The Big 5 for Mental Health
Background
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Just like our physical health we all need to look after our mental health.
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The good news is that looking after your mental health doesn’t have to be complicated. Our research shows that doing simple, daily actions can make a big difference. We call these the Big 5 - five practical actions you can do to feel better, build resilience, and support your mental health.
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Importantly, we have also called the Big 5 the 'Things You Do' in our scientific research.
What Are the Big 5 Actions?
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Meaningful Actions – Doing things you enjoy, and that are fun and satisfying.
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Healthy Thinking – Keeping your thoughts realistic and grounded, even when things are difficult.
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Healthy Routines – Looking after your eating, sleeping, exercise and resting routines.
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Goals and Plans – Having things to look forward to and to work towards.
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Social Connections – Staying in regular contact with people you respect and who are good for you.
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Throughout our website we provide lots of information about the Big 5, which we hope might be helpful. This includes detailed information about each of the actions, why they are important and how they work, and overcoming barriers to maintaining and increasing them. We also share some of our research results so far, and some tools and downloads that might be helpful.​​
To learn more about the Big 5, please select from the options below ...