Why is Mental Health Important?
We all have our fair share of stressful days. For high school students, it may involve preparing for the SAT; for college students, it may mean meeting deadlines; and for adults, it could concern project deadlines at work. Whatever the case, stressful days slowly consume us like quicksand. At first, you don’t realize that you’re sinking, but as time goes on, the stress of the situation builds up until you completely burn out. These days heavily affect our mental health because we often feel overwhelmed and anxious about the outcome. Doing so can affect our sleep schedules as well as our eating habits.
When you’re stressed, it often dictates your physical well-being. Stress can induce physiological responses such as increased heart rate, quickened breathing, muscle tension, and sweating. Overall, your body activates “fight or flight” mode. Being in this mode frequently can have detrimental effects, leading to chronic stress and increasing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, as well as affecting your memory and circadian rhythm. It’s highly important to prioritize your mental health and well-being before anything else. If you aren’t in the best mindset to continue the tasks at hand or pursue your goals and aspirations, you’ll have a hard time completing them to the best of your ability.
The following things I’m about to discuss are things you might not be doing, but could help you on your mental health journey. To avoid burnout and built-up stress, one thing I highly recommend is having a “Self-Care Day.” A self-care day doesn’t look the same for everybody. Whatever it might be, the main objective of this day is solely taking care of yourself because you deserve it! You’ve been working hard mentally and/or physically all week, and a day of focusing on yourself does wonders for your mind and body. However, we need to keep in mind that some may not have the time for a self-care day. If that’s the case, let me suggest a few things you can incorporate into your daily routine that take little time but leave you feeling very relaxed so you can get back to your tasks.
– Drink some water when you feel tired. If you experience a sense of fatigue or tiredness, it might be that you are dehydrated. Drinking water can offer that extra boost of energy and hydration that is essential for your focus.
– Take breaks from your computer. If you find your eyes straining or feeling heavy when looking at your computer or phone, it might be time to take a little break. According to the Health and Safety Executive, the article titled “Working Safely with Display Screen Equipment” states that you should take frequent short breaks rather than longer ones every few hours. For example, taking a 5-10 minute break every hour is better than taking a longer break, say every 2 hours.
– Stretch or take a walk. This is possibly the most important advice I give anyone when it comes to sitting for long periods and working. Always find some time to stretch or, better yet, take a walk outside. When you’re sitting down for long periods, it can restrict proper blood flow. Once you get up and walk or stretch a little, you can feel that it increases blood circulation and reduces tiredness.
– During your longer breaks, you can listen to your favorite song, make a nutritious snack, meditate with good posture to increase oxygen circulation, take deep breaths, talk with your peers, read a book, etc.
– Laugh or smile. Maybe you have a “Jokes” book lying around in your office that makes you laugh. Perhaps your friends make you laugh. Whatever it is, we all know that laughter is one way to relieve stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, an article titled “Stress Relief from Laughter? It’s No Joke” discusses how laughter can increase your intake of oxygen, which in turn can improve the function of your organs, such as your heart and lungs, as well as your muscles. It also releases a specific type of neurotransmitter called endorphins into your brain.
– Journaling. I highly recommend watching “How to Start Journaling for Mental Health” by Ana Juma. She explains what mental health is and the different types of journaling you can use to guide you through your mental health journey, if you have a ton of journaling books but don’t know how and where to start.
Not a lot of people understand the importance of mental health or how to cope with stressful situations in life. Although these tips and techniques may not fully relieve your stress, they will help. Never compromise your mental health for anything. The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I highly suggest you take the time to prioritize your mental health! I know I will, and I hope you can join me as well!