by As the feeling of freedom fills the air and Independence Day approaches, there’s more than just patriotic celebrations to look forward to this year. As we look forward to the long weekend that comes with this cherished holiday, let’s take a minute to recognize how important and beneficial it is to your mental health. This extra day of vacation will not only relieve you of the constant stress of your companion, but will also give you a well-deserved break from the monotony. Yes, a long weekend can actually be good for your mental health.
Sometimes the constant chatter of emails, meetings, and deadlines can be overwhelming, which is when a vacation like this serves as a sanctuary for your mental well-being. In short, the benefits of a long weekend without work are not about relaxation, but about rejuvenation. Consider this upcoming holiday before Independence Day 2023 a chance for personal renewal, with clinical psychologist Mimansa Singh Tanwar.
Mental health benefits of a long weekend
Your usual routine can sometimes be completely monotonous, which demotivates you. That’s when a holiday like this long weekend leading up to Independence Day helps you break the routine. Dr. Tanwar says it’s a great time to get out and relax or spend some quality time with your family and friends. Don’t use these vacations to capitalize on your work, but try to approach them as short vacations. Also, you don’t need to feel the pressure to go out somewhere. It’s completely normal to spend a long weekend at home without doing anything. The goal is not to do something with it but to take a break and give yourself a chance to recharge your batteries.
Anything you invest your time in outside of your job is good for your own mental well-being. It can have a positive impact on your overall mood. So you feel fresh, rejuvenated when you engage in activities you love. Other things disengage you from your day-to-day work life and do something different on that long weekend or whatever short break you have. The purpose of a short break is that during this short time how can you disengage and try to invest your energies in other things which could be your hobbies, interests, going to movies, planning, spending time with family, catching up. with friends or just sit back and relax at home. It doesn’t always have to be the pressure to go out and do something, but sometimes even just being home and doing simple things like relaxing or spending time with ourselves, which we don’t get otherwise, is a good thing. It can therefore have a positive impact on our overall health, adds the expert.
How to enjoy your long weekend?
Here’s how to make the most of the long weekend suggested by the expert:
1. Break away from monotony
When following the same routine for a long time, it becomes important to break the monotony. Did you know that a weekend getaway could be more beneficial to your mental health than an extended vacation? It’s a win-win because you can take some time off without having to miss work like you would on an extended vacation.
2. Sleep better
Sleep is very important for maintaining overall health. If you’ve been missing some sleep due to a set schedule, you may be able to use that time to get as much sleep as you want. Of course, don’t be lazy, but sleep a little more. In fact, a study published in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that lack of sleep can lead to problems with decision-making, controlling your emotions, and managing change.
3. Spend more time with loved ones
You can also take advantage of this time to spend more time with your loved ones. Spending more time with family and friends can improve your mental well-being. Several studies have shown that spending time with your family is good for fighting loneliness and preventing mental health problems. You could get together and watch a movie, play games, find something to do, and relax.
4. Be spontaneous
No plans for the long weekend? Don’t worry, be spontaneous enough to explore new things. Even if you can’t plan a long weekend, just see what you can do in three days. Try going out, enjoy it, hang out, whatever you want to do. If you want to work on it, maybe plan your weekend around something you wanted to catch up on.
Take away
The idea of a long weekend is to take a break from what you do every day. It’s a break from the mechanical work of getting ready in the morning, doing your usual activities in the evening, sleeping and following the same din. A long weekend should be seen as a short vacation, whether in your mental sense or as a short vacation that you are planning. But you have to see it as a break in your daily life that will regain your mental well-being.
