It can be hard for students to maintain their mental health. With schoolwork, extracurriculars, and the overall anxieties that come from growing up, students can find it very difficult to remain calm. The pandemic has only worsened the issue for students as it has disrupted everyone’s typical routines, causing more stress. However, despite the abounding threats to our mental health, there are certain measures we can take to stay mentally healthy.

1. Be expressive. 

Our minds are not jars for us to bottle our emotions in. When we are feeling upset, one of the best things to do is to tell someone about it; that way, we’re not clouding our minds with negativity. Instead, we would be clearing the way for positive thoughts to come through. Our friends and family are here for us, and they’re happy to hear what we have to say.

 

2. Be active. 

Due to the pandemic, all of us are sitting for hours in front of a screen for school and don’t have the chance to move around as much as we would in the regular school year and take our eyes off the screen. Biking, weight-lifting, interval training—even a couple minutes of walking can make an impact. Exercises that can be done while sitting down like arm stretching and neck rolling can also help to elevate one’s mood!

3. Eat right. 

It’s tempting to pick a candy bar instead of an apple for a snack, but the apple is the better choice for our physical and mental health. Eating sugar and processed food can cause us to develop mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, as sugar causes the liver to produce more free fatty acids, which trigger inflammatory responses when digested; the inflammation can then lead to mood disorders. Instead of sugar, we should focus on eating lean proteins such as soybeans to help us react and think quickly or foods with fatty acids, like mackerel and salmon, which are essential for the brain and nervous system to function properly. Maintaining a well-balanced diet and munching on lots of fruits and vegetables can significantly boost our mental health. In fact, doing so can reduce depression by 40 to 60 percent!

 

4. Sleep!

We tend to brush advice about getting a good night’s rest off our shoulders. With our packed agendas, it seems impossible for us to sleep on time. Light pollution (being under artificial light for extended periods of time), which we may experience by looking at screens for homework, is also associated with insomnia and fatigue. However, sleep is an important factor in mental health. Researchers have found that sleep disruption can negatively affect thinking and emotional regulation, amplifying psychiatric disorders. Thus, we should not sacrifice sleep in order to complete the rest of our items on our agenda. Although we may have busy schedules, we should always budget some time to sleep.

5. Engage in hobbies.

For students, school is often our main focus, but we should carve out some time to find new passions or pursue old ones. There are a plethora of hobbies we can do from the comfort of our homes such as crocheting or journaling. Research shows that those who engage in hobbies are less susceptible to stress and anxiety.

 

6. Be organized. 

Making a check-list of what needs to be accomplished every day can save us a lot of stress. When making these lists, it is important that we be realistic and not stretch ourselves too thin. Being tidy can also save us a lot of time. Keeping our books in an orderly manner can prevent us from scrambling to find our homework before school!

 

7. Foster good relationships. 

At this time, meeting with other people may not be the safest idea due to COVID-19. However, there are ways we can communicate with our loved ones without being with them in person. We can FaceTime or text them. Staying connected with family and friends, although virtual, can positively influence our mental health. Researchers have even linked having strong relationships to being less anxious and a lower likelihood of experiencing depression relapses.

8. Give back to your community. 

Volunteering not only makes a difference in someone’s life but it also makes us happier. Although participating in traditional ways of volunteering may not be the best option in our current situation, we can still make an impact through alternative methods. For example, we can donate to virtual fundraisers, spread awareness of serious issues on social media, or mail thank-you letters to the brave nurses and doctors working hard to keep us safe. Like the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

 

9. Practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness is all about being aware and being in the present moment. Instead of worrying about the future or worrying about the past, we should take care of our mental health by focusing on the present. Mindfulness can be done anywhere and at any time. One simple mindfulness exercise is walking at a steady pace for 10 to 20 feet and being aware of the body’s movement and sensations while exercising. The exercise can be prolonged by turning at the end of the path and continuing to be aware of the body’s motion.

10. Appreciate yourself. 

It can be easy for us to disparage ourselves if we haven’t been as productive as we hoped to be or if we don’t do as well on an assignment as we expected. However, we should keep in mind that we are not perfect and allow ourselves to make mistakes once in a while. Rather than berating ourselves for making those mistakes, we can grow as people by learning from them.  

Although it is easy for us to forget about taking care of our mental health, we need to remember that having good mental health is essential to having a happier and more successful life. We should take the steps needed to maintain our mental health, and, consequently, we can create better lives for ourselves. 

written by Tryphena Pilli

 

References:

Barish-Wreden, M. (n.d.). Eating Well for Mental Health.SutterHealth. https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/nutrition/eating-well-for-mental-health

Canopy Health. (2017, November 1). Building Healthy Relationships Can Increase Your Mental Health. https://www.canopyhealth.com/en/members/articles/building-healthy-relationships-can-increase-your-mental-health.html

Head To Health. (n.d.). Hobbies. https://headtohealth.gov.au/meaningful-life/purposeful-activity/hobbies

Harvard University. (2019, March). Study: Light Pollution May Trigger Insomnia. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/study-light-pollution-may-trigger-insomnia

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Mindfulness Exercises. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356

[Mental Health Graphic] (n.d.). https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/yhf-mental-health/amp/

National Geographic. (2019, July 23). Light Pollution. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/light-pollution/

Schultz, R. (2020, August 19). These Women Treated Their Anxiety and Depression with Food. Here’s What They Ate. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/best-diets-for-mental-health