If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the Canada Suicide Prevention Service at +1 (833) 456-4566 any time day or night, or chat online. As one of the many actors would say and this quote from Ron Burgundy from the movie “Anchorman” might say, men’s mental health is kind of a big deal. Of course, Ron means that mental health is a HUGE deal, with one in five Canadians experiencing mental illness in any given year.   What is mental health?   Mental health is all about enjoying life, managing its ups and downs, and having a sense of purpose. It affects how you think, feel, and act, and determines how you handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Why reducing stress is important?   Every guy wants to enjoy life, but there’s more to mental health than that. Looking after your mental health and learning how to reduce stress is important because it helps you do your job well and has positive relationships with other people, from friends and family to co-workers to the friendly barista behind the coffee shop’s counter. What does good mental health look like? Good mental health may look different from one guy to another, but there are six common factors of well-being that are part of it. These include: A sense of purpose Strong relationships Feeling connected to others Having a good awareness of self Coping with stress Enjoying life Men’s mental health tips: small changes can have a big impact We always share with guys that small changes can have a big impact on their mental health. Making big changes can be overwhelming and seem like too much, so why not try one small thing one day at a time? Start small, and pick one small thing to do each day to start. Here are some tips to help you reduce stress and improve your mental health.   Meditate Think meditation is just for hippies? Do you worry that you need to light some incense while sitting with your legs (painfully) crossed? You don’t have to do any of that. All you need to do is … nothing, really. Find a quiet place to sit Sit comfortably and inhale and exhale slowly and deeply through your nose Your belly, not your chest, should rise Do this for five minutes to start Feel your stress and tension melt away If you feel like you need more guidance than that, check out one of the many guided meditation apps available, like Calm and Ten Percent Happier. For some people, meditation apps are the easiest way to learn how to meditate. Connect with friends Friendships help you live longer, even more so than having close relationships with adult children and other family members. Living longer can be the single most significant benefit of friendships, but there are many other benefits, too. Here are some reasons why your friends are good for your health. Having healthy friendships can: Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression Improve your mood Stave off heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s Motivate you to be more active Help you to live longer   Exercise When it comes to exercise, you can start small. Go for a walk around your neighborhood, or go play with your kids outside. Keep it simple! You can build up to bigger workouts by simply getting more active and moving your body. Another fun way to get more exercise into your life is to work out while watching TV. When anyone gets into or out of a car, break off 10 jumping jacks. When your favourite team scores a goal, bust out 15 bicycle crunches. You pick the show, make the rules, and have a blast while getting some much-needed exercise in. Simply getting outside for 20 minutes every day is all you need to start having a positive effect on your mental health. Get a pet Man’s best friend helps with much more than adorable YouTube videos. Research suggests that compared to people who don’t have dogs, dog owners’ heart rates and blood pressure are steadier and moderate more quickly during times of stress. This calming effect reduces the adverse effects of stress on your mind and body. Owning a dog is also associated with a longer life, lower cholesterol levels, and lower blood pressure, likely because of dogs’ calming effect and because dog owners tend to get more exercise.     Cats can also reduce stress too! Loving connections between cats and their owners can help owners cope with stress by reducing feelings of loneliness, providing a sense of purpose, and taking their minds off their troubles. On the other hand, does your cat seem to ignore you? According to researchers at the University of Tokyo, cats know that we’re talking to them, but they simply don’t care. Take a deep breath   Deep breathing can improve your quality and quantity of sleep, help keep your weight in check, and reduce the risk of a heart attack—the list of benefits goes on and on. Can deep breathing lower your blood pressure? It can! Is deep breathing good for anxiety? You bet it is! It’s truly amazing what deep breathing can do for you.     Try this stress-relieving challenge and take five deep breaths in one minute: Find a place to sit (standing works too) Close your eyes and focus on your breathing Say “one” as you inhale Say “two” as you exhale Keep counting, and inhaling and exhaling, until you get to 10.   Reboot your relationship As men, we usually live up to our stereotypes when it comes to relationships. But as thick-headed as we can sometimes be, we know those petty fights with our girlfriends/wives/partners aren’t really about the dirty dishes or whose turn it is to take out the garbage. Researcher John Gottman—pretty much the guru of solving relationship problems—has figured out the key ingredients to a sex-filled relationship where both partners are happy. Gottman says that couples in positive (i.e. amazing sex) relationships invest an extra five hours in each other each week, and the ways they do it aren’t