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Kaylee Maxey
November 6th, 2025
Mental Health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being that affects how we think, feel, and act. Poor mental health impacts around 40% of high school students and 23.4% of adults in America. Many people struggle to find healthy ways to cope with the bad in their lives. Mrs. Brianne Ricke, the social worker at Waterloo High School, shared some tips and habits that can improve our mental health. Maintaining your mental health starts with the three most important habits. Good sleep, good diet, and consistent exercise. Mrs. Ricke noted that people often underestimate how much these things impact their mental health. Mrs. Ricke also recommends practicing gratitude and mindfulness. “Reflect each day on what went well or what you’re thankful for because our brain definitely wants to go to the negative very easily, especially if we are struggling.” Ricke explained, “try to stay in the present moment and quiet those ‘what ifs’ for the future, or thoughts about the past.” Sleep, diet, and exercise are the three things that have the greatest impact on our mental health. “Sleep does so much for the body and our brain.” Ricke said. “If you’re driving sleep deprived, you’re driving just as poorly as you would intoxicated. Our ability to regulate and cope is all impacted by lack of sleep.” Exercise also plays a big role in our mental health. According to the National Library of Medicine, physical activity has a positive effect on our mental health. Exercise can be just as effective as therapy or medication for some people with depression. “Finding ways to add joyful movement into your life can improve symptoms,” Mrs. Ricke explained. She also recommends being mindful about our caffeine intake and how much vaping can affect overall health. When it comes to reaching out for professional help, there is no threshold you have to meet. “Things don’t have to be objectively bad for someone to want to talk to someone or get help with their personal goals.” Mrs. Ricke said, “And if someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts, or you feel unable to keep yourself safe you should absolutely get professional help.” If someone ever does want to reach out, there are tons of resources available, for example, a parent, a school counselor, a trusted teacher or adult, or a close friend. Mental health is not a straight pathway; there will be curveballs thrown at us, and sometimes we won't be able to catch them. However, it is all about consistency; having a consistent sleep schedule, a consistent diet schedule, and a consistent exercise schedule can be the first steps we take to bettering our mental health.
Meet the Author
Meet the Author
Kaylee Maxey
Kaylee N Maxey is a senior at Waterloo high school. She is a first year member of the Journalism class and she wanted to join because she loves to write. She brings humor, kindness, and honesty to the Journalism team. A fun fact about Kaylee is that she wants to study psychology. One of Kaylee’s favorite quotes is, “yolo.”
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