- Set aside 30 minutes to sit with your feelings and organise your thoughts. Sometimes what you’re worried about can be a thought pattern gone wrong and not actual reality. Train your mind to recognise the difference between real and perceived threats by tuning in with yourself and not the noise outside. 🧘🏻♀️
- Avoid excessive carbs and sugar. The energy you feel from sugar will soon wear off leaving you feeling more sluggish than before. A high protein snack is a better option to boost mood. Sugar is a way to increase serotonin and make us feel happy so I wouldn’t recommend cutting it out entirely on a bad mental health day. Have one cookie not the entire batch. 🍪
- Work out hard for 20 minutes. An elevated heart rate is the only way to clear your mind from intrusive thoughts. Runners high isn’t a myth- the combination of strenuous movement and mental focus allows the mind to be used for a specific purpose- the opposite of jumbled thinking and excessive and disparate worrying. The dopamine released to your body will last several hours, making you feel less anxious and better overall. 🏋️♂️
- Go outside. Leaving the confines of a closed space might just be the relief you’re looking for. If you spend the majority of your time sulking at home on a bad mental health day, fresh air and a change of scenery will break up the monotony of your day. Depending on your mood, you may prefer a busy street to trails and nature. 🛍️ 🍃 If this seems too difficult for you on a bad day simply listen to music, draw or paint.
5. Connect with a friend or family member. Speaking with someone we love or feel good around releases endorphins- a mental hug for our senses. Plus hearing about another person’s day distracts us from the selfish pity party we like to have when we aren’t feeling our best. 🫂📞
Yusra Tekbali 