The ongoing nursing shortage reached critical levels in mid-September when some hospitals had to close their emergency rooms. “Overworked” is the keyword for every nursing student and registered nurse at this point in Canada’s healthcare system.
In today’s blog, ModernTech brings these exhausted students a few ways to keep their mental health in check.
Sleep for Your Mental Health
If you think there isn’t enough time to sleep, think again. Even people in active combat make time for sleep because they know it’s the only way to stay present and level-headed.
Sleep deprivation can affect your decision-making, analytic, and judgment skills. A nurse can’t do without these three skills, so ensure you get at least seven hours in bed before heading to work or studies.
You don’t want the short-term, let alone the long-term, effects of inadequate sleep to catch you off-guard. Promote sleepy spells by turning out the lights or doing something that requires active thinking, like solving crosswords, reading books, or doing a quiz.
Exercise for Your Mental Health
Do you know what else makes one fall asleep faster? Exercise; this physical activity has its own set of mental health benefits like:
- Better mood
- Lower stress levels.
- Mental clarity
Since exercise is a physical activity, it also prevents the following physical health conditions and their mental health outcomes:
- Cancer
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hypertension
Eat for Your Mental Health
Not adding any nutritional value to your body means you aren’t doing your mind any favours. Taking refined sugars, for instance. So many studies have found a correlation between these processed sweets and brain function impairment, mood disorders, and stress that it’s indisputable.
If you want to perform well as a nurse, keep your head on the job, and prevent the difficult parts from getting to you, feed yourself whole foods, vegetables, seafood rich in omega-3 acids, and other nutritious products. Start working towards a healthy mind with a healthy body.
ModernTech for Your Mental Health
Adopt the above strategies into your lifestyle and join our nursing review center if you’re experiencing stress, anxiety, and panic attacks due to your studies. Get mentor Priya Basil‘s help at nursing school for the REx-PN, NCLEX-RN Canada, or LPN-NCLEX exam.
Get in touch to maximize your chances of becoming a registered nurse on the first attempt.
Recommended Read: How to Prepare for the NCLEX-RN Exam in One Month