Helping Students Manage Seasonal Affective Disorder
by Julie Hersum
5 Ways to Improve Your Student’s Mental Health
byDan Belenky
6 min to read
This post was originally published in May 2021 and has been updated for relevancy in May 2024.
As a caregiver or Learning Coach, you’ll likely be the first one to notice behavior changes in your student. Paying attention to common warning signs of burnout, stress, anxiety, or depression, and initiating a conversation about mental health can be an invaluable way to support your child through a tough time with proven mental health strategies for students.
Some common warning signs of poor mental health in children are:
Increased Anxiety
If your student seems to be more anxious than normal, that’s a common warning sign that they could benefit from additional mental health support. You may notice that your child is worrying more about their classes or upcoming tests. Your child may also start complaining of headaches or stomachaches, which are common physical signs of anxiety.
Reduced Focus
Reduced focus is another common warning sign that parents can watch out for when trying to gauge their student’s mental health. If your child suddenly struggles to pay attention in class, has a hard time participating, or isn’t as engaged in family activities as they used to be, this is a signal that they could use some extra support.
Poor Sleep
If your student has a hard time falling asleep or waking up in the morning, this is another warning sign of poor mental health. Sleep is vital for children, who need at least nine hours of sleep each night to stay healthy. Meanwhile, insufficient sleep is linked to stress, anxiety, and depression.
Intense Emotions or Mood Swings
Newly excessive worry, irritability, or sadness are all signs that your child may be struggling with their mental health. This behavior could be associated with anxiety, depressive, or personality disorders, particularly if you notice your child becoming irrationally angry, sad for prolonged periods of time, or having significant mood swings.
1. Mindfulness
Research has found that being more mindful can be a great way to feel more positive. But what does it mean to be mindful? Mindfulness is about “attending and accepting.” The idea is that when you focus your conscious attention on right here and right now, you can observe your thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting and doing something about them, which will help you to feel and perform better. Helping kids to practice a few simple techniques can improve their mood and focus:
Breathing exercises: Many kinds of specific approaches are available, but studies have shown that learning how to use one’s breathing as part of an attention-focusing and emotion-regulating exercise is helpful for students.
Find a focus point: One technique for mindfully dealing with stress is pausing when one notices some kind of negative reaction, focusing awareness on those negative feelings and accepting them, before finally shifting concentration to some neutral physical sensation, like feeling the soles of their feet on the ground.
2. Managing Anxiety
Anxiety can be a natural and appropriate response to stressful situations and could lead to feelings of nervousness, anticipation, sweaty palms or "butterflies" in the stomach. However, when students feel anxious in ways that are not appropriate or helpful for a given situation like having irrational fears, racing heart rate, sleep disruptions, social fears and other symptoms that interfere with daily functioning, it's important to learn how to control those feelings of anxiety whether at home or with the help of a mental health professional.
Writing exercises: You might think that trying to ignore or distract yourself from negative emotions might be the best approach, but research suggests that writing about your worries is a good way to work through them.
Reframing: Trying to take advantage of the feeling of anxiety can, perhaps surprisingly, help! The physical symptoms associated with feeling anxious, like your heart beating faster and your mind racing, are the same kind of reactions your body produces in response to challenges you are facing, which can be helpful. Reminding students of this and trying to frame the task ahead as exciting, rather than a threat, can help improve their performance.
3. Exercise
Exercise is a great way for students to improve physical health, but did you know that it can also help improve attention and memory? In studies with elementary school kids, all the way up to senior citizens, moderate aerobic exercise, when done consistently, can help improve mental functioning. Some specific approaches that have been found to help kids include:
Yoga: While specific approaches can vary, yoga can be a good place to start, as it blends physical activity with mindfulness. In addition to focusing on postures and exercises that promote strength and flexibility, yoga also includes breathing exercises, deep relaxation techniques, and elements of meditation practice. Yoga has been found to improve mood in a number of school-based studies.
Sports: Participating in extracurricular sports activities may help kids feel more confident and capable. Finding local opportunities to participate can also be a great way to make friends, and social connections can contribute to positive feelings for students.
4. Gratitude
Another approach for improving one’s mood is to focus on gratitude. When people spend just a few minutes a day reflecting on things that are going well and that they are thankful for, over time, their mood improves. This can take many different forms, but simple gratitude practices include:
Family time: Take a moment during daily times with the family, such as at dinner, to have everyone talk about something they appreciated from their day. It is a good way to connect as well as to focus on the positive.
Morning and night: Encouraging your student to spend a few moments as part of either a waking-up or nighttime routine to reflect on things they are grateful for can set them up for a great day or a restful nights’ sleep!
5. Forge Connections
Finding ways to connect with classmates and teachers is a powerful way for students to improve their mental health. Engaging with others allows students to share their wins and focus on the positive side. Consider how to improve student mental health with these activities to engage with others:
Extracurriculars: Join clubs, sports, or attend school events to meet other students with similar interests or encourage your student to get involved in their community by volunteering.
Talk to your student’s teacher: Teachers are there to help. Reach out to your student’s teacher for suggestions on how your student can find more opportunities to connect and participate in class or extracurriculars. Discover how your student can forge a sense of school spirit in online school.
The Benefits Virtual School Can Have on Mental Health
Online schools like Connections Academy® can help you better support your student through mental health challenges, alongside their physician and other professionals by allowing them to learn in an environment where they can feel more comfortable, take the time they need to create a learning schedule that works for them, and to gain a sense of control over their day-to-day routine.
Request information to discover how virtual learning might be a good fit for your family.
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