9 signs youre overdue for a mental health day

9 signs youre overdue for a mental health day9 signs youre overdue for a mental health dayAs a culture, we tend to toss around the phrase mental health day, joking about these kinds of sick days as if theyre somehow less important than those we take to recover from beingphysically ill. And the worst part? Even with all the joking, few of us actuallycash in on the vacation and sick timethats part of ur total compensation from our employers, which means that werewaybacked up on our self-care.The truth is that mental health days are genuinely important, and if you have the flexibility to take time off from work to tend to this part of your well-being, you absolutely should. Keep scrolling for nine signs that, according to experts, its time to take a break for your own good.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more1. Your tolerance for other humans has reached an all-time lowAre you shutting down your coworkers more quickly than usual? Reacting emotionally to feedback from your boss? Snapping at your partner or kids even after youve gone home? If this sounds familiar, certified life coach and co-founder of theConscious Coaching CollectiveDr. Ariane Machn, PhD advises that you treat yourself to a day off.2. You have to talk yourself into going to workDoes it take you several minutes to actually leave your car after you arrive in the morning? asks mental health therapist andTranscendence Counseling Center LLCowner Jessica Singh. Often, this type of avoidance is a sign that something is wrong. This could be from a work-life imbalance, anxiety, boredom, or a lack of support at work. Its only a lucky few who feel genuinely excited to get to the office every day, but if youre having to actively psych yourself up to make it happen at all, a mental health day is in order.3. Your sleep is out of whackWhen we experience elevated stress during the day, those annoying stress hormo nes keep firing well into the night, making it all the more difficult for us to fall asleep. This state, according to hormone and gynecological health expertDr. Nisha Jackson, PhD, can leave our bodies completely confused, making us feel wired through the night and exhausted during the day. A restful mental health day is a good first step to get back on track.4. Youre struggling to manage your emotionsYoure crying more frequently than usual. Youre angry and youre elend sure why. Youve lost total control of your feelings, and your usual emotional coping mechanisms are letting you down. Per wholeness coachJenn Bovee, these are all cues that its time to pump the brakes on your normal routine.5. You cant focusIf your mental health is suffering, you may find that it manifests physically and behaviorally, so stay tuned in to how your body and brain are working. When you are no longer able to focus extended periods of time and attention toward completing your duties, chances are you may ne ed a mental health day or two to reset your brain, licensed mental health counselor andGreys Counseling Servicesfounder Jovica Grey tells us. Even a single day off may be just what you need to come back with the concentration you need to succeed6. Youre not enjoying anything you doIt wouldnt be reasonable to expect that the good times will roll 24/7 - especially during office hours - but when you cant bring yourself to find joy inanything, thats a big red flag. When we start to reach a state of burnout, we usually stop enjoying things - even the things that used to bring us joy, explains licensed marriage therapist andWright Wellness Centerco-founder Rachel Wright. Once youre resenting the work, its definitely time to take a mental health day.7. You cant make decisionsIts time to take a mental health day when you cant, for the life of you, make a decision, says licensed psychotherapist and coachTess Brigham. Youve hit decision fatigue, which happens when we have too many decision s to make. We get decision fatigue not because we have to make too many decisions but because were lacking energy and focus. Stop beating yourself up if youre struggling to make choices. Instead, consider it a potential cue that you need to give yourself a break (literally).8. Youre routinely getting sickCold and flu season is one thing, but dont eliminate the possibility that constant illness is actually pointing to something happening below the surface. We know from research that physical and mental health are strongly linked, so if youre getting ill a lot, then its a sign that you need to take some time to get yourself back into balance, reveals online fitness coachEmma Green.9. You cant remember the brde time you took time offIf youre scratching your head trying to recall the last time you were out of the office, let us be the first to inform you that youve got a problem on your hands You deserve some down time. Mental health and emotional well-being expertKim Robertstells us th at regular mental health days are critical for maintaining healthy relationships with our minds, so make sure theyre coming up on the calendar at least every few months.This article originally appeared on Brit + Co.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people