Mental Health 2/2: Concrete Steps to Better Support Yourself

In part one of this series, we explored why mental health isn't just "in your head" and how inflammation, sleep, metabolism, or certain nutritional deficiencies can undermine psychological balance.

In this second part, we look at what you can actually do about it. Because if mental health has a biological dimension, it also means you can act upstream to create the best possible conditions for your balance.

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Visual: 6 Pillars to Support Your Mental Balance. Circular diagram with Sleep, Essential Nutrients, Physical Activity, Gut Health, Stress Management, Seeking Support.

1. Sleep: A Pillar of Emotional Regulation

Sleep contributes to emotional regulation, brain recovery, and the proper functioning of many systems involved in mental balance. When it's insufficient or fragmented, everything else suffers: mood, stress tolerance, concentration, energy.

What you can observe:

• You take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep

• You wake up several times during the night

• You wake up tired even after 7-8 hours of sleep

What you can adjust:

• Set regular bedtime and wake times, including weekends

• Expose yourself to natural light in the morning

• Avoid screens 1-2 hours before bed

• Keep your bedroom cool (18-19 C), dark, and quiet

• Eliminate caffeine after 2pm, limit alcohol in the evening

2. Essential Nutrients for the Brain

Your brain needs certain cofactors to make its neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine.

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Visual: Table with Nutrient, Role, Sources

Magnesium: Regulates the nervous system and modulates the stress response. Sources: dark green vegetables, nuts, cocoa, whole grains.

Vitamin D: Plays a role in neuro-immune function and brain balance. Sources: sunlight (15-20 min/day), fatty fish.

B Vitamins (B6, B9, B12): Essential for nervous system function, energy production, and neurotransmitter synthesis. Sources: green vegetables, legumes, meats, eggs, dairy.

Omega-3 (EPA and DHA): Support brain membrane structure and reduce inflammation. Sources: sardines, mackerel, salmon, flaxseed oil, walnuts.

Iron: A deficiency can lead to chronic fatigue and disrupted dopamine production. Sources: red meat, legumes, spinach (pair with vitamin C).

Zinc: Involved in mood regulation and stress response. Sources: oysters, meats, legumes, pumpkin seeds.

3. Physical Activity: A Natural Antidepressant

Physical activity supports mental health through improved sleep, reduced inflammation, better stress regulation, and positive effects on mood. Regularity matters much more than intensity.

4. The Gut-Brain Axis: Taking Care of Your Microbiome

The microbiome, immunity, certain neural pathways, and metabolites produced in the gut appear to influence mood, stress, and sleep. Increase prebiotic fibers, consume fermented foods, limit ultra-processed foods, and reduce chronic stress.

5. Managing Chronic Stress

Chronic stress exhausts the nervous system, dysregulates cortisol, and undermines balance.

Heart Coherence Breathing: 5 minutes, 3 times per day. Mindfulness: 10-20 minutes of guided meditation. Recovery Time: regular breaks. Social Connection: talk, share, don't stay alone.

6. Seeking Support

These levers can improve your biological terrain. But they don't replace professional support when it's needed.

When to consult?

Consult if your symptoms persist and disrupt your daily life, you feel persistent sadness or loss of interest, you have intrusive thoughts or anxiety that's hard to control, you're isolating yourself, or you're going through a difficult life event.

Asking for help isn't failing. It's taking care of yourself with the right tools, at the right time.

What Lucis Can Offer You

At Lucis, we analyze over 110 biomarkers: hs-CRP (inflammation), fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c (glucose metabolism), vitamin D, B12, folate, iron, ferritin, magnesium, zinc (nutritional status), cortisol awakening response (stress), TSH, T3, T4 (thyroid).

Mental health deserves the same attention as your cardiovascular or metabolic health.

To go further: a special mental health episode with MindDay

Together with Boris, co-founder of MindDay, we deconstruct the myths around mental health and share concrete tools.

Listen to the episode

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

References

1. Noetel M, et al. BMJ. 2024.

2. Li Z, et al. 2025.

3. Moabedi M, et al. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2023.

4. Holt-Lunstad J. World Psychiatry. 2024.

5. CANMAT. Can J Psychiatry. 2023.

6. Loh JS, et al. Signal Transduction. 2024.

7. Inserm. 2022.