October 10 is World Mental Health Day. It is a day set aside to spread awareness and education about mental health and fight the stigmas associated with it through campaigns. While one day should be applauded for such an important topic, we recognize the importance of mental health and believe it needs to be brought into daily conversation. Mental health affects your personal life, career, and relationships, so it is very necessary to treat it carefully and normalize the conversation around it.

What we want to talk about is the importance of downtime: taking a mental health day from work and responsibilities. We get it, work is important: it gives us the financial security we need and allows us to advance within the company. But, work can bring out the best in us. The long hours, the pressures of demanding bosses, the hostile atmosphere in the office space, are just a few of the things that can push even the best worker to a tipping point. It is essential to evaluate the situation and see if your mental health is affected. Do any of these problems make you feel unmotivated at work? Are you suffering from episodes of anxiety and depression? Can't get enough rest that your day at work is affected? These are questions that are key to understanding your mental state. If the answer to the above questions is yes, then it might be time to take a mental health day.

If you think you can make it through the weekend, then you could commit to completely unplugging on a Sunday. You could even plan ahead and take a day of paid leave on a Friday, giving you three full days to recover. If you feel extremely exhausted or overwhelmed, don't hesitate to use the sick card right away. Ideally, in good company, the powers that be should encourage mental health days. Taking time off can help employees return to work motivated, leading to better company performance. If taking mental health days from work is frowned upon, then it's time to look for a new job.

It's essential to treat a mental health day a little differently than a holiday. These are all things you should do to make the most of your mental health day. There are no hard rules to follow; Finally, she knows her mind and his body better. But these are some suggestions that would do you good. -

Attend a yoga class: a good yoga session can do wonders for your mind, body and soul. The goal of the practice is to slow down your stroke, find your center, and breathe deeply. With each exhale, you should release all your work and life problems. You will feel rejuvenated at the end of class. Regular yoga practice will do wonders for you and getting on the mat when you think your energy is low will ensure your cup of energy overflows.

Meditate: When was the last time she sat and did nothing? We are living in a time when we feel like punishing ourselves for daring to sit still and fold our arms and do nothing. Allow your minds to feel freed enough to not carry the burdens of your life. Use mental health day to release your fears and think positive, encouraging thoughts, or better yet, don't allow yourself to think about anything. Our minds hold so much that it does not occur to us that releasing them will not have negative repercussions on us.

Reduce dependence on technology: don't waste a mental health day. On a typical day, even after work hours, we are glued to our phones reading emails, articles and messages paving the way for information overload. Make the most of your mental health day by turning off technology devices or at least putting them on silent mode. Stay away from social media; can easily put you in a bad mood. Most of the content you see is a source of enviable vacation photos and the achievements of notable others, which tends to leave us comparing the best of others with the worst. Keep in mind that social media is a very curated source: people never highlight their lows, only their wins.

Write your thoughts: Get a pen and paper and write whatever you want. Write down your goals or use the activity to find out what is bringing you down. Journaling can give you great mental clarity and a sense of relief when you finally know the source of your worries or stress.

Read a book instead of Netflix: we all depend on Netflix, there is no point in denying it. It's a fun platform that delivers hours and hours of endless content, making it easy to binge. But when your mental health is weak, it's best to turn off the TV and maybe pick up a good book to read. Reading is therapy for the soul and allows you to focus on the writing and the meaning of the words. The silence and focus, as well as the promise of a great story, will leave you in a happy mental health space. Reading means using your brain; You have to pay attention to what the writer says. Watching television is a passive activity, your eyes may be on the screen, but your mind may be on another planet. So turn off the TV and stick your nose in a book because there is no better feeling than finishing a fascinating book.

Take a long shower followed by a good night's rest: taking a bath can wash away all the negative energy from the stressful day and leave you feeling refreshed. You can add some magnesium salt to a bucket of warm water and pour it over your body. Follow this by making your bedroom optimal for a good night's sleep. Dim the lights, put away the technology, and get into bed. Sometimes sleeping earlier than usual is all it takes to reset your mind.

Try Aromatherapy: is a treatment that uses essential oils to improve physical and mental well-being. At Holland and Barrett, we offer a wide range of aromatherapy products, each of which has unique benefits. This could be a small step that furthers your journey towards mental wellbeing, a key component to good mental health. Below we have listed some essential oils that may help you. Essential oils can be used for inhalation and skin care. When you inhale this smell, the aroma comes into contact with the olfactory cells. As a result, they send a nervous impulse that reaches that part of the brain that deals with emotions and instincts.

Like everything in life, finding what works best for your mental health requires trial and error. You know best what you need. The bottom line is to not be too hard on yourself and pay attention to when your body and mind need a break.