PHILIPPA’S TOP TIPS TO LOOK AFTER YOUR METAL HEALTH

There are simple things you can do ever y day to nur ture your mind

◆ We all have mental health all of the time, sometimes it is better than at other periods, and sometimes it is worse and we may develop a mental health condition.

◆ Think of mental health as a spectrum, we are all on it somewhere!

◆ This means there are things that we can all do to look after our mental health.

◆ Add in the stresses and strains over the last almost two years over the pandemic and lots of us have seen a strain on our mental health and resilience.

◆ There is no shame in struggling, the best thing you can do is to ask for help when you need it.

◆ Looking after and protecting your mental health is hugely important to your overall wellbeing.

◆ Keep active, moving your body has benefits not just for your physical health but also your mental health.

◆ Moving your body can help you sleep better, often gets you outside in natural light and releases endorphins which give you more energy and can help lift your mood.

◆ Tr y to do things that you enjoy, for you. Make a list of things you enjoy but might have stopped doing and tr y to plan in one or two each day.

◆ Try some mindfulness, guided meditation or breathing exercises – these can reduce stress and help you be more present so that you do not focus on perhaps more unhelpful thoughts. There are lots of apps available which can help such as HeadSpace or Calm.

◆ Focus on your sleep and tr y to develop good sleep hygiene practices such as not having your phone in your bedroom and having a regular bed time routine and sleep and wake times to improve your sleep.

◆ Looking after mental health is not selfish, it is self care, and enables you to be healthy and well.

◆ Have a look at www.nhs. uk/every-mind-matters/ for fur ther advice.