Feeling low

Hākerekere

If you are not feeling great, there are a few things that you can do each day that might help. Doing these things may not shift how you are feeling completely but they will help to to move you into a good position to look at what else might be going on. Remember that our bodies are not machines - if we want them to feel good, we need to treat them well too.

What can help when I'm feeling low?

Sleep Well

Sleep plays an important role in resetting our emotions, energising our bodies and making sure we are set up well for the day ahead. Make sure you are getting 8-10 hours sleep a night whenever you can. If you are feeling really tired, a 10 minute power nap can help to re-energise you - make sure you set an alarm though as sleeping for long periods during the day can disrupt your night-time sleep even more.

Sleep Routine

Getting into a regular routine with waking and sleeping is a great way to improve your mood. Make sure you give yourself an hour of no-screens before heading off to bed and try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day. Use an alarm at both ends of the day to help with this if you need to. Read more about improving your sleep here.

Get Moving

Regular movement and/or exercise is one of the most powerful ways to shift our mood when feeling low. If you are not keen on working out, even getting outside and going for a walk, going for a skate or talking the dog outside to play can help get those endorphins going. Try and choose something you enjoy, and get your friends and whanau involved too.

"For me a big comfort is finding bands, TV shows, etc that can distract me from my thoughts. Also writing is really good even if you're not writing about the issue."

HPSS Student Wisdom

"Try to find a person who you can talk to about anything whether that be a friend, family member or adult figure, it can really help."

HPSS Student Wisdom

Try not to spend time worrying

Worry or down thoughts can take up a lot of headspace and keep us feeling low. If you notice worry or down thoughts, try not to engage with them. Distract yourself doing things you enjoy until these thoughts pass.

Break things down

If you have some tasks you need to complete or assessments that are due, break these down into small bite size pieces. If you need to take a break from study or assessments, don't be hard on yourself for doing so. An early night and some good sleep might really help you approach these again tomorrow.

"I learnt to put myself first and to realise that no one is above me. If I’m not mentally equipped to help myself then I am not mentally equipped to help others. I shouldn’t put other people’s feelings/emotions above mine. At the end of the day I’m stuck with my own feelings and emotions and not theirs. I know it may sound hard to do at first, but once you distance yourself from the situation, assess it with an open mind and just practice and drill it into your head over time you, will grasp a better feel for it and slowly get used to it".

HPSS Student Wisdom

"When I would feel quite lonely especially if I was home alone that day, it would make me feel a bit better if I spoke to someone that wasn't my immediate family. I would usually call my friends and see if they wanted to play some games or I would play with my dog or cat. And 9 times out of 10 my friends would be feeling the same way so it really helped all of us to stay in touch and spend some time together over the internet, which usually meant video calls or studying together."

HPSS Student Wisdom

Spend time with others

Spending time with and talking to people you care about and who care about you can really help when we are not feeling the best. Don't be afraid to tell people that you need some support or even that you would just rather not be by yourself at the moment. If you feel uncomfortable talking in person, reach out to friends or family via text or message.

Fuel Your Body

The food that we put into our bodies gives our body and mind the energy they need to get through whatever the day brings. Going for long periods of time without eating interferes with our blood sugar levels which can significantly impact mood. Only eating food with limited nutritional value can also affect how we are feeling. Make sure you are eating three meals a day + two snacks and try to eat a balanced range of foods that you enjoy and that your body enjoys.

Shower & get dressed

When we are feeling down, the temptation to either stay in bed all day or hang out in our PJs can be strong. When you wake, get out of bed, have a shower, get dressed and have some breakfast. This can help to set you up for a better day than if you hide out under the covers in bed.

"When I would be feeling really depressed - and usually in that depressed state you don't want to do anything at all - I would work a bit more on my hobbies like reading or cross-stitching or I would put on a tv show that I really enjoy and watch that for a little bit. It didn't completely stop me from feeling depressed but it did help a little bit.".

HPSS Student Wisdom

"With depression a thing that helped was just doing a small thing each day that made me a bit happier. With loneliness, just talking to someone other than my family would help, whether it was a call with my friends or spending some time with my pets (they've become a lot more loving towards me with me being home all the time)."

HPSS Student Wisdom

Limit Screen Time

Spending time online doesn't always help how we are feeling. Put some boundaries around how much time you are spending online and monitor what you spend your online time doing. If you find that your mood is low after time online, give yourself a break from social media. Have a go at unplugging completely for a while... even just for a few hours.

Write down how you are feeling

Writing down the feelings that are swirling around in our minds can help clear our head. When you write down how you are feeling, try not to worry about punctuation, order or spelling... just write! Writing can help you make sense of what you are thinking and feeling and can also allow you to think about your options. Try not to read over this writing though as this can transport you back to how you were feeling when you wrote it.

Talk About It

It’s so much easier to manage when you let others lend a hand. Talk to your friends, your parents, your Hub coach, your Learning Community Leader or other trusted adult. They may be able to help you find new ways to look at manage what is going on for you. The HPSS counselling team are available to support you too. Click on the Make an Appointment button at the bottom of the page to make a time to talk with the counsellors.