This Simple Daily Habit Could Boost Your Happiness

An estimated 23% of U.S. adults struggle with some form of mental illness, whether it’s mild, moderate or severe.

But even Americans without such a diagnosis are unhappier these days. A recent Gallup poll found that the percentage of Americans who say they are “very satisfied” with their personal lives plunged from 65% to 44% over the past five years.

Habit changes may be part of the solution.

A study recently published in the scientific journal SSM – Mental Health found that “simple, everyday behaviors” can significantly improve mental well-being.

This is especially true of talking or chatting with people outside your home every day, according to researchers at Australia’s Curtin University.

For the study, they evaluated 15 behaviors that are known to contribute to social connectedness and meaningfulness and have been publicly promoted as part of a mental health campaign in Western Australia.

On average, study participants who chatted with others daily scored 10 points higher on a mental well-being assessment compared with participants who chatted with others less than once a week.

Among all 15 behaviors evaluated, the following were associated with the largest increase in mental well-being scores:

1. Talking or chatting with people outside your home daily (people who did this activity at this frequency scored 10.0 points higher, on average, on a standard mental well-being scale compared with people who did this less than once per week)
2. Talking or chatting with people outside your home one to six times per week (5.82 points higher, compared with doing this less than once per week)
3. Spending time in nature daily (5.08 points higher, compared with doing this less than once per week)
4. Meeting with friends at least once per week (4.79 points higher, compared with doing this less than once per month)
5. Getting physical activity daily (4.32 points higher, compared with doing this less than once per week)
6. Doing activities that require thinking or concentration daily (3.85 points higher, compared with doing this less than once per week)
7. Visiting with family at least once per week (3.68 points higher, compared with doing this less than once per week)

Each activity also becomes increasingly effective with frequency.

For example, talking with others daily increased well-being scores by nearly twice as much as doing the same activity one to six times per week.

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In a summary of the findings, the study’s lead author, Christina Pollard notes that the findings clearly show that simple, affordable actions can make a real difference in supporting mental health and well-being.

They also show that mental health promotional campaigns can be effective in prompting people to take those actions.

“These aren’t expensive programs or clinical interventions — they’re behaviors that are already part of many people’s lives and can be easily encouraged through public health messaging,” Pollard says.

Chatting with others isn’t just good for the brain, either. Loneliness can cause physical health issues. Curious how else a daily friendly chat can help? Read “Loneliness Is Now Tied to 10 Diseases and Other Health Risks.”