Take a moment on World Mental Health Day

Protecting our mental health is easier than you might think. We can all take small simple steps that help us to feel better.

Here are a few tips and ideas of how you can improve your mental health:

• get closer to nature: nature can have a really calming effect on us. The Mental Health Foundation found that going for a walk was our favourite way of coping with stress during the pandemic in 2020
• learn to understand and manage your feelings: feeling upset can interfere with our lives, making it hard to think clearly. But having patience and learning to understand and manage your feelings will help.
• talking kindly to ourselves is important – you might feel uncomfortable at first, but give it a go – it just might help. You could try repeating something positive about yourself a few times each day.
• some people feel better if they write down how they are feeling in a notebook or on their phone.
• be aware of using drugs and/or alcohol to cope with difficult feelings. Many of us sometimes use drugs to block out 'difficult' feelings such as sadness, fear or shame. Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol don't stop the feelings returning and may make things worse or create other problems, including damage to your mental and physical health.
• try to make the most of your money and get help with problem debts. Money problems can be unavoidable and we may have no choice about being in debt. Fears about paying bills and affording essentials such as food and electricity can be very stressful. Here is a list of organisations that offer free advice about financial problems: https://www.moneyandmentalhealth.org/get-help/
• get more from your sleep. Anyone who has struggled with sleep will know what a difference it makes to our bodies, minds and ability to cope with life. If you're struggling with your sleep, think about trying a few simple changes. For example:
  • • develop a relaxing bedtime routine to help you start winding down before you actually go to sleep
    • avoid TV and mobile screens, alcohol and caffeine before bed. This will help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
    • go to bed and get up at around the same time every day, including weekends.

Tell someone you can trust:

You may find it helpful to talk to your partner, a relative or a friend about your problems. They may be concerned about you and welcome the opportunity to hear what you have to say. If this is not possible, you may prefer to talk to someone else you can trust, like a faith leader or a teacher.

Talk to your GP:

Your GP may be the first person you talk to about your mental health problems. If you have a good relationship with your doctor, you may find it helpful just to know there is someone you can talk to about the feelings you are having. Your GP may refer you to specialist services if he/she feels they will help you.