With thanks to Christina Zavaglia, Registered Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator, Complex Mental Illness Program
CAMH’s first ever Darkness to Light event is right around the corner, and people across the country are preparing to stay up all night in support of mental health. As you plan your event, there are a couple of things to keep in mind, so that you’re celebrating in a safe and healthy manner.
Sleep Hygiene
Sleep is absolutely important to mental health and well-being, and while Darkness to Light asks people to stay awake through the night, we know that this isn’t a possibility for everyone. Here are some tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable event:
- Designate a nap or sleep space for those who are fading through the night. There’s no shame in falling asleep, and donors or team members can even purchase or pledge designated naps and sleep times through the night.
- Set an alarm at sunrise so that whether you’ve stayed awake or fallen asleep, you can share your #SunriseSelfie (in Toronto, sunrise will be at approximately 5:36 a.m.)
- If someone is falling asleep at your event, let them sleep! There’s no judgment here, and the fact that they’re supporting your event is already an accomplishment.
- If you’d rather sleep through the night and don’t have any plans to participate, you can still sponsor a friend or a team while you get a good night’s rest. Visit www.darknesstolight.ca to view the list of teams and participants.
- Don’t overexert yourself the next couple of days. Relax. Catch up on sleep – you’ll need it. If you’re participating in other physical events over the weekend, make sure you’re well-rested.
Food and Snacks
For some, staying up all night will inevitably involve snack food. Midnight snacks are definitely more satisfying around midnight or later, after all. We reached out to CAMH Registered Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator Christina Zavaglia, who provided a list of nutritious snack items to consider. You might even want to create a spread of these items for your guests to munch on through the night, and suggest that they bring some items for a nutritious breakfast as well:
- Individual Yogurt Cups
- Homemade trail mix ¼ cup (1/4 cup mini shredded wheat, 2 Tbsp dried cranberries and 2 Tbsp almonds) (if desired you can swap cranberries for small amount of another dried fruit such as dried apricot however, no more than 2 dried apricots diced in very small pieces)
- Melba Toast with peanut butter
- Celery Sticks with Hummus
- High fibre crisp breads with partly skimmed mozzarella
- Tortilla chips with homemade salsa
- Air-popped popcorn (try adding natural herbs and spices to flavour it)
- Unsalted soy nuts
- 70% dark cocoa chocolate
- 100 calorie snack bags/chocolate bars
Caffeine
People will likely want to try to stay up with caffeinated beverages. But it’s important to note that excessive amounts of caffeine can pose problems too. For adults, the maximum dose is about 300-400 mg, which is approximately equivalent to:
- 5 shots of espresso
- 4 medium cups of brewed coffee
- 2 ‘energy shot’ caffeine drinks
- 2 16 oz. cans of energy drinks
Heavy daily caffeine use of more than 500 mg. a day can cause side effects such as nervousness, restlessness, irritability, upset stomach, muscle tremors, and can increase heartbeat and blood pressure.
Stay safe and have fun!
If you have any additional tips to share with your fellow Darkness to Light supporters, or last minute suggestions for those who are just thinking of activities to do, please share them in the comments below.
Whether you’re staying in the comfort of your home, visiting a friend’s #D2L event, staying out under the stars or attending a larger event such as the CAMH Support Services Party or CAMH Temerty Centre LaserTag, above all, we ask everyone who’s participating to stay safe and have fun!