New Year’s Resolutions for Better Mental Health

Beyond dieting—what you can do for your well-being this year

Make a serious effort to get off your phone and get outside. Unsplash/Anthony Ginsbrook

Every new year we set about making New Year’s resolutions. Usually, they’re related to our physical health: going on a diet, joining a gym or drinking less. But what about our mental health?

Mental health is central to every part of our lives: how we interact with loved ones, how productive we are at work, and how we feel when we are alone. Here are six things research says you can do to improve your mental health in 2018.

1. Stop Dieting

A lot of people make strict and prohibitive New Year’s plans to slash their calorie intake. But there’s evidence such resolutions just don’t lead to weight loss, and instead restrictive dieting typically leads to long-term weight gain.