Hobbies help.

Did you know you can boost your mood with creative hobbies? Regularly devoting time to imaginative activities has can help improve mild depression and reduce the stress hormone cortisol.

Don’t know where to start? Just try setting aside 15 minutes tonight to do something creative. It can be anything from gardening to doodling or woodworking to playing an instrument.

You can even get inspired by trying Yolo Arts’ free programing or by exploring the many galleries and art walks around Yolo county!

A reason to adventure.

It only takes time in nature to improve your wellbeing. Spending more time outdoors or interacting with images of nature has been shown to reduce stress and increase happiness. It can even help you do better on tests!

The good news gets even better. Any amount of nature exposure is helpful and just two hours per week gives significant benefits. You can spend these two hours all at once or in smaller chunks of time.

There are lots of inexpensive and free ways to experience nature in Yolo County too! VisitYolo.com has a great outdoor activities page with info on everything from local bike rides to bouquet picking. Can’t leave the house? Try a virtual tour of the Yolo Bypass!

Feathered friends.

Looking to feel more connected? Spending time in nature can help you feel like a part of something bigger. One great way to get outside more is learning about local wildlife.

Here in Yolo County, we are fortunate to have a ton of wildlife and birding areas. These areas offer many opportunities to practice awareness of your surroundings and observe local and migrating wildlife.

Looking and listening for birds on your adventure may also help improve your cognition. People who listen to nature sounds before tests score better than those who listen to urban soundscapes.

So, next time you’re out, see how many birds you can identify with the help of the Audobon Bird Guide App!

Produce Power-up!

Fresh foods fuel you better! Eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help improve your mental and physical health. These foods provide lots of nutrients, reduce inflammation, and feed a healthy gut microbiome. Plus, finding fresh foods can be fun!

Farmers markets are a great way to get fresh produce and to get to know community members and local farmers. There are several farmers markets throughout Yolo County.

Farmers markets can be quite budget friendly too. Produce is often reasonably priced. Plus, CalFresh recipients qualify for “Market Match,” a program that doubles the value of CalFresh benefits when used at farmer’s markets. Double Up Food Bucks work similarly for California produce purchased in grocery stores.

Have you heard the one about…?

Turns out, laughter really is good medicine. Taking time for a giggle or two can decrease stress. When you laugh, it increases endorphins levels and decreases muscle tension. Sounds like a win-win!

Don’t know where to start? Check out free comics sites or look up local comedy shows. You can also ask friends and loved ones about their favorite comedians or funny movies and give them a try. It’s a great way to learn more about and bond with the people in your life!

It helps to share.

If you’re feeling down or stressed, try putting words to your emotions. Journaling or talking through what you’re feeling can help deactivate your body’s stress response.

Sharing your feelings with a trusted family member or friend can help you identify and neutralize some of your stresses. If you prefer more privacy or professional support, counselors are also great listeners.

Support options in Yolo County include the free CalHOPE phone line, Yolo County Mental Health Services, and private provides.

Whatever you choose, taking steps to work through what you’re feeling is sure to help!

Have you heard of HALT?

Ever have those moments where you feel sad or frustrated but can’t figure out why? The HALT technique can help you tune into your thoughts and feelings!

HALT stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired, four common sources of daily stress. Checking for and attending to these seemingly small needs can make a big difference. The HALT technique is used in the recovery community to help participants stay on-goal. It’s also been taught to nurses to reduce medication errors.

By pausing to assess if you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, you can get a read for how you are feeling overall and take action to attend to your basic needs. It’s amazing what a quick snack or sending a text to connect with a friend can do for your mood!

A real page-turner.

Reading can open new worlds, in both your imagination and your daily life. When you immerse yourself in a good book, you get to experience new characters, settings, and ideas. In turn, this immersion in fiction has been shown to improve depression symptoms and increase empathy.

Ready to get reading? Finding a good book is easy and, many times, free! You can get started on your literary journey by checking out Yolo County Library’s reading resources, or nine library locations. Or, check out a thematic collection on LibriVox, a free library of audiobooks and ebooks in the public domain.

Let’s move!

Both social connection and regular exercise improve health outcomes. So, why not do both? Taking a stroll or a roll with a friend is a great way to have fun and take care of yourself!

You and your companion can stay in your neighborhood or adventure to one of Yolo County’s awesome parks. You can also explore local routes on AllTrails. The site even has options to filter trails by suitability for wheelchairs and strollers!

