These mental health tips for students can help if you are struggling at school or sixth form, or you just want to take control of your mental health in general. It’s good to think about your wellbeing!
Mental health and wellbeing are vitally important, and were tested like never before during the pandemic. Did you know that an estimated one in four people suffer from some kind of mental health difficulty?
Unfortunately, there is still sometimes stigma attached to talking about mental health. We’re trying to break down this barrier and help young people at every stage of their life journey to look after themselves.
Here are 6 of our top tips for school and sixth form students. Whether you’re struggling or just want to take control of your mental health before problems arise, we hope they will help you!
Spend Time With People Who Make You Feel Good
Your friends should uplift you, support you, and make you feel good. Who do you spend the most time with, and how do they make you feel? If spending time with a particular person or people makes you feel sad, stressed out, or scared, it might be time to rethink how you spend time with them, and how often you meet up with them.
Think about the people who make you smile and who you most look forward to being with. These are the people you should be focusing on in your life. Good friendships can do your mental health a world of good, while bad ones can be extremely distressing and damaging.
Balance Work and Play
It’s important to work hard at school. Working hard allows you to get the best grades you can and gives you more options in the future as you decide what you want to do next. But having fun and doing things that make you happy are really important too.
Don’t neglect your hobbies, friends, or extracurricular activities in favour of school work. All of these things are good for your mental health and help you to maintain balance. Why not find a club or team to join, volunteer for a cause that matters to you, or try out a new hobby that interests you? All of these will enrich your life and help to fight stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Look After Your Body
If your physical health suffers, your mental health will, too. It’s important to put the effort into looking after your whole body – especially if you’ve got revision and exams coming up.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water (it’s generally recommended to drink around 1.5 litres of water a day)
- Eat a healthy diet and limit snacks and convenience foods
- Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night
- Take regular exercise, ideally outdoors when the weather allows.
If you’re experiencing mental health struggles, taking care of your body might feel harder than usual. You might think “I’ll eat well and exercise when I feel better.” But doing these things will actually help you to feel better more quickly, so it’s really worth doing the best you can.
Ask For Help
If you’re having a tough time, you don’t have to suffer alone. There are people who care about you and who will want to know you’re struggling so that they can help you.
Start by talking to just one person you trust. This might be a parent or family member, a friend, a teacher, or other adult at school, or even your doctor. Not sure what to say? You can start just by saying “I’m having a hard time and I don’t know how to deal with it.” Then you can talk about the specifics of your particular problem.
Sometimes just talking about the problem can make you feel better. If you need further help, an adult will be able to point you in the direction of the right services.
Check out our list of UK student helplines and mental health resources for people you can talk to.
Practice Self-Care
Self-care takes many forms and looks a little bit different for everyone. What works for your friend might not work for you, and vice versa.
Self-care encompasses the basic health practices we discussed above, such as eating well and getting enough sleep. But it also includes the things you do to improve your own mental state, calm yourself down when you’re feeling stressed, or help you to cope with life.
You might need to try a few different self-care techniques to find the ones that work best for you. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
You might need to try a few different self-care techniques to find the ones that work best for you. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Draw, paint, cook, or do crafts
- Play music or sing
- Run, walk, swim, or dance
- Read a good book/comic/manga or watch a comedy TV show
- Practice mindfulness or meditation
- Write in a journal
- Have a relaxing shower or bath
- Spend time outdoors in nature
You might think of something completely different that isn’t on this list. If so, that’s great! Self-care is very individual, so you should always be led by what works for you.
Don’t Try To Do Too Much
Even if you’re someone who thrives on being busy and having lots to do, you also need down-time. Resist the temptation to join every club, take as many classes as possible, and try to work a part-time job or see friends every night of the week.
Doing too much is one of the biggest causes of stress, which can lead to anxiety, depression, or burnout. Instead, decide which things are truly essential and which are the most important to YOU. You can then cut out or cut back on the things that aren’t serving you or are causing you more stress than they’re worth.
When you look after your mental health at school, you’ll be in the best position to do well. Try these tips and let us know any other great mental health strategies you’ve discovered. Good luck!
