5 tips on how to ensure positive mental health for children and young people during the summer break
August 15, 2024
The summer break is well underway now and is a chance to relax for many children and young people; but for those living with underlying mental health issues the long six week break may be a struggle.
In November 2023, the Mental Health of Children and Young People report published by NHS England, found that 20.3% of 8-16 year olds had a probable mental health disorder.
There was a rise in this statistic between 2017 and 2020, last year it stayed consistent, with continued prevalence between 2022 and 2023.
This shows that mental health still needs to be a top priority, in and out of school, to make sure these statistics decrease.
It is vital to ensure positive mental health and stay on top of it, even when you are at home during the summer holidays. We have put together a list of tips of how to manage your mental health whilst at home during the holidays.
20.3%
of 8-16 year olds had a probable mental health disorder
5 tips on how to ensure positive mental health
1. Spend time outdoors
Spending plenty of time outdoors this summer can only be a good thing. It has been proven that connecting with nature can induce calmness, joy and creativity.
Spending time in sunshine can also directly influence mood by increasing the production of the neurotransmitter Serotonin (the happy chemical!) which contributes to feelings of happiness and wellbeing.
The Mental Health Foundation has reported that spending time in nature can also reduce anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. Read more about this on their website.
2. Keep a routine, including a good sleeping pattern
It’s important to keep up with your routine, even throughout the summer holidays. Make sure you get up at a reasonable time and get dressed, even if you have no plans, as this will make you feel more energised.
As well as keeping up a routine, make sure you stick to a similar sleeping pattern to the one you are used to. It is essential that you have good sleep as this is how our body rests and repairs itself, physically and mentally.
Experts suggest, keeping a similar sleep and wake time and working upon extending the time you spend asleep at night time can be a helpful strategy.
Similarly, monitoring your sleep environment can be helpful. Is your room dark enough? Free of distractions? Get rid of anything associated with worry or stress – place your school items out of sight. Get yourself sleep-ready (relaxing bath and a milky drink), cosy pyjamas and put screens away at least an hour before bed.
If you can’t sleep after 20 minutes, change your environment to another room (without lights or devices) then try again.
Worries bothering you through the night? Keep a note book by your bed and come back to them when the sun rises, they can wait!
3. Stay connected with your friends and family
Staying connected with your friends, and your family too, can really help when you are feeling low.
Knowing you have a support system and people around you that care about your wellbeing can really boost your psychological wellbeing.
It will also encourage a sense of belonging and purpose, reduce your stress levels and strengthen your empathy and confidence.
4. Stay active
Physical activity can have several mental health benefits so it is crucial that you keep active during the school holidays.
Exercise causes your brain to release positive endorphins and serotonin, improving your mood and your physical and mental wellbeing.
It reduces any tension and increases your motivation and focus.
5. Embrace change, don’t fear it
The summer holidays can be a scary time for those moving school or classes as they worry about what’s to come next term.
Change is something to embrace and it is often a good thing. It is understandable to be anxious about things you can’t control but change is an integral part of life, and accepting the thought of a new class or a new school will put your mind at ease.
We can easily fall in to the trap of black and white thinking when feeling low or anxious.
School/college = stress,
School Holidays = Happiness and Joy.
Unfortunately our feelings aren’t quite this simple when they’ve been stuck for a while. For many, the expectation does not always meet reality and this can leave us feeling further frustrated and low in mood.
We set our selves rigid expectations, “when this is over, I’ll feel instantly better” or “when I’m not at school, all of my worry will go away”.
Time spent with no structure may feel like a relief but for some time spent alone can often allow unwanted feelings to spiral. Firstly, don’t be hard on yourself. It’s ok to feel not ok sometimes.
There is a simple formula we can follow to support ourselves to increase the production of feel good chemicals within our body. This is called ACE:
Achievement
Closeness
Enjoyment
When we feel down, anxious or overwhelmed, it is easy to avoid doing things, seeing people as motivation can feel hard to come by. Low mood and worry naturally lends itself to avoidance, such as “I don’t want others to see me like this” and “I would just be miserable and no fun”. Staying at home alone, doesn’t stop thoughts or feelings, in fact it can often strengthen them.
Try scheduling at least one activity a day and start small. Make a list of each activity you do within the day and rate each one of them out of 10 on how well it went and how you felt doing it. Take the below as examples:
- Shower – 4/10
- Take dog for a walk – 3/10
- Cooking a nice dinner – 6/10
- Going to the park with friend – 8/10
The aim is not to feel instantly better, but to build up structure and routine. By documenting and noticing what you do and the impact it has, can be extremely helpful to support motivation and also realise what works for you and what doesn’t.
It can also help you remember your own strength and courage to take steps when your body and mind tells you to stay in bed!
One step at a time, one day at a time.
If you are a parent or a carer and wanting to learn more about children and young people’s mental health
in our parents and carers course coming soon which has been created to help adults further understand mental health issues in children and young people.
Remember
should you require urgent help,
please reach out to a
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