Here are 5 evidence based ways to help you improve your mental wellbeing. Try to integrate them into your daily life – think of them as your “5 a day” of mental wellbeing!

1. Connect… With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections with support and enrich you every day. Click here for some ways to Connect.

2. Be Active… Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity that you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Click here for some ways to Be Active.

3. Give… Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you. Click here for some ways to Give.

4. Keep Learning… Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do. Click here for some more ways to Keep Learning.

5. Take Notice… Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are on a train, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. Click here for some ways to Take Notice.

These are actions that are shown by research to improve people’s wellbeing. They can’t change our circumstances but building them into our daily lives can help us feel better, no matter what our starting point. The list was drawn up by an independent think tank, the new economics foundation, which was commissioned by the government’s Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing to review evidence on improving wellbeing in research studies from around the world. Click here for more on the nef’s work on Wellbeing.