Tackling mental health problems early is important for preventing them from getting worse.
This is why taking a mental health day to care for yourself, de-stress and re-group can be useful. So if you’ve been feeling more tired than usual, are having trouble sleeping (or not getting good quality sleep), experience changes in appetite or even feeling more impatient than normal, it may be a sign that you need to take a day off work to look after your mental health.
A word of caution here though: Spending your mental health day ruminating on your woes, thinking about the things that are stressing you out, or simply doing nothing at all is unlikely to have any benefit to you. Here are a few things you can do to improve things:
Get creative. We know that creativity is good for us, even if you aren’t very good at what you’re doing. Whether it’s painting, singing, crafting or writing a journal, spending time being creative helps release tension and boost energy levels.
Get physical. It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do. Whether you like running, weightlifting or pilates, any exercise is good for managing stress and lifting mood—thanks, in part, to the feel good chemicals that our body naturally releases during exercise.
Get outside. Being in nature has a measurably calming effect on our bodies. It activates our “rest and digest” (parasympathetic) nervous system, which is important for helping to reduce stress levels. You could try activities such as tree bathing, a popular pastime in Japan, which involves walking quietly in forests and woodlands while trying to be present in the moment and breathing deeply. If you don’t live near a woodland, then activities like gardening and walking in the park are really beneficial too.
Get spiritual. This doesn’t mean go to church necessarily (unless that’s what you want to do), but practices such as mindfulness, meditation and yoga are shown to be exceptionally good for our overall mental well-being. For added benefit, try doing these outdoors if the weather’s nice.
Taking a day when you feel you need it to actively invest in yourself, recharge your batteries and address any issues that may be troubling you is likely to have long-term benefits for your mental health.
If you keep these practices up in your daily life, it’s likely you’ll see continued mental health benefits. The Conversation
Image credits: Ekaterina Moskvina | Dreamstime.com