World Mental Health Day 2025: We Asked Doctors for Simple Habits to Boost Mind & Body Wellness, Here Are the Answers

With life throwing daily challenges, it can often become difficult to prioritize your mental health along with your physical health. However, taking care of your mind can be simpler than we sometimes think. Sure, therapy and retreats go a long way, but so do small everyday habits and mindsets that boost mental well-being.

On World Mental Health Day 2025, we asked 4 doctors what is it that they wished more people knew and practiced to keep their mind and body healthy, and here’s what they said:

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1. Reduced Digital Time and Quality Sleep

According to Dr. Vinit Banga, Director of Neurology at Fortis, Faridabad, tuning out of the screen can really help. He advises, “Set limits on screen time post-work, especially doomscrolling or viewing patient content in the evening. Set limits on digital intake, especially social media. Minimizing screens allows your brain to unwind, improves sleep, and makes space for emotional self-regulation and genuine human connection.” Dr. Banga further adds that prioritizing quality sleep for 7-8 hours every day.

2. Daily Movement and Micro Breaks

“After every few hours, take a 5–10 minute break to breathe, stretch, or stroll. These micro-breaks reboot your nervous system, improve focus, and reduce emotional exhaustion. While you are at it, use the time to walk, run, or even try a short workout. Exercise boosts mood-regulating chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins. Exercise not only maintains your body but also your mind, sharpens mental clarity, reduces stress, and develops emotional resilience,” says Dr.Surakshith T K, Senior Consultant- Gastroentrology, Fortis, Okhla.

3. Check on Your Emotions

Dr.Puneet Rana Arora, Gynaecologist & IVF Expert, CIFAR- Gurugram, says, “Instead of waiting until you are at your breaking point to talk to someone about how you are feeling, consider putting aside time each week to check in about your emotions with a trusted friend or family member. The goal of these conversations is not to talk about the crisis of the hour, but simply to check in with one another. This practice is uncomplicated but can be surprisingly powerful in cultivating greater emotional intimacy and connection. This practice also ensures we are not walling away our emotions, which can lead to feeling alone in our experiences.”

4. Prioritize Down Time

Dr. Samant Darshi, Interventional Psychiatrist- Yatharth Hospital and Director- Psymate Noida, suggests, “Set time aside once a week to do something purely for not being productive. Whether it be doodling, playing an instrument, cloud-gazing, or simply watching people at the park—engage with something with no agenda—just being present. These moments of non-performance serve to help us calm our nervous systems and recognize a healthy counterbalance to our inclination for productivity, a force that affects mental health in silent, powerful ways.”