On days when your mental health is getting the best of you, when you don’t have the urge to get out of bed or the idea of facing the world frightens you, remember that you can still practice self-care. You can take the day off from work or school and give yourself some TLC. Here are some great ways to do so:

If showering and brushing your teeth seems like too much to do, baby wipes and mouthwash are great options for you. You can easily rub the baby wipes across your skin to feel a bit fresher. Mouthwash is a fantastic way to make your mouth feel fresher for a while.

If your hair is greasy use dry shampoo, then pull it back. It will be out of your face and you won’t have to worry about it.

If you’re shutting yourself out from the world and find that you can’t go to work or school, inform someone close to you about what is going on. Telling someone that you’re struggling with your mental health isn’t something to be ashamed of.

If you’re not hungry, drink water and stay hydrated. Keep easy to eat food like protein or fruit handy for when your body makes you feel so hungry that you must eat something. Eating something is better than nothing, and opting not to can be detrimental to your mental health.

Build yourself the ultimate self-care day box. Include the phone number of a friend or family member that is aware of your situation, and can be helpful to you in the case of an emergency. A playlist of your favourite songs, preferably upbeat songs that can help uplift you. A television show or movie that has helped distract you and gotten you through a bad day before. An enjoyable book that you can get lost in. Anything that will help distract your mind should be part of this box, whether it’s a book of sudoku puzzles or the latest show you’ve thought about binge watching on Netflix.

If you find that you can’t fall asleep because your mind won’t stop racing or your heart won’t stop beating out of your chest, try listening to an audio book or something soft or soothing to listen to. If you’ve signed up for Spotify, they have some great playlists available.

Have you ever looked at quotes for a positive uplifting? Have them jotted down in a notebook or on your phone, so that when you’re having one of these days you can read them.

At the start of the day just remember how you’ve overcome all of these bad days previously in your life, and tell yourself that you will get through today as well.