Let’s face it – some days you just feel crummy.
Whether you had a terrible sleep, you’re stressed out or you just woke up in a negative mood – bad moods and negative mental health days happen.
The good news?
There are quite a few ways you can positively impact your mood and put yourself in a better, more positive state of mental health.
Even better? You can bump your mental health into a more positive space in a short amount of time.
TRY THIS!
Move your body. You don’t need to move your body for a prolonged period of time – even just a 5-minute energy boost can bump your mental health.Set a timer for 5-minutes. Press start. Complete 20 high knees, 20 squats and 20 jumping jacks on repeat until your 5-minute timer indicates your time is up. Then, grab some water, give yourself a high five and let the endorphins work
their magic.
= 5 mins
Drink some water. Hydration is extremely important on days when you’re feeling sluggish or blue. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, irritability, lightheadedness and inability to focus. Drinking 1L of water over the course of 30 minutes will help combat dehydration and the negative effects it has on your mental health.
= 5 mins to drink 1L
Pro-tip: Try to drink 3-4L of water per day to stay on top of your hydration!
Get outside into the sun. Taking yourself outside and into the sun has many mental health benefits including reducing stress and improving cognitive function. The sun also helps anchor your body’s internal clock, regulating healthy appetite, sleep and your
metabolism – all key factors in maintaining a positive state of mental health.
= 10 mins
Eat a nutritious meal. Put the sugar away and grab yourself a healthy snack because sugar negatively impacts brain health and healthy food positively impacts brain health! Try a salad full of vibrant vegetables with some protein (e.g. chicken, tofu or fish) and a sugar-free salad dressing. Then, let the vitamins and nutrients work their magic on your mental health.
= 10 mins
Call someone you love and trust. Sometimes all we need is a little connection with someone who makes us laugh and feel good. Reach out to a friend or family member and talk about the fun you’ve had in the past. Reminiscing about good times filled with fun and joy can significantly boost your mood.
= 5 mins
TOTAL TIME TO TAKE CARE OF YOU?
35 mins!
…and some of these things you can do together like sitting outside in the sun while talking to your loved one.
Bad moods or negative mental health days happen, but there is a lot you can do to try to boost yourself into a more positive mindset.
We have a Mental Health Checklist that you can print off and go through on days when your mental health is not as positive as you’d like it to be on our COVID-19 Youth Wellness Toolkit.
Finally, for more ideas on how to manage your mental health, please CLICK HERE and check out our 10 Tips for Managing Your Mental Health.
Thank you for reading!
Author, Lindsay Goulet, Community Development Manager, SFS
