Mental Health & Children
There is enough evidence that mental health of a child is directly proportional to how they are able to cope with the world, and grow in it.
According to research, depression and other mental health illnesses impact more than 300 million people over the world. The World Health Survey discovered through surveying across 60 countries
About 9.3%-23% of people have chronic physical disease and depression.
Globally and regionally, depression is the tenth leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).
A DALY equates to 1 lost year of healthy life.
By 2030, depression is expected to be among the 3 principal causes of DALYs. (Ali N. A., Khoja A., 2019)
10th October is World Mental Health day. But what does that mean? Why do we need to celebrate it?
For starters, we need to focus on our mental well-being for a simple reason - we are what our minds tell us we are! This is especially true for children. So today, you have the opportunity to let your child re-write their story the way they want. If one can ensure that their child has the right environment for holistic growth, the child can then be barrier-free in their growth.
Here’s how you can create an environment of optimal growth for your child’s mental and physical health:
Playtime, not screen time
“Children who play regularly with their parents are less likely to develop anxiety, depression, aggression and sleep problems.” - UNICEF
They have also mentioned in their article that play helps children regulate their emotions, and learn to cope with difficult emotions like a loss. Not only that, playing will also help children build more confidence. This confidence can be a key factor in the future of the child when they are faced with difficult situations.
The Right Way to Breathe
And the right kind of air! Studies have repeatedly shown that air pollution can lead to brain fog, confusion, and also degradation of cognitive ability. While breathing can be corrected through practices such as Yoga and meditation, the air quality around your home must be better than what our Indian cities like Delhi and Gurgaon are currently witnessing.
The AQI in Delhi in November of 2021 was 368, whereas the acceptable level is at about 25.
Urban Air Labs, through research and development, have established Ubreathe Mini, Ubreathe Life, and Ubreathe Original in order to combat this. A unit Ubreathe Life works equivalent to 500 plants in purifying your home. You can get yourself the world’s first plant-based natural smart air-purifier on their website or on Amazon..
What’s on their plate?
Whatever is on your child’s plate is one of the 3 important factors that determine your child’s mental well-being. The food that they consume must sustain them and provide them with enough nutrients and nourishment to fight deficiencies due to which mental health disorders are likely to happen.
“Studies have compared "traditional" diets, like the Mediterranean diet and the traditional Japanese diet, to a typical "Western" diet and have shown that the risk of depression is 25% to 35% lower in those who eat a traditional diet. Scientists account for this difference because these traditional diets tend to be high in vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains, and fish and seafood, and to contain only modest amounts of lean meats and dairy. They are also void of processed and refined foods and sugars, which are staples of the "Western" dietary pattern. In addition, many of these unprocessed foods are fermented, and therefore act as natural probiotics.” - Eva Selhub MD, Contributing Editor at Harvard Health Blog
References
Ali, N. A., & Khoja, A. (2019). Growing Evidence for the Impact of Air Pollution on Depression. The Ochsner journal, 19(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.31486/toj.19.0011
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