As we become more and more aware of mental health as a society, the more we try to improve it. We have all sorts of therapies and treatments to keep it from worsening, many of which are getting popularized in the online world. One of those strategies, which are growing increasingly popular in our modern era, are mental health days. But what are mental health days? Why are they getting so popular? And, most importantly, why should students have mental health days?
What are Mental Health Days?
Mental health days are just days you take off to take care of your mental well-being. It’s a break from your work to relax and focus on nothing but cleansing your mind. Unlike a regular day off, these days are explicitly for mental and emotional health, whether it’s through therapy sessions, talking to loved ones, or spending time outside. If you’re wondering what to do on your mental health days, make sure to check out our article on the numerous activities you can include in your mental health day. Here are the reasons why mental health days are so beneficial:
#1 – Prevents Burnout
Mental health days are great in many ways, but one of the best ones is in preventing burnout. Burnout is the complete draining of motivation due to overworking and stress. It is an unfortunate reality for many workers and students due to our society’s hustle culture, which you can learn more of with my article on hustle culture and teenage mental health.
Burnout is increasingly common among students, due to the coursework and extracurriculars expected of us. Mental health days are great in preventing burnout because they force you to forget about your other stressors and work. You can focus on what you enjoy, and take your time with it. You don’t need to stress yourself out about your schoolwork, and force yourself to work past your capability. Mental health days are a chance to let go of that stress that causes burnout and focus on yourself instead.
#2 – Improves Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is not a strong suit for teenagers. With ever-changing hormones, our emotions change along with it. The stress of schoolwork and relationships doesn’t make this much easier, which is why mental health days are so important.
Mental health days allow you to focus solely on your own wellbeing. You don’t have to worry about everything else that may easily stress you out, and you can just do what makes you feel good. You are better able to self-reflect, and rationally react to situations because you aren’t under constant stress.
You can look back on how you handled your emotions previously, and plan out habits that’ll better your emotional regulation in the future. Try journaling. When you journal, you can write out all your emotions, read it, and figure out strategies to better yourself in the future. If you want to learn more about journaling, check out our article on journaling as therapy and its many benefits!
#3 – Boosts Academic Performance
Contradicting the popular belief of the older generations, a day of rest can actually be better for your intellectual abilities. In fact, it can be even better than studying. This study on studyholism discusses the detrimental impact of excessive studying, and how it actually depletes academic abilities.
Mental health days allow you to take a break and reflect on your studying habits. Not worrying about studying for one day can help you realize how bad worrying was for your grades, and will actually improve your academic performance by opening you to healthier study habits.
#4 – Strengthens Relationships
Mental health days give you a time off, and in that time off, you can focus on the many things you have neglected. With school as time-consuming as it is, it’s hardly possible to maintain proper and healthy relationships with those you love. These relationships are incredibly important for your mental well-being. Humans are social animals, and need human connections to live a healthy life. Strong relationships have been proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Use your mental health day to reconnect with those people and reignite these relationships. Your time will no longer be entirely taken over by schoolwork and extracurriculars, so you will have time to be with your friends and family. Do simple things with them, like playing a board game, or going out for dinner. Your relationships are incredibly important for your mental health, and mental health days give you a way to strengthen them
#5 – Encourages Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Mental health days give you a time to reflect on yourself, and formulate better choices. There are many parts of your life that you’ve probably been neglecting, and your physical health is definitely one of them. During your mental health days, you don’t have anything else to worry about, other than your own health. It gives a chance to start healthy habits to better your overall lifestyle. What habits are these, exactly? Here’s a few:
- Better sleep habits
- Mindful and healthy eating
- Physical activity
- Reducing screen time
Conclusion
Well, now you’ve learnt how amazing and beneficial mental health days can be for students like us. However, many view them as unnecessary. The age-old belief of putting work and school before everything else still haunts the minds of the older generations.
You don’t need to give in to these judgements. The reason mental health days have grown so dramatically in popularity is because our generation is breaking free from the stigma. We are changing views on mental health, and slowly but surely, making it a forefront in our society. And every one of us that takes the effort to care for our mental health brings us one step closer to acceptance.
So, the next time you’re feeling a little overwhelmed or everything is just too much, you know what to do. Take a day off, just for you and your mental health, and enjoy it to the very fullest.
