Mental health is still something of a stigmatic topic of discussion in the UK, even as public awareness of common illnesses and neurodivergences continues to grow. Indeed, despite growing understanding of and sympathy for mental conditions, the working population of the UK does not regard mental illness in the same way as physical illness.
According to YouGov statistics, three in four workers have never taken a sick day for mental health reasons. But doing so could be an incredibly important thing – even if you are not formally unwell; here’s why.
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Relieving Stress
One of the key barriers stopping people from taking mental health breaks they may well need relates not to stigma, but to perception. Oftentimes, people will assume themselves well, or, at least, “normal” enough not to need a day for their heads. But even if you do not have a formal diagnosis of a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety, you can still suffer from poor mental health.
Stress is one of the biggest causes of poor mental health, and can be a key contributor to isolated episodes of low mood – to say nothing of ‘burnout’. A day free from the stressful responsibilities of work can be a vital breakwater for this stress, giving your brain time and space to regroup and preventing negative feelings from boiling over. Even a day on the sofa, catching up with your Netflix backlog, can be enough to return your energy.
A Fresh Perspective
Of course, not every sick day from work needs to be spend doing sick-day things. If you have the energy and means, getting out of the house on your mental health day off could be just what the doctor ordered. Hopping on an early train into town, or taking the slow bus out to the countryside, can be a fantastic low-stakes adventure to stimulate the senses.
Getting out of the house and into a new environment can give you a fresh perspective on things, while physically removing you from conventional sources of stress – i.e.: your desk, your computer, or your Microsoft Teams account. New environments are not just distracting; they engage you directly.
“Forest Bathing”
To take the mental health day-trip to its logical conclusion, there is a form of mindful excursion that has begun to take the UK by storm, in the form of ‘forest bathing’. The activity is translated from the Japanese ‘shinrin yoku’, and so named for the sense of relaxation that can come from allowing yourself to truly be present in a forest environment.
Forest bathing is essentially a form of active mindfulness. The idea is that you travel out to some woodland, and turn off your phone before heading in. You give yourself to the sights and sounds of the forest, benefiting not just from the better quality of air but also from being fully present in the moment. This is a fantastic therapeutic endeavour, and one that can have a surprisingly power recharging impact.
