You brush your teeth, you shower, you exercise – but what are you doing each day to care for your brain? The term “mental hygiene” refers to daily activities that support and maintain mental health. Public health guidelines tell us that we need to do small tasks daily to maintain our physical and dental hygiene, like showering and brushing our teeth – we extend the same concept to mental health. Just as the body requires maintenance, so too does the mind. It is an important way to support psychological resilience needed for the challenges of day-to-day life. Practicing as little as 10 minutes of mental hygiene daily can be impactful on our overall well-being.   

Objectives: 

1. Gain an understanding of the default mode network. 

2. Develop awareness around rumination and mind-wandering and how they affect us in our day-to-day. 

3. Develop an understanding of what mental hygiene is and how it can support our well-being. 

4. Suggestions for incorporating mental hygiene in our day-to-day lives. 

5. Review research-based mental hygiene practices. 

6. Learn about the mental hygiene challenge and what it is all about.