How to Take an Effective Mental Health Day

your Mental health matters (more than we know). Here are some deeper insights into multicultural perspectives on mental health and why/how certain interventions work.

In Ayurveda, it is said that all illness begins in the mind. The adage “what you think you attract” can also be considered to mean, “what you think you become.” So, I think it’s imperative to not only stop and take an inventory of the mind but also take intentional time and action to curate what is happening in there.

You are probably already aware that your thoughts create a resonant field, filled with potential energy waiting to actualize/manifest. This is the field that creates your existence. Your body and mind are one, and while you may not be able to think yourself out of chronic illness or pain, you can reprogram your Default Mode Network, to help stop anxiety, rumination, and negative thought loops, thus creating a better atmosphere for overall health and experience.

Your default mode network (DMN) is responsible for your self-narrative and understanding/interpretation of the world. It is the baseline of your wandering thoughts and unintentional internal noise. Specifically, the DMN is a system of connected brain networks, spanning several brain regions, parts of the prefrontal, parietal, and temporal cortices, including the medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex. It is what runs in the background and increases activity when we are not focused/ present/ in control of our thoughts and consciousness.

Think of the DMN as autopilot, it’s why you can get dressed and brush your teeth while thinking about the events of yesterday or what is upcoming today. It is involved with self-reflection, mental time-travel, future planning, memory, and daydreaming. However, when it’s overactive it can lead to anxiety, distraction, unexplained negative emotions, lack of focus, etc. (It is also involved with habits, which I will discuss in my workshop, Getting Free with Healthy Habits.)

Ok enough science. The question is: what can you actually do in your daily life to turn down the DMN, take control of your consciousness and internal monologue, and impact positive change in your mental & overall health?

Let’s be real - this world is beautiful, but it’s also crazy, tumultuous, unpredictable, cruel, and scary at times. It’s okay - and actually perfectly normal - to feel anxious, depressed, dissociated, fearful, etc. AND how we talk to ourselves about the world and our incarnation within it matters. You are powerful and capable, and the resonance you set for yourself ripples into the world. We never truly know how much we touch.

It can sometimes feel challenging to “justify” taking a mental health day - I’ve even found myself thinking, “how can I possibly create a day of luxury, nourishment, and rest for myself when there is so much to do in the world?” I’m sure I’m not alone on this one.

But baby, just do it. For all we know, this may be the only life we get, and the world needs you rested and ready if you want to effect positive change. Plus, enjoying life is part of the experience. We aren’t just here to suffer (although suffering serves its purpose, and I will share more about that in another post). But this doesn’t mean to treat yourself recklessly and unconsciously of the outside world and your ecological impact.

By the way, I’m sure we all know by now that rest is essential - it’s a built-in part of our natural cadence and rhythm, but I’d also like to emphasize that you cannot heal if you cannot rest. Creativity, inspiration, breakthroughs, integration, healing - it all happens when we take that time for ourselves - when we are empty and receptive.

So here are some thoughts and suggestions on how to take a mental health day that will set you right, leave you feeling nourished and ready for whatever life has in store, and impact lasting change.

1) Set an intention. You can do this at any time, but the night before or in the morning at the start of your day can be really beneficial times. What do you want to get out of this day, how do you want to feel, what do your body and mind need, what is your why, and how can you cultivate your day to support that?

This can look like anything; focusing on pure rest, taking care of tasks that have been piling up, switching up your environment, etc.

2) Get out in nature, any way that you can. There is so much research supporting the positive mental health impacts of being immersed in our natural environment, from mental and visual stimulation to aromatics, stress & cortisol reduction, and restoration of cognitive function. Green & blue spaces help decrease emotional stress. Fresh air triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin. Feelings of awe can help to combat loneliness and disengage the DMN.

Nature also helps to mitigate ADHD symptoms and promotes creativity, imagination, problem solving, and cognitive flexibility. Our environment is the original healer, helping to promote healthy sleep cycles and the synthesis of vitamin D, which can help combat depression. Plus, you can be an ecological warrior and bring a trash bags and gloves to pick up any litter you may encounter. This is a great way to be of service, which is one of the highest predictors of positive mental health.

The list of health benefits from time spent in nature goes on and if you’re interested in learning more, I suggested checking out the American Psychological Association.

3) Digital Detox. Again, the research around this topic is astounding and once you understand the neurological shifts, you might feel more inspired and passionate about following through on this and even making it part of your weekly regimen. It can improve sleep, sharpen focus, improve productivity, and reset your dopamine reward system. (By the way, dopamine is actually more associated with motivation that reward - a topic for a different time.) Check out some of the university research from Brown & UCLA for more information, and I’ll share a bit more in the future about the profound benefits of a prolonged digital detox.

4) Move. Your. Body. Our experiences form our physical architecture - our architecture informs our mind. 80% of our internal neuro-communication is bottom-up (this means from the body to the brain.) In Chinese medicine, the body receives information from the outside world, which moves through our emotional organs before providing information to the brain. You already know - we can get stuck. Areas of the body can loose mobility, range of motion, sensation, etc. Release your holding patterns. Liberate your movement, liberate your mind. Find ways to move your body dynamically. This helps release physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual stagnation. (For some guided practice, check out our yoga library).

What would you add to this list?