How to Keep Your Sanity (and Your Bracket) Intact: March Madness & Mental Health

Ah, March Madness—the time of year when your bracket looks like a beautiful work of art for about 24 hours… before that one Cinderella team shatters your dreams and makes you question everything you know about basketball (and life). But hey, that’s the madness part, right?

For some, filling out a bracket is the highlight of the year. For others, it’s a stress-inducing event that brings out a deep, existential dread every time you try to predict the future. Between the buzzer-beaters, upsets, and the constant flood of updates, it can feel like your brain is playing in its own tournament—one of stress, anxiety, and possibly even rage-quit moments. But don’t worry. I’ve got some tips for keeping your mental health in check while you ride out the wild ride that is March Madness.

Let’s dive in.

1. Set Realistic Expectations (For Your Bracket and Your Mental Health)

Let’s get this out of the way: Your bracket will likely get destroyed. And guess what? It’s totally fine. Every year, someone (probably you) picks a #16 seed to make it all the way to the Final Four, (dont do this is terrible betting) and every year that someone (definitely you) is heartbroken when that pick falls flat on its face in the first round.

Similarly, you’re probably not going to have the best mental health day every single day of the month. Some days, you’ll feel on top of the world, and other days, well… you might feel like you just got eliminated from your own bracket. And that’s okay!

Mental Health Tip: Let go of the "perfect bracket" mindset (and the perfect mental health routine). Embrace the chaos. You’re doing great, even when things don’t go according to plan. Mindfulness is your friend, or int he most neutral way possible at least your travel partner—take a moment to just breathe and accept whatever the world throws at you.

2. Take Breaks (You’re Not a Machine)

March Madness means non-stop basketball, and we’re talking about games that go deep into the night. You might find yourself glued to your screen, analyzing stats, or secretly hoping that your underdog pick pulls off the upset of a lifetime. But here’s the thing—if you stare at your bracket for too long, you’ll end up like that meme of the guy with his hands on his head, questioning what life even means.

Mental Health Tip: Step away from the madness for a minute (or an hour, or a day—your call). Go for a walk. Read a book. Watch a TV show that doesn’t involve sports. Reconnect with yourself. You’ll be way better equipped to handle the next buzzer-beater if you’ve given your brain a chance to chill out.

3. Focus on What You Can Control (Hint: It’s Not Your Bracket)

Oh, how sweet it would be to control every outcome of March Madness. Imagine—perfect picks, stress-free victories, and a bracket that looks like it was designed by a genius. Unfortunately, the universe doesn’t care about your bracket. It doesn’t care about your predictions or your March Madness fantasies. But guess what? You can control how you react to all the madness. That’s your superpower.

Mental Health Tip: Focus on what you can control—your mindset. Are you picking yourself up after a frustrating day? Great! Are you taking care of your body with some healthy snacks and a little exercise? Even better. Control what’s within your power, and let go of the rest. It’s like being the coach of your own mental health team—minus the fancy suit and clipboard.

4. Roll with the Ups and Downs (Because There Will Be Many)

March Madness is a game of emotional highs and lows. One minute, your team is on fire, and the next, they’re spiraling into oblivion. It’s like the world is handing you a box of emotional roller coasters and saying, “Here, enjoy this ride for the next month!”

You know what? Life isn’t much different. There will be ups (yay!) and downs (boo!), but you can’t let the lows consume you. A #15 seed knocking out your favorite team is painful, but it doesn’t define your entire experience.

Mental Health Tip: When life gives you a buzzer-beater of stress, take a deep breath. Seriously. Breathe in, breathe out, and remember that feelings are temporary. Ups and downs are part of the game, and if you can ride the emotional waves without letting them drown you, you’ll emerge victorious—mentally speaking.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help (Even if It’s Just for Bracket Advice)

Look, March Madness is all about teamwork, right? Whether it’s your favorite team pulling off an upset or your buddies helping you come up with wild predictions (I see you, guy who picked all the underdogs), we all need help sometimes. And when it comes to mental health, asking for support is always a good idea.

Mental Health Tip: Whether you're feeling stressed about your bracket or stressed about life, talk it out with someone. Friends, family, therapists—they’re all there for a reason. Plus, sometimes all you need is someone to say, “Don’t worry, your pick was a long shot anyway!” It helps.

6. Celebrate the Wins (Even if They’re Small)

Did your #12 seed just pull off an upset? Celebrate! Did you finally manage to get out of bed after a rough night of game-watching? Celebrate that too! Every little win counts. You don’t have to wait for the Final Four to pop the confetti.

Mental Health Tip: Acknowledge the small victories. Maybe it’s surviving a tough day, or maybe it’s just managing not to throw your phone across the room after your bracket gets wrecked. Treat yourself like the champion you are, because mental health wins—like sports wins—deserve to be celebrated.

Wrapping It Up

March Madness isn’t just about the brackets, the upsets, or the glory of predicting the perfect champion (though, let’s be real, if you nail that prediction, you should get a trophy). It’s about navigating the chaos with a little bit of humor, a lot of resilience, and the ability to laugh at yourself when your bracket is completely busted by the end of the first round.

So, whether your bracket survives or your mental health feels like it’s on the verge of its own buzzer-beater moment, remember: you’re in control of how you handle it. Embrace the madness, take care of yourself, and don’t forget to celebrate every win—no matter how big or small.

Good luck with your bracket… but even better luck with your mental health.