When we talk about mental health, we often focus on what’s wrong—anxiety, stress, depression. But that’s only half of the picture. True mental health isn’t just the absence of illness; it’s the presence of wellness. It’s the ability to feel joy, to have energy and enthusiasm for life, and to feel connected to the world around you.
So, here’s a question: Beyond feeling “not bad,” how well have you actually been feeling lately?
It can be a surprisingly hard question to answer. That’s why the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a simple, powerful tool to help. The WHO-5 Wellbeing Index is a quick, confidential way to check in on your subjective wellbeing—to take your own “wellness temperature.”
As the influential psychologist Carl Rogers put it:
“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.”
The WHO-5 is a compass that helps you see where you are in that process so you can choose your next step.
What is the WHO-5 and What Does It Measure?
The WHO-5 is a short, 5-question questionnaire that has become one of the most widely used tools in the world for assessing subjective psychological wellbeing.
Unlike other screeners that look for symptoms of a disorder, the WHO-5 focuses exclusively on your positive feelings over the past two weeks. It asks you to rate, from “at no time” to “all of the time,” how often you have:
- Felt cheerful and in good spirits.
- Felt calm and relaxed.
- Felt active and vigorous.
- Woken up feeling fresh and rested.
- Found your daily life to be filled with things that interest you.
Essentially, it’s a quick measure of your vitality, your positive mood, and your engagement with life.
How to Interpret Your Score
The test will give you a final score on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 represents the best possible wellbeing.
- A score above 50 generally indicates good subjective wellbeing.
- A score below 50 suggests low wellbeing and is an indication that it could be helpful to explore your mental health further. It can be a good idea to follow up with a depression screener like the PHQ-9.
- A score that is consistently below 28 is a strong indicator of possible depression and should be discussed with a doctor or mental health professional.
Remember: This is a screening tool, not a crystal ball. A low score is not a diagnosis, but a gentle signal that your wellbeing might need some attention.
Your Score Is a Starting Point for Growth. What’s Next?
The beauty of the WHO-5 is that it gives you information you can act on, no matter your score.
If your score is lower than you’d like:
This is valuable information. It points you toward areas for growth. Wellbeing is a skill, and you can practice it.
- To boost positive mood and interest, try starting a daily gratitude practice with our Gratitude Galaxy tool.
- To increase your sense of vitality, use the Activity Lift to schedule one small, energizing action into your day.
If your score is already good:
That’s wonderful! This is a chance to acknowledge what’s working and consider how to maintain and deepen that sense of wellbeing.
- Explore what truly matters to you with our Values Compass.
- Connect with your future aspirations using the Future Self Visualization exercise.
Ready for Your 30-Second Wellness Check?
Curious to see where you land? The WHO-5 is one of the fastest and most reliable wellness check-ins available. It’s free, completely private, and takes less than a minute.
➡️ Take the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index Now
Wellbeing is a Skill You Can Build
Your mental wellness is not a fixed state; it’s a dynamic process that you can influence every single day. Taking a moment to check in with a tool like the WHO-5 is an act of self-care. It gives you the clarity to know where you are, so you can take the next small step on your journey toward a more flourishing life.