Mental health researchers push to make ‘mental hygiene’ as common as brushing your teeth

Health officials at the Royal are urging people to add mental hygiene to their daily wellness routines — along with brushing their teeth, a good night’s sleep and getting enough exercise and nutrition.

As little as 10 minutes a day of mental hygiene practices — such as breathing techniques, exposure to nature and writing in a journal — can make a difference in supporting mental wellbeing, said Guillaume Tremblay, lead nurse practitioner for the Royal’s Brockville Mental Health Centre.

Tremblay is part of The Royal’s Mental Hygiene Challenge which encourages people to rethink the way they care for their mental health. More information on the initiative, in its fourth year, is available here. It runs throughout March.

“Mental hygiene is just as important as brushing your teeth or taking a shower — it’s a daily habit that supports overall well-being,” said Tremblay. “By taking proactive steps, we can build resilience and prioritize mental wellness before challenges arise.”

Participants are asked to register and will have access to resources including a toolkit of 17 different exercises.

Tremblay is among researchers making the case for universal adoption of research-based practices that support good mental health if done regularly. Such regular practices can reduce stress and support mental wellbeing, studies have found. Tremblay and other researchers are pushing for the adoption of a mental hygiene framework and public recommendations, similar to those for physical and dental health.

Tremblay said giving people techniques to work on mental hygiene flow naturally from the movement to destigmatize mental health issues.

“We are trying to take the next step by giving people concrete steps to take. We can raise awareness about cavities but eventually, we have to encourage people to brush their teeth.” Those concrete steps, he said, include clear guidance for people on ways to support their wellbeing.

He adds that even good mental hygiene practices won’t prevent all mental health challenges but they can reduce the risk.

“We are not claiming if you do mental hygiene you will never have mental health problems. You can brush your teeth well and still get cavities. But if you don’t, your risk of cavities is higher.”

He said research data suggests that using mental hygiene practices daily generally results in people feeling better after 30 days.”

He said the term mental hygiene was used in the early part of the 20th century and then went out of fashion. He and his co-authors, he believes, are the first to reintroduce the concept in peer-reviewed research.

The idea has been picked up by individual organizations, in addition to the Royal’s challenge. Prior to this year, some 7,000 people had taken the challenge.

Tremblay would like to see more people try it for a month and eventually have guidelines to make regular mental hygiene practices part of more peoples’ daily routines.