6 Very Good Reasons To Take A Mental Health Day
Everyone gets exhausted from working too much — and you are no exception. That’s where a mental health day can come to the rescue.
Research shows that Americans rarely take time off from work, yet there are so many benefits to taking some space from the confines of your cubicle.
Below are a few healthy excuses to take a day off just for yourself:
1. It helps with stress.
Long hours coupled with demanding to-do lists are enough to make anyone feel exhausted. Research shows that work is one of the leading causes of stress. Workplace burnout can become a serious issue if it’s not addressed properly, so take a day for yourself if you’re feeling overwhelmed or bogged down more than usual.
2. You can explore your own neighborhood.
When was the last time you stopped to appreciate the beauty of where you live? With a mental health day, your schedule is cleared for you to do so. You can check out a local fair or spend a few moments in your closest park (Bonus: It’ll improve your mood in the process). Whatever you do, make it an adventure. Research shows experiences make you happier.
3. You’ll be more productive when you come back.
Breaks are like oxygen for your brain. You’re giving your mind a chance to decompress, which research shows can help boost productivity and creativity in the long run. In other words, you’re essentially helping your company by taking a day off.
Click here to give yourself more reasons to tell your boss you'll be taking a mental health day.
Researchers May Have Just Discovered What Really Makes You Happy
Do you know what makes you joyful? Maybe you think it’s a vacation, a promotion or a new car. Perhaps it’s a night in with your spouse, a good book or some time with your dog.
In reality, it’s none of these things. According to researchers, a portion of our joy depends on if others have the same fortune as we do at the same time.
“Inequality reduces happiness on average, both when people get more or when they get less than the other people around them,” study author Robb Rutledge, a researcher at the University College London, told The Huffington Post.
In other words, we’re happier when we have the same circumstances as other people. But if the person next to us is either more or less prosperous, we’re aren’t as joyful. This reaction may then lead us to be either more or less generous to the other person, Rutledge said.
Why You Shouldn’t Drink Coffee First Thing In The Morning
Perhaps you should think twice before brewing your morning cup of joe right after you wake up.
Why? First of all, you’re dehydrated. While you’re sleeping, you breathe out a tremendous amount of water vapor.
Because coffee is a diuretic, think about starting your day with a glass of tap water instead. Not only will it help you rehydrate, it could help get your metabolism going.
What’s more, early morning grogginess, called “sleep inertia,” makes caffeine ineffective for the first 30 minutes after you wake up anyway. No point in wasting all that joe while your body is still in a sleep state.
Fitbit Says You’re Using Your Alarm Clock All Wrong
Trouble shutting down at night and hitting the pillow? There’s a Fitbit app for that.
Fitbit, the maker of fitness-tracking devices, has rolled out new features for its app aimed at improving sleep. Among the updates are alerts to remind you to go to sleep, and a vibrating wakeup alarm that gently rouses you out of sleep without disturbing your partner.
“Establishing a consistent sleep schedule is one of the simplest and most powerful things you can do to improve sleep,” Fitbit’s Melanie Chase, director of product marketing, told The Huffington Post.
And that’s the goal of the new Sleep Schedule app, Chase said — “to help guide you to get a more consistent pattern of sleep.”
Just for you!
We don’t know what you do for a living, but we do know you likely need a break. And, nearly halfway through the year, we’re challenging you (yes — busy, overworked, financially stretched you) to #TakeABreak. During the month of June, we’ll help you nail down how many vacation days you have at your disposal, figure out where to go, and plan a trip you can actually afford. For 30 days of travel tips, cheap flight hacks, vacation ideas and wanderlust galore, opt in below.
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