March 13 will mark a year of quarantine. We have been through the many challenges COVID-19 has thrown at us, from Zoom classes, to stay at home orders, and lastly to a downfall of many people’s mental health. Throughout high school and your whole life time it is very important to maintain a stable mental health and COVID-19 has made this difficult. A thing I have come across that helps me and many others to maintain a happy and healthy mental health is, self-care. Self-care is a variety of things from skin care, to reading, to managing a good sleep schedule etc. Self-care can also help you become more motivated for school and also can help you grow more as a person. Taking 10 minutes for yourself is simple and will really benefit you.
Here are some ways to start with your self care and journey to a healthy mind:
- Skin Care
A big part of my self-care is skin care. There are so many things that can be used for skin care, and it can be super fun. For example, there is a wide variety of face masks that can be used for relaxation, and it can help clear your skin. My personal favorite face mask is the Aztec Indian Clay mask. It takes about 20 minutes but you can multi-task and get other things done. It is also fun to find new skin products to test and try out, your skin will thank you.
- Sleep
Because our classes now start a little later than normal you probably stay up much longer. Your sleep habits have a big effect on your mood for that day, and can affect how you feel physically. We can all agree that sleep is really good, I know that I look forward to it after a long day. Teenagers need about 8-10 hours of sleep every night, and according to Stanford Medicine “Sleep deprivation increases the likelihood teens will suffer myriad negative consequences, including an inability to concentrate, poor grades, drowsy-driving incidents, anxiety, depression…” With that being said, fix your sleep schedule!
- Exercise
Getting exercise is a good stress reliever, and it can help you feel more confident too. It has been proven that it helps with low self-esteem along with social withdrawal. Working out during quarantine seems to be a major trend. It is super easy to find a good routine by searching on Youtube or other social media platforms, or I know many have been staying active through sports which are beginning to start back up. By working out in the morning you get to set the tone for the rest of your day.
- Going outside
A breath of fresh air is super important. We are constantly glued to our screens, and we seem to be pretty busy with homework. It is really exhausting to be cooped up inside all day long. We live in Santa Barbara and need to take advantage of this amazing weather.
“Getting out in the sun in my backyard, playing guitar, taking baths and resting in bed” said junior Aria Howe.
According to Sharp.com, being outdoors improves your health by lowering your blood pressure, reducing stress, improves your mood, improves your focus, etc. all things needed for a good mental health.
- Surrounding yourself with the right people
“What helps me stay happy is surrounding myself with friends and family. Being around people I love always keeps my spirits high and puts me in a better mood when I am feeling down” said junior Natalie Mowers.
I completely agree with this, being around people who make you feel good automatically brightens your mood, do all of this while being covid safe of course. When you are with people you love they easily bring out the best part of yourself, you enjoy who you are around them. While being surrounded with the “wrong” people you tend to get anxious and you can feel uncomfortable. Surround yourself with love, this is guaranteed to improve your mental health. Leave the drama behind and work to focus on yourself.
Overall, living a positive life starts with working towards a good mental health and maintaining it for a long term. Self-care is necessary to stay sane, and it can even be fun. I hope I helped you with some ideas. It’s important to remember that off days are normal, but you are the one who controls the mood for your day. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.