Sunny disposition

Getting enough Vitamin D is so “in” this year. This essential vitamin helps prevent osteoporosis, depression, and certain cancers. The easiest way to get enough Vitamin D is spending time outdoors in the sun. When UVB rays hit your skin, your body creates Vitamin D.

If you are able to, Yolo County has some great parks to visit. From grasslands to creeks to urban parks, there’s an outdoor space for you!

If you can’t get outdoors during the day, try to take a Vitamin D supplement to ensure your body has enough.

Self-talk matters

The way you talk to yourself matters! Being kind to yourself and practicing positive “self-talk” can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

Self-talk is the internal conversation you have with yourself throughout the day. Negative self-talk might look like, “that was stupid, I should have known that.” Positive self-talk, meanwhile, might include things like, “I didn’t know that, what a cool thing to learn!”

By reframing and rephrasing how you internally respond to situations, you can build more self-confidence and a positive outlook. How will you be kind to yourself today?

5-4-3-2-1-Calm

Next time you’re feeling anxious, consider a calming mindfulness exercise. The 5-4-3-2-1 technique can help you focus on the present rather than anxious thoughts.

To practice this technique, take a deep breath and identify 5 things near you that you can see. Then, while continuing to take deep breaths, find 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. And that’s all there is to it!

Helping others helps you.

Sometimes you can feel better inside by engaging positively with what’s outside. Volunteering has been shown to increase optimism and purpose in life. It can also be a great way to meet new people and have some fun!

Don’t know where to start? Check out one of the many awesome nonprofits in Yolo County listed here. You can also search Taproot and Catchafire for online volunteering opportunities that match your skills and interests.

Have fun and feel better.

Want to feel better and maybe even live longer? Join the club! Really, just about any club will do. Research has shown that people who regularly participate in social organizations have lower levels of depression and chronic health conditions, perhaps because social organizations can help build interpersonal connections and affinity for others.

All kinds of organizations offer the opportunity to build connection with others. Some examples of social organizations available in Yolo County include team sports, cycling clubs, service organizations, or religious institutions.

Not just for kids.

Playing with friends or a pet, or by yourself is a great way to revive, connect, and stimulate creativity. It can also help improve brain function! Play and humor can even help repair issues in your relationships.

Here are a few ideas to bring more play into your life: organize a game night with friends, join an improv class, read a joke every day, play with your kids, take your dog on a walk, or try a new sport.

The best medicine.

Laughter can help improve your well-being in the moment and long-term. It relieves tension, improves circulation, and releases feel-good hormones. Laughing regularly can help lift your mood, decrease your risk of heart disease, and even live longer!

Ready to get laughing? Here are a few ideas. Look up corny jokes to tell a friend. Watch your favorite funny movie. Check out a humorous book or audiobook from the Yolo County Library.

Five-a-Day for Better Health

You’ve probably heard it before, “eat five servings of fruit and vegetables per day.” But why is that recommended? It turns out that eating an average of five fruits and vegetables per day is associated with big mental and physical health benefits.

Regularly eating fruits and vegetables can help improve mood, reduce stress, and decrease your risk of heart disease and cancer. This is thanks in part to the satisfying fiber and nourishing nutrients they provide, two important contributors to healthy systems.

Incorporating more produce in your diet doesn’t have to be difficult or flavorless either. Eat Fresh and Have a Plant both have lots of recipes to help you get your five-a-day. From refreshing Strawberry Basil Popsicles to cozy Tomato White Bean Soup, there are delicious ways to eat more fruits and veggies in every season!

The water’s fine!

Drinking enough water can help keep you feeling good! Water helps your body maintain healthy digestion, heart rate, temperature, and more. Swapping water for sugary drinks can also have big health impacts, like helping prevent diabetes, in the long run.

Plus, drinking water doesn’t have to be boring. Add a bit of lemon or lime to your water to make a great substitute for soda. Or, freeze your water bottle the night before work or an outing so you can have a refreshing treat for hours.

Happy sipping!

Dig in.

Starting the day with breakfast is an easy way to ensure you get adequate nutrition and have energy to help meet the day’s challenges. Plus, eating breakfast regularly has been associated with positive health for both kids and adults!

Not a fan of cereal? That’s okay! Picking something simple that you like may make sticking to a breakfast routine easier. Reheat some leftovers or try one of these easy breakfast ideas.

Let the beat drop!

It isn’t always easy to change up your mood, but it can help to change up the tempo.

Do you ever notice how different songs make you feel? Listening to a positive song while setting an intention to feel happier has actually been shown to work!

So, take control of the mood by making a playlist of songs that lift your spirits, get you dancing, singing, or make you smile.

Hey, you.

