Monday night I had a panic attack. I was sitting at the dinning room table, and a wave of panic hit me like a brick. I quickly got up, and went for a run to try to burn off some of the energy. That night I did not sleep very well, and Tuesday morning I woke up to another panic attack. After the attack ended I still wasn’t breathing normally, my mind was racing, and my heart was still beating a mile a minute. At that moment I realized I needed a mental health day if I was going to survive the coming hours. Here is what my day looked like:
In order to focus my mind I played Sudoku. Sudoku is a go to for me because it makes me concentrate and focus on numbers and patterns that make sense. The rightness of the numbers and patterns of the game are calming to my racing mind.
After my mind was a bit more focused, I read the Jesus Calling devotional for the day. Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, is a Godsend. As if I needed more proof on this fact, the opening sentence on June 12th’s devotional was, “Let me help you get through this Day.” The devotional continued to discuss the importance of leaning on the Lord to help you get through difficult times with confidence. The devotional also led me to read Romans 8. Romans 8 details what it means to be gracefully loved by God. It was exactly what I needed to hear.
After I took a nap because panic attacks wear me out.
When I finished my nap I was still suffering from a racing heart. I asked a friend if she would go into town with me (remember I’m living in a small town in France where we really have to go “into town” for everything), so I could get out of my room that was feeling a little claustrophobic. We went and had lunch at McDonalds, cause french-fries, and then we went and bought facemasks.
When I was back in my room I called a trusted friend, my mom, and told her about all the emotions I was experiencing. I love talking to her about my mental health because she understands me, validates my feelings, and encourages me to heal. Plus I always do better when I can talk through my panic.
My next step was to do a yoga video. I did two yoga videos from the Yoga with Adriene Youtube channel. The first video I did was “Yoga for Anxiety and Stress“. The second video I did was “Meditation for Anxiety“. My breathing, which had been off all day, was restored to the normalcy that I needed. I love these videos, and the best part about them is that they are free and relatively short!
I took a long hot shower afterward. I also applied my new facemask. While Spotify’s “Calming Christian” playlist played in the background. I felt like a new woman.
The rest of the day I spent playing with my three girls. I am a nanny, and after I picked them up from school, we played, listened to music, painted our nails, and just hung out. We also ate pasta and Greek salad for dinner. (So yummy)
I was pleasantly exhausted at the end of the day. I went to bed early (early for me), and had my first full night of sleep in 3 days.
Mental health days are so important. They are a chance for us to take a break from the everyday, and make sure that our minds are healthy and functioning as they should be. This is what a mental health day looked like for me, but everyone heals differently. Find what works for you! Find something that grants peace and rest to your mind. Even if you only have 15 minutes, instead of a full day, your mind deserves the attention. Plus sometimes you just gotta treat yo’ self!
Love your blog
Thank you!