Did you know we just had World Mental Health Day? I think it slipped by too fast.

In an unprecedented and unpredictable world, emotional distress is on the rise. With COVID-19 sending us into isolation and disrupting our work and home lives, stress and anxiety are at an all-time high.

Here are just a few of the facts:

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
• 1 in 25 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 

Mental health affects everyone differently; from depression, to substance abuse, and in some cases evern suicide. We need to actively counter these trends and world mental health day helped us all take a closer look.

A wonderful article that came out on World Mental Health Day does an excellent job of helping us see the link between diet and mental health, especially at the workplace. 

Since for many of us, our “workplace” is now our home, things are even more muddled. How do we apply good physical health to our mental health, and our nutrition to our mental wellbeing? 

Obviously, we need more than a day. We need a lifestyle. And my hope is World Mental Health Day is a kickoff to you taking a “mental health day” often. We will explore these topics more in the weeks to come (have you subscribed to my newsletter yet? Just bop over to the home page and sign up, so you don’t miss any of this.)

So what’s involved in a mental health day?

A mental health day is undefined but it basically suggests you will dedicate time in a day on a regular basis to ensure you are coping as well as you can during these heightened times of mental stress and anxiety.

Here are things you can do for you and others to help during this trying time:

Eat well, with joy

I am not one to weigh someone down with guilt or pressure to eat in a certain way. But it helps to positively remind ourselves how much better we feel when we eat well. For example, less alcohol — a depressant — will give us more energy and increase our positive mood. Likewise, Gain reports, “Beyond the biological impact that food can have on our bodies, there is also a social element to food that can’t be neglected. A 2019 study conducted across 149 countries found that food insecurity was consistently associated with poorer individual mental health.”

We can eat well, with our wellbeing in mind and bring more joy to our food experience. Less guilt, more joy. Better mental wellbeing. A win/win. 

Just breath for your mental health day

How we breathe is important. Breathwork helps us focus, especially when our days are full and overscheduled. Demands from our work, family, and even financial pressures tend to distract us from pausing to take two minutes for breathwork. As a result, our breath can be fast and shallow. The use of only a fraction of our lungs results in an imbalance of the oxygen that charges us and the carbon dioxide that clears away the toxic wastes from our body. A breath regimen helps cleanse the body and the mind.

Practice being grounded and patient

When are you most likely to lose your patience? Is it when your plans are interrupted during an overly scheduled day? I generally lose my patience when I am sleep deprived and overwhelmed by the long list of things needing my attention. Whatever triggers you, stop and take a couple minutes to bring awareness to the need for patience. Take a few slow, deep breaths to help calm the mind and body. It may prevent mistakes that take even more time to correct.

Sleep at night

A solid night of sleep rejuvenates our brain and nervous system, so sleep is not just about the number of hours we rest. Depression, for instance, can cause us to sleep more than we actually need, therefore not giving our body the jump-start it should have at the beginning of the day

Find a quiet spot

When life becomes noisy and stressful, simply taking the time to be quiet can soothe our nerves. Taking a few moments to stop and pause in silence also allows us to see things that we may miss when we are in a hurry. Rituals such as this one—as well as prayer, meditation, and yoga—provide a structured framework for achieving this soothing and can help us to reconnect with ourselves.

A new day, A new mindset

A fresh start awaits you every morning. While breakfast may be touted as the most important meal of the day, acknowledging the transition with the mind-set of a new beginning is equally important. Creating structure for waking up and practicing new rituals to greet the day has noticeably increased my energy capacity and overall ability to manage what comes my way without emotional drama. 

Start a gratitude journal

I read recently that the most powerful way to snuff out “office drama” and gossip is to infuse an attitude of gratitude into the workplace. Three words to consider: “gratitude kills gossip,” the article states.

And curbs our stress. 

A dear colleague of mine kept a gratitude journal on a dated daily calendar. Imagine having had a calendar starting in 2001, and every day, year after year, you jotted down just one thing that made you smile. Gratitude has a ripple effect, no matter how it shows up. There is nothing too great or too small for acknowledgment and appreciation. 

Acknowledge even the things we take for grants; clean water that comes out of a faucet or shower, a beautiful song, electricity, a handwritten note from a dear friend, a surprise wind.

Create a prayer chain

Ask for help. A prayer is a solemn request for help or an expression of thanks, usually addressed to a god or an object of worship. Prayer may be polarizing, based on your religious beliefs, but the intent is an earnest request in order to mobilize support. 

I grew up in an environment where my parents received prayer requests and placed them on a weekly bulletin to engage support from our church community. This is very common to some groups, yet foreign to others. We all know people who need support and we cannot always be physically present when needed, and we can put their needs in our hearts. 

When praying for others, we are a conduit of positive energy and open to receiving blessings, too. If you struggle with the idea of prayer, know that it doesn’t have to be addressed to anyone or anything in particular. Simply have someone or a group of people in mind, and send them positive and healthy energy

Take a walk

When the weather permits, take a walk outside in nature. Spend at least thirty minutes in a forest or in a dense collection of trees. Certain trees have been known to possess healing and anti- cancer properties. Trees, of course, also produce oxygen, and who doesn’t need more of that? Forest bathing, also known as ecotherapy, has become a technique in nature healing and is a part of treatments that have the intention of improving mental and physical health. Besides, trees have been around for more than 300 million years! Who needs more proof that they’re onto something good?

Get your groove on

A body moving to a beat of its own drum is a beautiful thing! And moving your body to music will become a saving grace once you try it. Whether you are happy or sad, having the best day ever, or the worst, movement can bring you balance. I highly recommend blasting your favorite song and moving to the groove anytime you feel the need. Dancing will work up a sweat, release unwanted emotions and energy, and put you in the present moment. It’s something so natural, but we too often forget to do it. Don’t feel silly, and even if you do, go with it, be even sillier, feel the inner child having a blast. 

Go tech-free

Create conscious breaks during which you are completely tech-free. Emerging studies have linked EMFs to sleep disturbances as more homes use wireless technology that is on 24/7, so try experimenting by detoxing your sleep environment, and pay attention to how the quality of your sleep improves

These are just a few examples of ways to turn your mental health day into mental health during this pandemic. Taking care of yourself holistically can help keep your mental health in check.