Modern life is stressful. On the news: war, economic crisis and climate meltdown. On social media: people shout at each other or pretend their lives are perfect.

Today is World Mental Health Day. Experts warn it is a huge problem but there are small steps we can all take:

1. Be kind to yourself. "We view ourselves as not worthy of self-care," says psychotherapist Dwight Turner. We need to be our own best friend and not our worst enemy.

2. Ask for help. Mental pain is invisible. It may look like people don't have problems. But "each of us suffers in some way," says Turner. It is normal and we should never worry about asking for help.

3. Set limits. Life is non-stop. Always busy. Always saying yes. But that leads to burnout. "There's nothing selfish about saying no," says counsellor Gemma Campbell.

4. Sleep well. Our brains do important work when we are asleep. A lack of sleep, says neuroscientist Lindsay Browning, "can impact our mood".

5. Eat healthily. "Your brain is always 'on'," writes expert Eva Selhub. And it needs the best "fuel" to work properly. Fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and whole grains are excellent brain food.¹

6. Get active. Exercise boosts the hormone dopamineA hormone and neurotransmitter that plays several important roles in the brain and body, providing us with positive sensations, rewarding us for evolutionarily good behaviours like eating food.. "The greatest gains," says psychotherapist Gosia Bowling, "are in those who go from doing nothing to doing something". A five minute brisk walk makes all the difference.

7. Find purpose. Research shows kindness helps wellbeing. The easiest way to lift your mood is to help someone else. "Little acts of kindness," says expert Meena Andiappan, "all add up". It could be anything from volunteering to opening a door for someone.

Mental health issues are not new. In Ancient Egypt, doctors recommended dancing as a cure.² But experts say modern life is too difficult.³ We are overwhelmed by choice, high expectations and fears of the future.

Yes: Our stone-age brains are not cut out for modern life. Worrying about poisonous plants and sabre-tooth tigers kept our NeolithicThe New Stone Age was the last period before the development of bronze and iron technology. During this period, humans began to settle in tribes, farm the land, and domesticate animals. ancestors alive. But today, anxiety about work, studying and socialising is making us ill.

No: Life is messy and difficult. We all have bad days and negative thoughts. But we are not our thoughts. Feelings pass and life goes on. There are always people who can help and things we can do.

Or... Instead of trying to survive a complex world, some people choose a simple life: going offline, buying less, working less and spending more time with friends and family. This could be the new normal.