11 Ways To Support Yourself During A Period Of Poor Mental Health
I don’t think there are many, if at all any, people who are strangers to a poor mental health day, week, or period. It happens, sometimes gradually as a chain reaction of life events and/or neglected self-care and other times out of the blue, utterly spontaneous and debilitating.
And whilst I do love a good Instagram quote to comfort and validate yourself or a face mask all in the name of self-love, those types of recommendations can almost seem insensitive to someone who is deeply suffering.
There is no one-way easy fix to these hard moments, however, I hope these recommendations below contribute to your healing and leave you feeling nurtured and supported.
Get some sunshine.
Increasing your sun exposure has seen to have a positive influence on serotonin levels. It could be as minimal as sitting on your front step, laying on the grass in the backyard or sitting next to an open sunny window… you can do this in your trackies or pyjamas too. Allow yourself to close your eyes and feel the warmth for as long as you need as a gentle, grounding, and embodying exercise.
Wear comfortable clothes.
Speaking of pjs or trackies, the value of wearing comfortable, loose clothing during these moments are overlooked. The other side is argued frequently- ‘when you aren’t feeling your best, dress yourself up to trick your mind.’
And whilst I do agree with this sometimes, particularly in the case of a heartbreak comeback, I think it’s just as important during the initial hard days to ensure your clothes are warm and comfy, just like a hug.
Spend some time doing your favourite things.
It can feel really hard to pull yourself out of such heavy emotions and as much as sitting in those feelings is a genuine part of the healing process, when you do start to feel even 10% better, push yourself to partake in a gentle yet enjoyable activity to help move yourself through it.
This might be moving spaces (bed to lounge) and watching a movie, reading a book, painting/drawing, anything musical, going for a drive with the windows down, sitting or lying outside, grabbing a coffee (a drive-thru counts), going for a slow walk etc.
Although it feels hard at first, doing something will significantly benefit your mental health.
Sleep.
Sleep is a vital aspect of health. Poor sleep has been found to increase negative emotional responses to stressors and decrease positive emotions.
Mental health days can be extremely exhausting and whilst consistent oversleeping may be a sign of depression, you may find yourself needing more rest, sleep, or quiet time than normal on these days, without actually being clinically depressed.
If you find yourself to be tired in the day, have a sleep. I would avoid naps after 3-4pm to avoid any interruptions to your regular nightly sleep cycle.
Keep eating.
During these emotional times, people will either typically eat more than usual or less. Whichever you are, it is important to maintain nourishment for physical and emotional health.
Although it can feel hard to eat, especially if you are experiencing a loss of appetite, however, an empty stomach will often feed low emotions due to a lack of energy.
Your diet doesn’t need to be at all perfect during this time, just eat what feels easy and right for you and your body.
Food before coffee.
Although a warm drink can feel comforting, perhaps opt for something caffeine-free first up, an easy place to start is herbal tea.
Coffee, in particular, on an empty stomach can heighten cortisol levels, negatively impact hormones, may cause acid reflux if you’re prone, heighten anxiety and/or nervousness, irritate the gut lining and contribute to energy crashes throughout the day.
The easiest way to avoid this- line that tummy of yours with some food first!
Take a long as you need.
You can’t rush healing. Sometimes we just need to take time out to really feel our emotions, especially the big ones, and work through them at a pace in which feels therapeutic for us as individuals.
Avoid mindless scrolling on social media.
Oh, the mindless scroll. One of the biggest thieves of our peace.
Time to turn that phone to do not disturb. This is a perfect time to go lay in a sunny spot, meditate, pick up a book, play music, call a friend, sleep, watch a movie, cook, go for a walk… basically anything else that gently supports raising your mood and energy.
Let go of any self-judgement.
We can be our own worst enemy on poor mental health days, especially when they are brought on by a trigger.
This isn’t a time for harshness. Be gentle with your mind right now.
Sometimes these periods just happen and all you can do is ride the wave. In other circumstances, you may be able to pinpoint the cause, and this is useful because it gives you an area to work through and heal once you are feeling a little more like you again.
Hot shower.
A hot shower can help reduce anxiety and stress due as the warmth of the water can stimulate the brain to release oxytocin, whilst also soothing the physical effects of stress (muscle tension, relaxing your nerves etc.). Plus, there’s really nothing better. Visualise the emotion washing off you.
Gentle movement, if up to it.
Whether you need to move your body vigorously to move past energy or move your body meditatively to reconnect with it, both (and everything in between) is beneficial to your mental health and emotional wellbeing.
With love,
Court x
