57 Self Care Ideas for a Bad Mental Health Day

When everything feels difficult, self-care can be a survival skill

It can be difficult to practice self-care during the moments we need it most. On bad mental health days, when everything feels heavy, when panic sets in, when nothing feels OK, it's easy to completely forget how to take care of yourself.

It's tempting to fight against it, or try to "will" the bad feelings away. And then just as tempting to beat yourself up when sheer willpower isn't enough.

That's when it's time to pause, take a breath, and be kind to yourself. Self-care is a practice, not a performance. Knowing what to do on a bad mental health day before it arrives, and having a list of self-care ideas you can reach for, can make all the difference when life gets tough.

To get ideas from people who've been there, the team at The Mighty asked their mental health community to share their self-care tips for mental health. We've gathered their 57 ideas below, grouped by theme to make it easier to find what might work for you right now.

You deserve to give yourself some love during these dark moments, just like you would a friend. Doing so isn't selfish, it's survival.

Mind and body: simple physical acts that help

Sometimes the most powerful self-care activities for mental health are the most basic. When you're having a bad mental health day, your body and mind are deeply connected, and small physical acts can send a powerful signal that you're worth caring for.

Even minor physical rituals, like showering, stretching, getting dressed, can help interrupt a depressive episode by creating a sense of agency and forward momentum. You don't have to do everything. You just have to do one thing.

Water and warmth: the healing power of a bath or shower

A surprising number of people reach for water as one of their go-to self-care ideas for anxiety and low moods, and there's solid reasoning behind it. Warm water activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm the body's stress response. The sensory immersion of a bath or shower also pulls attention into the present moment, which is a core principle of mindfulness for mental health.

Whether it's a long soak with candles, a cold shower to shock the system awake, or simply watching waves at the beach, water has a way of resetting the body when the mind won't cooperate.

Music, singing, and dancing

Music is one of the most widely cited self-care tips for mental health, and one of the most evidence-backed. Listening to music activates the brain's reward system, triggering dopamine release even during low moods. It can also act as an emotional mirror, helping you feel seen and less alone when words fail.

Whether you're putting on a playlist that matches your mood, belting out a favourite song in the car, or moving your body to a beat, music gives feelings somewhere to go. It's one of the most accessible self-care ideas at home, requiring nothing but a phone and a speaker.

Creative outlets: art, writing, and making things

Creativity is a powerful tool in any mental health self-care routine. When emotions are too big or too tangled for words, making something, such as drawing, painting, journaling, colouring, gives them a form that can be held, seen, and set aside.

Art-based therapies are widely used in clinical mental health settings precisely because they offer a non-verbal pathway through difficult emotions. But you don't need to be an artist for this to work. The act of making, not the quality of the output, is what matters.

TV, films, and comfort viewing

There is nothing wrong with comfort viewing. When the mind needs a rest, sometimes the kindest self-care tip is to switch off and let something familiar carry you for a while.

Familiar content, such as shows you've seen before, or films from childhood, is particularly soothing because it removes cognitive load. You know what's going to happen, which means your nervous system doesn't have to stay alert. It's a form of controlled predictability when everything else feels uncertain. Think of it as a legitimate coping strategy, not a waste of time.

Nature and getting outside

Spending time in nature is one of the most well-researched self-care activities for depression and anxiety. Even a short walk outside can reduce cortisol levels, lower heart rate, and shift perspective. In Australia, where open spaces, parks, and coastlines are rarely far away, getting outside is one of the most accessible things to do on a bad mental health day.

You don't need a destination. Sometimes just changing the environment, and feeling sunlight, hearing birds, or smelling fresh air is enough to interrupt a downward spiral.

Pets, people and connection

One of the most important self-care tips for mental health is this: you don't have to cope alone. Connection with people, with pets, or even with a community online is a core human need, and isolation tends to deepen difficult mental health days rather than ease them.

Animals in particular offer a form of unconditional presence that can be deeply grounding. And doing something kind for others, even small acts, can create a sense of purpose and shift focus outward when turning inward isn't helping.

Books and escaping into another world

Reading is one of the oldest and most reliable self-care ideas at home, and for good reason. Immersing yourself in a story shifts your attention fully into another world, offering genuine mental rest from your own thoughts.

If concentration is hard (as it often is on a bad mental health day), audiobooks or short stories can be a gentler entry point than a novel.

Mindfulness and meditation

Mindfulness for mental health doesn't have to mean sitting cross-legged in silence. It simply means bringing your attention to the present moment by noticing what you can see, hear, smell, touch, or taste, instead of being pulled into anxious thoughts about the past or future.

Grounding techniques for a bad mental health day can be as simple as breathing slowly for a few minutes, placing your bare feet on the ground, or counting five things you can see around you. These techniques won't fix a hard day, but they can reduce the intensity of distress in the moment and help you feel more in control.

Self-compassion and changing your perspective

Sometimes the most radical self-care tip for mental health is changing how you speak to yourself. On a bad mental health day, the inner critic tends to be loudest, and yet that's precisely when you most need the kindness you'd offer a close friend.

Self-compassion doesn't mean pretending things are fine. It means acknowledging that what you're going through is hard, that bad days are a normal part of being human, and that this feeling, like all feelings, will pass. A simple mental health self-care routine around self-talk can be one of the most powerful tools you build over time.

Building your own self-care checklist for mental health

Reading through other people's ideas is a great starting point, but the most useful thing you can do is build your own self-care checklist for mental health that's ready before you need it.

Think about what has helped you in the past, across different categories: physical (movement, water, rest), sensory (music, scent, texture), social (a person to call, a pet to cuddle), creative (drawing, writing, making), and mental (a show to watch, a book to read, a breathing exercise).

Write it down somewhere accessible: your phone notes, a journal, even a sticky note on the fridge. On a bad mental health day, that list is something you can reach for without having to think.

Need more support?

For NDIS participants: If you're looking for ongoing mental health support through the NDIS, MyCareSpace can help. Our free Connections Team is linked in with a range of therapists and mental health service providers across Australia with current availability. We'll help you navigate the NDIS and find the right support for you.