6 Reasons Why It's Important To Take A Mental Health Day

Hello, everyone! It’s been a week since I posted and I have a good reason as to why. Quite frankly, I was not there mentally to write. A lot was going on in my schedule that I just lost track of the days. All of a sudden it was Tuesday and I had nothing to post! So, I just took the day to rest. A mental health day! Which then brought me to this post.

It’s common to just stay on the move in life. Always going somewhere, doing something. Having a To-Do list that is 15 things long and giving yourself the 24 hours you have to finish it all. Overscheduling yourself to the point that you are burnt out. Soon one day you wake up. Exhausted to the point you feel sluggish. And now your day is stuck being “lazy”. Newsflash! You’re not being lazy. You’re tired. Most likely mentally tired. Mental health days are something that everyone needs to incorporate in to their schedule. Especially, if you’re a college student, work a full-time job, or live an overly busy lifestyle.

What is a Mental Health Day?

There’s no official definition for what a mental health day is. Some people don’t even believe in it or see the use. But a mental health day is pretty much a day of relaxation. You eliminate all stressors in your life for the day and take a break. Most people decided to call off from work or go absent from class for a day. When it comes to what you do during a mental health day. Well, that’s up tp you. If it’s reading a good book with some lofi then go and do that. Or if it’s baking and watching your fav Netflix show then great! As long as you are doing something that calms your mind then anything will do. As long as you detach and relax.

So, then why is a Mental Health Day needed?

1. You need to recharge

It may come as a shock, but you can’t go 100 speed , 24/7. At some point you’re going to just burnout. What is burnout?

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.

https://www.helpguide.org/

When you overwork yourself it can take a toll on you physically and mentally. When it comes to your mental health, you need to listen to your body. Your body is a strong indicator for something being wrong. Don’t overlook the subtle signs it’s sending you. When you’re burnout, you’re useless. There’s no way for your to help anyone even yourself. So, take that day or couple of days to recharge. Get that energy back. Get that social battery up to help sustain you for the next batch of crazy ,busy days. So, however it is you relax. Whether it’s drinking a cup of tea or going for a walk. Go do it.

2. It gives you time to reflect

Mental Health Days are great for reflection. Whether it is getting a game plan ready for the next week. Or looking at the events that happened. Maybe you want to add more time in your schedule to relax. Mental Health days are important ,but don’t stack days to lead to it. Plan some time in your busy days for some downtime. Usually, when I take a mental health day I take about an hour of the day to plan. Whether it is to update my to do lists. Or plan some content for this blog. As well as reflecting on how I coped with my mental health up to the day. Maybe I didn’t handle my anxiety the way I should have. It gives me time to make a mental note if it happens again.

3. Get that quality time in

Like I said, everyone handles their Mental Health days differently. Some like to spend it alone. But if you are a workacholic then you can use to hang out with someone. Sometimes we get so busy that we don’t talk to anyone. Maybe we don’t even get the time to have a date night with a significant other. Take a day off to plan something with a friend. It’s common to become disconnected. Everyone has their own lives. Most of the time we are just driving by each other. But never taking the time to just enjoy one another’s company. This is a great reason to take the day off and just get a laugh in with some friends.

4. It helps lessens the time you get sick

Usually, an indicator that we need a break is when you are prone to getting sick a lot. Now everyone gets sick every now and then. But if you notice that you aren’t feeling so hot every other week. Or that your sleep cycle is off and you don’t feel as rested. Well, then that is a huge sign that you need a break. When you push your body too hard it can throw your body’s balance off. Certain organs/systems will have to twice the work. This will lead to a faster shut down because your body is working twice as hard because you aren’t slowing down. No one is invincible. You are human. So, take a break and let your body rest. You’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll feel after.

5. Mental Health Days helps change your attitude

Mental Health days are a great source of rewiring your attitudes. Have you ever seen those commercials for Snickers? They’re slogan is “You’re not yourself when your hungry.” It is true. When we are in a negative mood, we aren’t our usual selves. As we get more and more drained, our attitude is adjusting in a more negative light. So, by taking that mental health day, you can readjust. Maybe you were a bit snippy the last week. Best to go back and message the people you encountered with an apology. When you’re burnout and worn out, you aren’t able to think clearly ,which leads in to the last reason.

6. It helps you refocus

When out mind is clouded and busy, we can’t focus. There’s more than one things on our mind. Multiple events we are going through. Or a workload that is just taking over our daily life. To the point where maybe now you’re a bit forgetful. You can lose track of time easily. Your brain is a muscle. Yep! It’s a very important muscle in your body. And it has to have a breather. When you work out, you have downtime to rest. Same goes with your brain. When you keep having it push and push the nerve signals will just go crazy. The little messages that constantly go to your mind will misfire because it’s being overworked. Overworking yourself is not the best way to go. Soon it can hinder your tasks.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

As usual, thank you for reading. Thank you for clicking on my blog. Don’t forget to share and check out my other posts. If you have any suggestions on any other mental health topics to write about shoot me a DM on Instagram. Follow me on all my socials to know when I post a new blog. Also, follow my Facebook page! I’m trying to connect with my community better through there. It makes it easier to try and get to know you guys. Welp, until next time!