Take That Mental Health Day!
By Donna Stark
Most people know the dangers that come with chronic stress and many will take the steps needed to manage it. These are the ones you see exercising at the gym, meditating in their office, or heading to their weekly massage appointment. And although there is no right or wrong with how you choose to manage your stress, sometimes you need more time to relax than just a few hours of your day. Sometimes, an entire day is in order.
Rest Your Body and Mind
When you feel like you're at the limit in regards to the amount of stress you are dealing with, it might be a good idea to take a break and completely reset. Taking a mental health day is one of the most impactful ways to self-love. It's a day that is specifically geared toward stress relief and burnout prevention, and while a day may never be enough to completely solve all of the issues that are causing your stress, it can certainly provide the much-needed break you need to regroup and refill your energy reserves. Sound like something you need? Read on!
Taking the Day Off
Once you have decided to take a day off, the question then becomes when and how. Ideally, you will want to actually plan this ahead of time, so that you can give your place of employment plenty of notice and so that you can take care of any responsibilities that need to be handled. It's not any fun to add more stress to your life because you left behind a ton of work, nor it is a great way to try to relax. After you schedule your day off, start planning and make the necessary appointments (spa, massage, nails). The important thing you want to remember is that you should use this day for stress relief and there are plenty of ways you can do so. Take a look at a few suggestions.
- Scheduling a massage or facial
- Getting your nails done
- Spending time outdoors
- Attending a yoga class
- Swimming at the gym
- Exploring a new town
Making Good Choices
The key idea here is that you should do something that you find relaxing, but you still want to make healthy decisions. You want to choose things that actually boost your physical and mental well-being, after all, that is what the day is for, so try to steer clear from the following activities.
- Smoking, drinking, or using other substances
- Overeating unhealthy foods
- Wallowing in self-pity
- Spending all day on social media
Improving Your Physical and Mental Health
Taking the occasional day off to restore your body and mind is a great way to deal with some of the stress in your life, but it's important to tackle that stress every day as well. So keep up with the exercise and meditation, and save those mental health days for when they are really needed!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in La Verne, Calif.