Nurture your mental health
We’re here to help you navigate your mental health journey. Discover helpful articles and videos, read inspiring stories, and find expert guidance on a wide range of mental health-related topics. You’ll also find resources to help you support loved ones who are struggling.
Mental health and you: trending Topics
VIRTUAL OPTIONS
FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
See how additional support for mental health, fertility, menopause, and more can make a difference in a woman’s health journey.
MENTAL HEALTH TIPS
FOR MOMS
Learn about how mental health issues are affecting moms, and get resources that can help.
More About Mental Health
"Is mental health support for ‘someone like me’?" Yes, it is. These articles are here to help.
SIGNS THAT A CHILD MAY NEED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
What to look for by age and how to find care.
Tips for older adults seeking mental health help
A provider explains when and how older adults with anxiety and depression should seek help.
A MENTAL HEALTH TOOL AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Learn to Live®´´ provides online, self-guided programs to help manage stress, anxiety, uncertainty, worry, or depression.
How to recognize signs of substance use Disorder
Amid rising rates of relapse and overdose, providers offer tips for loved ones.
Get help for seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Learn the signs for SAD and get simple tips that can help you feel better.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION
Learn how to recognize and get help for this common and treatable mental health condition.
EXERCISES FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
90-Second Breathing Exercise
NICOLE:
Hi, I'm Nicole, wellness program manager at Blue Cross, and I'm going to lead you through some counted breathing. We're going to make our exhales a little bit longer than our inhales, which helps calm down our nervous system. So find a comfortable seat, root down through your feet, relax your shoulders, close or soften your eyes, and take one breath in and one breath out. And now, follow along. Inhale, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Exhale, two, three, four, five, six. Hold, two. Inhale, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Exhale, two, three, four, five, six. One more. Inhale, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Exhale, two, three, four, five, six. And release, coming back to your normal breath. Notice your stillness for a moment. And we'll end with one cleansing breath together, deep inhale through your nose. Open your mouth, let it go. Thanks for joining me for this breathing exercise.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
NICOLE:
Hi, I'm Nicole, wellness program manager at Blue Cross, and I'm going to lead you through a quick progressive muscle relaxation. So this technique can be used to relax your body at any time throughout the day, but it's also a great tool to use before bed to prepare yourself for sleep. And the way it works is that you'll clench or flex one muscle group as you inhale, hold it for a count of four, and then relax it as we exhale.
So I'll lead you through each step, and we're going to start with our fists. So squeeze your hands into a fist and hold as you inhale for four, three, two, one, exhale, release. Next your shoulders. Inhale as you shrug them up toward your ears. Squeeze and hold for four, three, two, one, release and relax. Next your stomach. Suck your stomach into a knot and hold for four, three, two, one. Release. Walk your thighs together, squeeze them and hold for four, three, two, one, release.
And lastly your feet and your legs. Flex your toes back up toward your face and hold for four, three, two, one, release. And then find stillness. Notice if your body is relaxed. Think about what you can soften. We're going to end with one cleansing breath together. Take an inhale through your nose, open your mouth, let it go. Thanks for joining me for this progressive muscle relaxation.