Do these internal phrases sound familiar? “I never do anything right,” or: “I’m an idiot.” If they are, you’re not alone – and it’s okay.

Self-talk is developed early in childhood as we learn about and explore the world (think of the chatty toddler who talks to themself as they play). This self-talk becomes internalized as we grow up, but is prone to negativity.

When your self esteem is taking a hit, stop to reflect on how you’re addressing yourself internally. Remember to be kind. Self-compassion may be just what it takes.

Great taste

An apple a day keeps the blues away…or at least it can help. An analysis of multiple research studies found that high consumption of fruits and veggies helped increase optimism and protect against depression. Berries, citrus, and leafy greens seemed to be especially helpful!

Getting started only takes a single choice. Pick an apple or orange for a snack. Steam a sweet potato for dinner. Feeling like trying something new? Eat Fresh by CalFresh has a great recipe planner to explore.

Don’t be afraid to ask

It’s okay to ask for support. Millions of people (51.5 million Americans in 2019, to be exact) get help for their mental health every year. If your wellbeing has suffered lately, know that you have options and you are definitely not alone. Sometimes asking for help looks like confiding in a friend. Other times it looks like getting assistance from a pro. Here are a few ways to connect with one.

1. Text “HELLO” to 741741 to reach the 24/7 US Crisis Text Line. A live crisis counselor will be able to help with any type of distress.
2. See if you qualify for Yolo County’s mental health services: Mental Health Services | Yolo County
3. Find a private practitioner: Find a Therapist, Psychologist, Counselor – Psychology Today
4. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or En español 1-888-628-9454 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Shake it up

Habits are hard to break because we do them without thinking—they’re are automatic. The Power of Habit describes habits as a three-part process: cue, routine, and reward. Cues remind us to do a habit, routines are our automatic actions, and rewards are the good feeling we get at the end of the habit.

Want to exercise more? Look at your morning habits and change up the routine. For example, if you reach for your phone after your alarm rings in the morning (your cue), make a new routine by moving your phone and putting workout clothes in its place!

Adapt and grow

Resilience is all about your ability to adapt and grow in a healthy way after adversity, and resiliency skills include those that give you physical or mental strength when we experience rough times.

Want to give it a try? One way is to practice healthy thinking. This includes thinking about and planning for your goals, staying hopeful, and avoiding catastrophizing. The American Psychological Association has some great tips here.

A little time goes a long way

Humans are wired to be social and being with people you love is a key component of that. Did you know spending time with family and friends can reduce stress, improve mental health, and even help your heart?

We all get busy, and it’s okay make time and reconnect. Try giving someone a call or text “just because.” Or, take a walk in your neighborhood or plan a weekend activity together.

Good sleep

“Waking up on the wrong side of the bed” is more than just an old saying, but a truth about how deeply tied our well-being is to a solid night’s sleep.

While you can’t “sleep it off” for every problem, building a healthy sleep routine can protect and improve your mental health. Studies have shown that consistent rest helps anxiety, depression, stress, and general mental health.

Some tips for a better night sleep include: making sure your room is dark and quiet, avoiding screens before bed, listening to calming music, meditating, and trying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) if your sleep problems persist.

Supportive and social

Socializing, especially with people who are supportive, is great for your health. Multiple studies have shown that relationships (via friendship, family relationships, romantic partners, etc.) can have positive impacts on your health. These impacts include reducing stress and risk of heart disease and improving mental wellbeing.

Here are some easy ideas on how to get more connected:

1. Hop on a phone call or a video chat
2. Host a board game or movie night at your house
3. Take a weekend hike with a friend or family member
4. Go on a picnic with a loved one

Remember, building relationships doesn’t have to be a grand endeavor. It’s a matter of simply sharing experiences and feelings.

The here and now

Mindfulness means focusing on the present without judgement. Practicing mindfulness has been shown to decrease feelings of depression and anxiety in people from many different walks of life.

Mindfulness can take a variety of forms, including formal meditation practice, deep breathing, or focusing on the sensations you feel when actively doing something like eating, washing up, or taking a stroll. The key is to become aware of what you are experiencing right now, rather than focusing on the past or future.

Boost your mood

Move your body, boost endorphins and get a great sense of accomplishment. Getting started doesn’t have to be hard – just do something you enjoy!

If you’re not sure what exercises you might enjoy here are some free or inexpensive options: take a walk around your neighborhood or local park, join a game of pickup basketball or soccer, buy a jump rope or hula hoop and get in touch with your inner kid. Other ideas include taking a weekend hike or following a free yoga or bodyweight exercise video online.