We know that the festive season is an exciting time, but it can also be a challenging one for teenagers. In the senior schools, our Mental Health Ambassadors (MHAs) run lunch time drop-ins for students to come in and have a chat about their mental health or just relax in a safe space. Noor H and Ashley G and Hamish L are three of our MHAs, from S5 this year, and we asked them for their tips for protecting your mental health over the holiday. They came up with some great suggestions:
- Try not to abandon healthy habits: make sure you are getting enough sleep, regular exercise, and eating regular meals, particularly if you are working hard towards exams
- Be realistic: try not to feel disappointment if traditions don’t happen or the holidays look different to last year. If you can’t meet family members over the holidays, find other ways to connect eg online by sharing videos and doing FaceTime calls
- Reach out: if you're feeling stressed or under pressure during the holidays, it can help to talk to a friend or family member about your concerns or worries. Try reaching out with a text, a call or a video chat
- Don’t compare yourself to others: whether it’s presents, family time or exams it’s easy to compare ourselves to others and be very critical of our actions and efforts. Remember you are not alone and everyone struggles in their own way, often in ways which aren’t visible. Not everyone celebrates Christmas or celebrates it in the same way as you, so it’s important to understand and appreciate this
- Take time out from revision: preparing for Prelims can be very difficult and stressful; combined with all of your festive activities, this can make the holidays a really busy time! Locking yourself in your room for days on end can just add to the pressure and make you feel really isolated, so if you’re revising make sure you take lots of breaks and have some down time speaking to family and friends
- Make time to relax: doing something, every day, that makes you feel calmer and more focused is really important. You could try having a bath or a warm shower, playing with a pet, yoga, drawing or anything that works for you
- Breathe: breathing exercises like the below can really help you to relax:
- Picture a place where you feel comfortable and relaxed
- Breathe in for three seconds, hold for three, and exhale for three
- Sit down, breathe until your stomach feels full of air, then breathe out making a “ha” sound (it may sound funny, but it will help calm you down)
- Have fun! It's important to remember that these holidays are not all about 'perfection'. Accept that not everything will always go to plan and some things are beyond your control. Just try to enjoy the time, doing the things you love, with the people you love.
Thanks so much Hamish, Ashley and Noor and happy festive season to you all!