotional health. Like other types of physical activity, dancing can help you manage stress levels. But it offers a few unique benefits too, like:

• Releasing mood-boosting chemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine
• Lowering cortisol levels
• Fostering a sense of community engagement, especially when practiced in groups

Listening to music is another way to get that needed mood boost. Research shows that it often triggers the release of dopamine and reduces stress hormones. If you find it hard to calm racing thoughts or stop yourself from ruminating on certain topics, listening to music could serve as a healthy distraction.

If you have ever felt the emotional high of being at a concert for your favorite artist, you know how deeply music can impact emotions. This is an excellent tool to pull yourself out of a depressive or anxious mindset and start feeling better.

Social Activities for Emotional Support

Spending time with others is an often necessary component of maintaining mental health. Individuals who are depressed or anxious sometimes isolate themselves from others, causing them to feel even more lonely or out of place.

By proactively seeking mental health activities that require you to socialize with others, you learn to push past the temptation to isolate yourself and gain the many benefits that come with spending time with others.

Group Activities and Games

Socializing doesn’t have to mean attending a party or engaging in conversation. It can also mean being in proximity to others or participating in activities alongside them.

Consider participating in group games or joining clubs that align with your interests. For example, many cities have recreational sports leagues that are casual and low-stress. You can join a soccer or volleyball team and participate in a sport you enjoy alongside others.

If you aren’t a fan of sports, explore other clubs that spark your interest, such as:

• Book clubs
• Dinner clubs that try a new restaurant every month
• Cookbook clubs where each person makes a recipe from a specific book
• Dungeons & Dragons or other tabletop game clubs
• Religious groups

Participating in clubs or social gatherings helps foster a sense of belonging and community. When you have others by your side, facing the challenges in life feels a bit easier.

Volunteering

Volunteering offers several benefits for overcoming mental health issues. It gives you a sense of purpose and a rewarding feeling of helping others. It allows you to give back to your local community and help those in need. And it promotes socialization.

You can find numerous volunteer opportunities. Explore a few ideas that interest you, such as:

• Helping at a community garden
• Organizing a food pantry
• Visiting residents at a nursing home
• Taking dogs on walks at an animal shelter
• Tutoring students in an after-school program

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment rather than what happened in the past or what might happen in the future. When you practice mindfulness, you pull yourself out of ruminating thoughts and feel a sense of inner peace.

Below are a few mindfulness exercises to try.

Meditation and Deep Breathing

Practicing deep breathing techniques can slow your heart rate, reduce levels of stress hormones, and take your body out of a “fight or flight” response. It also brings you back to the present and encourages you to feel emotions without judgment.

Pair deep breathing with meditation to promote relaxation and regulate emotions. Try these techniques:

• Alternate nostril breathing, where you close off one nostril at a time while breathing in or out
• Equal breathing, where you breathe in, hold your breath, breathe out, and hold again for equal counts
• Diaphragmatic breathing, where you place a hand on your belly and focus on expanding the diaphragm with your breath

Journaling

Journaling is one of the healthiest self-care practices. You will find plenty of journaling prompts online to spark self-reflection, such as:

• What is something you are grateful for today?
• What emotions are you holding on to?
• What is something you have learned about yourself recently?

You can also practice free writing, where you simply jot down any ideas or thoughts that cross your mind.

Starting with a gratitude journal or short daily reflections will help you build a journaling practice that becomes a regular part of your daily life.

Incorporating Mental Health Games

Some mental health activities even take the form of games. If you want to have fun and focus on your mental health, try these activities.

Therapeutic Board Games

Therapeutic board games encourage you to express emotions or practice coping strategies. A few examples include:

• “Feelings Detective”
• “The Impulse Control Game”
• “The Coping Skills Board Game”

Digital Mental Health Apps

Mental health apps are also becoming more popular. Many mobile apps will walk you through mental health exercises, invite you to track your mood, or lead you through guided meditations. These are a few examples:

• Headspace
• Calm
• Finch
• Happify
• MindShift CBT

Try These Activities for Mental Health Awareness Month

If you are feeling anxious, struggling with mental health issues, or simply looking for a mood boost, these activities to improve mental health can help you start feeling better. But don’t be afraid to seek professional support services alongside these activities if needed.

Meanwhile, if you own a mental health practice, consider incorporating these mental health activities into your treatment plans.

Weave is a practice management tool that helps mental health professionals manage patient care more effectively. Get a demo today to explore Weave’s features for practice management and how they can improve patient engagement.

Want to see
more about
Weave?
1 System for Phones, Texting, Payments, & More
 Access a full suite of patient communication tools with Weave! Texting, payments, reviews, & scheduling in one place. Get started today!
Get Started