Public Schools of Robeson County
Mental Health Minute
March 5, 2024
Mental Health and Wellness
Ways to Improve Mental Health
Ways to support Youth Mental Health following COVID-19 have been at the forefront of parents’ and educators’ hearts. A huge part of our everyday lives centers around mental health. Most adults feel a strain on their mental health and take on stress as the weight of their responsibilities increases. But there are times when our youth also carry a huge weight of responsibilities, causing stress and impacting their mental health. Maintaining one's mental health is essential. To support youth mental health, it is important to remind youth to unplug from technology, engage in positive hobbies or develop a physical health routine.
The following are recommendations to improve mental health in youth:
Get plenty of rest.
- 6-12-year-olds should receive 6-12 hours of sleep
- 13-18-year-olds should receive 8-10 hours of sleep
- 18-60-year-olds should receive 7+ hours of sleep
Engage in regular physical activity.
- 6-17-year-olds should receive 60 minutes of physical activity every day
- 18-64-year-olds should receive 150 minutes of physical activity per week
Be grateful.
- Create a poster board and post a thankful note each day as a reminder of the things that are still important and consistent each day.
Healthy eating habits.
- Schedule an event night with your youth. Sit next to each other on the couch and challenge each other to share 7 new healthy recipes you can find on social media outlets. The first to send all 7 can choose the recipe to be fixed first.
Pass along kindness.
-Paying for the person behind you in the drive-thru line can show your youth that kindness matters. Helping someone else can also improve your mental health.
Assistance is a call away.
- Do not be afraid to ask for help, we have resources for all families. Someone is always ready to assist.
Happy Mental Health,
Jadell Dial, Director of Student Support Services